Patent ID: 11959252
Assignee: ARTEMIS INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC E  F | IPC E  F

Claim 0:
1. An apparatus comprising:
first and second hydraulic circuit portions, the first hydraulic circuit portion having a first hydraulic circuit portion input, and a plurality of valves configured to regulate the flow of hydraulic fluid from the first hydraulic circuit portion input to each of a first group of at least two hydraulic actuators, the second hydraulic circuit portion having a second hydraulic circuit portion input, and a plurality of valves configured to regulate the flow of hydraulic fluid from the second hydraulic circuit portion input to each of a second group of at least two hydraulic actuators,
a prime mover,
a hydraulic machine having a rotatable shaft in driven engagement with the prime mover and comprising at least three working chambers having a volume which varies cyclically with rotation of the rotatable shaft, each working chamber of the hydraulic machine comprising a low-pressure valve which regulates the flow of hydraulic fluid between the working chamber and a low-pressure manifold and a high-pressure valve which regulates the flow of hydraulic fluid between the working chamber and a high-pressure manifold, wherein the working chambers are formed into a plurality of pump modules each pump module comprising a group of one or more of the working chambers and a high-pressure manifold which is common to each working chamber in the group,
a hydraulic connecting circuit comprising a plurality of connecting circuit inputs, each of which is in fluid communication with the high-pressure manifold of a respective pump module, a first connecting circuit output in fluid communication with the first hydraulic circuit portion and a second connecting circuit output in fluid communication with the second hydraulic circuit portion input, the hydraulic connecting circuit configured to connect each said connecting circuit input to a said connecting circuit output and comprising a plurality of valves which are switchable to change the connecting circuit output to which a said connecting circuit input is connected, so that each pump module is connected to one hydraulic circuit portion at a time and that for some or all of the pump modules, the hydraulic circuit portion to which the respective pump module is connected may be changed,
a controller configured to actively control at least the low pressure valves of the said working chambers to determine the net displacement of each working chamber during each cycle of working chamber volume, and also the said valves, such that the net displacement of the working chambers of each pump module which are connected to the first hydraulic circuit portion is controlled in response to a first demand for hydraulic fluid of the first hydraulic circuit portion, and the net displacement of the working chambers of each pump module which are connected to the second hydraulic circuit portion is controlled in response to an independent second demand for hydraulic fluid of the second hydraulic portion.