MODELING OF A HYDRAULIC ENERGY REGENERATION SYSTEM .2. EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM

This study reports experimental data taken with a hydraulic energy regeneration system and compares the measured data with analytical results. The system tested consisted of two foam-filled hydraulic accumulators, a variable-displacement piston-type pump/motor, a reservoir and a flywheel. During a series of experiments, energy was repeatedly transferred between the hydraulic accumulators and the flywheel through the pump/motor. Computed system variables compared favorably with the experimental results. At high and moderate pump/motor swivel angles, the round-trip efficiency varied from 61 to 89 percent. It was significantly lower at small angles.