Hydraulic systems are a critical component of modern construction and agricultural machinery (such as excavators, cranes, bulldozers, and combine harvesters), driving mechanical motion using pressurized fluid. However, hydraulic oil stagnation and contamination significantly reduce reliability, accounting for approximately 80% of equipment failures and premature component wear. Scientists at Perm National Research Polytechnic University have proposed a new method that identifies potentially hazardous zones in hydraulic systems during the design stage, thereby improving reliability. The related article has been published in the journal Tractors and Agricultural Machinery, with the research conducted under the Priority 2030 Strategic Academic Leadership Program.
Hydraulic systems play a key role in construction, road-building, and agricultural machinery by transmitting energy through fluid to control equipment. The primary cause of failure is oil contamination, with pollutants entering from the external environment or generated by internal component wear. Existing filters cannot always adequately clean the working fluid. Additionally, insufficient oil circulation creates "dead zones," accelerating component wear, degrading equipment performance, and even causing sudden failures.
Scientists at Perm Polytechnic University have developed a mathematical model that calculates potential danger zones in hydraulic systems during the design phase, thereby enhancing system reliability and extending machine service life. While existing numerical models focus on improving operational efficiency or speed, the unique feature of this method is its emphasis on longevity, which is particularly important for machinery operating in harsh climatic conditions.
The model incorporates equations that identify potential danger zones, allowing engineers to eliminate fluid stagnation in advance by repositioning components or adding supplementary circulation lines. Senior Lecturer Ilnur Shayakhbarov from Pakistan's National University of Oil and Gas Industry noted that, based on model calculations, longer piston strokes and shorter fluid pathways reduce the likelihood of "dead zones" and improve circulation. Professor Konstantin Pugin from Perm Polytechnic University stated that, to validate the data, the team simulated fluid circulation and conducted full-scale tests on a test bench, with calculated values differing from actual parameters by less than 4%, confirming the method's reliability.
This method enables the identification and elimination of potential issues related to working fluid circulation during the design stage, making it especially significant for machinery operating under harsh conditions. Improved circulation increases system reliability, reduces operating costs, extends service life, and lowers equipment maintenance expenses.
