Improved Electronic Driver for Fast-Response On-off Valves for Digital Hydraulics

Fast response electromagnets are required for actuators in many mechatronics applications. Such actuators are on-off valves for digital hydraulics, new field in fluid power where fluid flow is controlled by a number of fast on-off valves connected in a structure similar with switches from an electronic digital to analogue converter. These valves must be very fast, with response times in millisecond range, and this requirement can be fulfilled if both mechanical structure and electronics are very fast. Our research focuses on the electronic driver and how to improve its speed without increasing supply voltage by adding a charged capacitor during off-on switching. Proposed method is simulated using LTspice program and implemented and tested on real circuits with a standard contactor as electromagnet load and with a real on-off valve for digital hydraulics.