Integrated Fluid Power
Integrated fluid power research focuses on energy efficiency, covering a broad spectrum in the areas of control, component and systems development and energy management. Special focuses are digital hydraulics valve development and new manufacturing methods, hybrid systems and autonomous actuators and energy management focused on regenerative systems in general, using external and renewable energy, pressure accumulators, pumps and compressors, and also benefitting from new manufacturing technologies. Fluid power technology is tightly integrated with other technologies like electronics, mechanics and thermodynamics, so these aspects are also included in most research.
Digital hydraulics enables realising hydraulic systems that are robust, more fault-tolerant, have better controllability and operational characteristics and are also more cost- and energy-efficient than the hydraulic systems commonly used today. Research focuses on valve development and new manufacturing methods. Due to its advantages, digital hydraulics is expected to seize the hydraulics market in the near future.
Hybrid systems enable using different kinds of energy sources and thus reaching better energy economics of the systems. The research focuses on autonomous actuators, which are expected to replace some of the central hydraulic systems in various machines due to their clear advantages in form of, e.g. self-sufficiency, freer design and optimized selection of components, and better maintainability.
Energy management research is focused on regenerative systems in general, using external and renewable energy, pressure accumulators, pumps and compressors, and also benefitting from new manufacturing technologies. The market for energy-efficient systems is increasing due to the rapid increase in global energy usage and risks posed by global warming.
Personnel: Professor Matti Pietola