23/04/2015 Understanding the unloading compensator

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Understanding the unloading compensator

Jack Johnson, P.E.
Wed, 2010­02­10 (All day)

Last month’s edition of “Motion Control” showed how an unloading compensator is used with a fixed
displacement pump to emulate a variable­displacement pump with load sensing — inefficiency
notwithstanding. It also showed how pressure­reducing compensated flow controls in each section of a
valve stack achieved independent flow control to each of several loads. These examples represent a
useful hydraulic circuit design strategy. Perhaps more importantly, they create control systems that
reduce the amount of operator training required to develop productive skills.

They are not, however, ideal systems. They

are better than simpler circuits, but some
characteristics may deviate considerably
from the ideal. The aim this month is to
explain the performance of the unloading
compensator to reduce the number of
surprises in an application and to help
ensure that proper sizing and component
selections can be made. There will also be
some discussion on the math modeling of
these valves, because all of the graphs have
been generated using models, not actual
test data.
Figure 1. A combination analytical schematic, cutaway
diagram, and ISO symbols illustrates an unloader system Laying the groundwork
that has been reduced to its most minimal form without Figure 1 shows a combination analytical
sacrificing essential features. schematic, cutaway diagram, and ISO
symbology for an unloader system that has
been reduced to its most minimal form without sacrificing essential features. The figure will suffice for
both an explanation of the normal laboratory test procedure as well as for development of a
mathematical model.

Recall that the aim of the unloader design is to maintain a constant pressure drop across a metering
orifice, KVPL, the powered land of the associated 4­way directional control valve. Thus, we see in Figure 1
that the Load sense line and the Supply pressure sense line connect to the two ends of the compensator
spool such that the spool itself senses the differential pressure across KVPL.

It was argued that if the differential pressure drop was maintained constant across a given metering
orifice opening, then the flow through it must be constant as well. Furthermore, if the metering orifice is
variable, such as is the case of the 4­way spool, the amount of flow is adjustable by the operator merely
by changing the amount of spool shift.

However, the pressure drop across the metering orifice is not constant. It varies by a considerable

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23/04/2015 Understanding the unloading compensator

amount as the 4­way spool, load and supply pressures are varied. The result is that the flow is not
constant for a given 4­way setting while load and supply pressures are changing. Actual testing reveals
the degree to which the flow varies. Well­developed mathematical models will also predict the variability
and provide insights into the causes.

The free body diagram of Figure 2 is used to sum all the forces that significantly affect the movement and
position of the compensator spool. In making models of things that are geometric, it’s necessary to
establish a coordinate system that defines where zero is located. For the spool, fortunately, it is a one
dimensional system, and only the x = 0 point needs to be set. It is located at the point where the
compensator spool just begins to open, and it is positive in the opening direction.

The area that results from the opening of the compensator spool is commonly referred to as the “curtain
area.” It is the flow through the compensator spool metering land that moves radially through a
cylindrical geometry into an annular opening as it passes the compensator spool. That curtain flow area
is approximately the circumferential area of the cylinder formed by the spool opening.

Effects of flow forces

In most valves — the instant one being no exception — flow force acts to close the valve. That may not be
intuitive, but it is true, having been verified over the years with actual test data. In the unloader valve,
this means that the flow force acts in the same direction as the bias spring. Therefore, some observers
have stated that it acts as a non­linear spring that assists the bias spring. In other words, flow force tends
to make the bias spring look stiffer. This is actually a good thing, but it also accounts for some of the less
intuitive behavior of the valve in the application.

There is also the issue with the flow angle, which is the angle that the flow stream makes as it accelerates
through the restriction offered by the partially opened compensator orifice. Some valve modelers use
the simple, conventional interpretation that the flow angle is always at 69°, regardless of the degree of
valve opening. In his classic text, Hydraulic Control Systems, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,
Herbert E. Merritt states that the flow angle varies from 21° to 69° as the spool increases its opening
from zero to maximum. Furthermore, the flow angle increases approximately in an exponential fashion.
The rate of change is largely affected by the spool­to­bore clearance, which in, turn is a function of
manufacturing tolerances. Therefore, the rate of change varies from valve specimen to valve specimen.
Flow force, then, is somewhat of a random, unknowable quantity except when the clearances have
specifically been measured.

I have actual proprietary test data from a set of servovalves

indicating that the flow angle varies in a more or less linear
fashion from about 40° to about 80°. I have used both the
exponential and linear variations in several modeling efforts, and
there is a measurable difference — but, arguably, at times not
very significant. My personal suspicion is that the flow force
variations are more complex than is currently understood by
various modeling experts.

The variation in flow angle is likely to be a complex function of

the spool geometry and entrance and exit geometries of the fixed
body parts. This has been attested to by certain inventors that
have succeeded in creating geometric patterns that can nullify the
flow force.

Simulating flow angle

I chose to use a variation on the Merritt model (that the flow
angle variation is exponential) in a computer simulation.

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23/04/2015 Understanding the unloading compensator

However, the simulation does not rely on a knowledge of the

valve’s internal clearances. It uses exponential angle variation,
and the range is from 450° to 700°. According to Merritt, the
spool movement required to reach the ultimate 69°angle is a
function of the spool­to­bore clearance. The larger the radial
clearance, the farther the spool land must open before reaching
the 69° terminal angle.

My approach in the computer program is that the user enters a

percent of spool travel needed to reach the programmed terminal
angle of 70°. Thus, the user needs to have no specific knowledge
of the clearances.

To investigate the randomness of tolerance buildup, the safe

method is to make simulations with a range of values for such
probabilistic parameters as spool­to­bore clearance. In the end,
the flow force and how it varies does affect the performance of
the valve — that is, the ability to maintain constant load flow.
Furthermore, it is unlikely that our models of flow force are
anything more precise than reasonable approximations to reality.
If the valve exists as hardware, the prudent modeler will always Figure 2. This free­body diagram
adjust the model to the actual test results. If not, we use the best sums all the forces that significantly
theories at hand. affect the movement and position of
the valve spool.
However, that does not mean the models are without value. It has
been my experience that inclusion of flow forces with reasonable
variations will suffice to design and build a prototype valve close to final dimensions. After testing, some
design changes are likely, but convergence on a final design can be made much more quickly for having
conducted the simulation than if all the “what ifs” are done in the laboratory. Spring characteristics and
spool diameter are two engineering parameters that are very good candidates for model analysis.

Unloader valve testing

Figure 1 serves as a starting point
for explaining the test method used
by manufacturers and users of
these valves and for the
development of the math model.
The basic test parameters are the 4­
way spool position, or spool shift
(KVPL in Figure 1), and the load
pressure. With the bias spring pre­
compression adjusted to the
desired value, the procedure
involves setting the pump output
flow, setting the 4­way spool at a
starting position, then changing the
variable load pressure while
measuring flows through the
Figure 3. These simulated result illustrate how well the load compensator spool metering land,
pressure is maintained at a constant value as load pressure is to the load, and from the pump and
varied. the differential pressure across the
4­way powered land, the

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23/04/2015 Understanding the unloading compensator

compensator inlet pressure, and the outlet pressure).

After the load pressure has been adjusted through its full range, it is reduced, and the 4­way spool is
shifted to a new position and held there while the load pressure is again adjusted trough the desired
range. The result is a set of graphs that display how well the load pressure is maintained at a constant
value as the load pressure is varied. The simulated results of this test are shown in Figure 3.

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