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Thrust 1: Efficiency

Thrust Area 1: Efficiency

By increasing the efficiency of fluid power in existing and new applications, the CCEFP will save many billions of dollars in energy, paying for the Center many times over. Improved efficiency will significantly reduce petroleum consumption and pollution. If new fluid power technology could cause a 10 percent improvement in overall fuel consumption for transportation, $24 billion in crude oil would be saved each year

The superior power density of fluid power makes it ideal for regenerative braking, with field tests showing fuel savings of 25 to 35 percent for trucks. The CCEFP will develop new, high-density accumulators that will make the regeneration approach feasible for passenger vehicles, resulting in much larger energy savings.

Significant energy savings can also be achieved in the construction, mining, agricultural and industrial sectors.

Research projects

  • 1A.1 Integrated algorithms for optimal energy use in mobile fluid power systems
  • 1A.2 Machine power management by displacement-controlled actuators
  • 1B.1 Advanced surface design for a new generation of pumps and motors
  • 1B.2 Surface effects on start-up friction and their application to compact gerotor motor design
  • 1D Nano-texturing for fluid power lines and pumps
  • 1E.1 On/Off valve based control
  • 1E.2 Coupled multi-domain modeling and simulation of high speed on/off valves
  • 1E.3 High efficiency, high bandwidth, actively controlled variable displacement pump/motor
  • 1G.1 Energy efficient fluids
  • 1G.2 Nano-additives to reduce turbulent drag reduction and improve pumping capacity