Theoretical simulation of ripples for different leading-side groove volumes on manifolds in fixed-displacement axial-piston pump

For many hydraulic systems, fixed-displacement axial-piston pumps often employ swash plate. The design challenge for such a pump is to minimize the pressure and flow ripples and the consequent noises. Although the use of grooves at the leading and trailing sides of the pump manifolds has been adopted by several manufacturers as a remedy to this problem, theoretical modelling and analysis of the effects of these silencing grooves are very limited. This study presents a model that puts special emphasis on analysing the effect of volume variation of the silencing grooves. All the non-linear dynamic and algebraic equations developed during modelling have been solved in a Matlab/Simulink framework. The analysis has been carried out for a pump with leading-side manifolds, since experimental results for such a pump were available. Through a constant-speed parametric analysis at fixed load, optimal dimensions for these grooves have been indicated. The major contribution of the present work is the development of a mathematical model that attempts an explicit solution of pressure within each silencing groove. The model has been presented in the analysis as an effective design analysis tool for minimizing the pressure and flow ripples.