Design and performance research on the actuator of high-speed valve based on shear working mode of magnetorheological fluid

Abstract The high-speed valve with advanced performance, which is expected to possess characteristics of large nominal flow and fast response at the same time, plays an important role in enabling efficient digital hydraulics. In order to solve the tradeoff between a large rated flow and less response time, this paper proposed a novel design of high-speed valve actuator called energy coupler actuator (ECA) based on the shear working mode of magnetorheological fluid. The ECA allows a rotary energy source couple/decouple the translational valve spool for fast and long stroke on/off switching. This work developed a multi-physics model of ECA to study its performance and simulation work based on response surface method has been conducted to optimize the ECA design parameters. An ECA prototype with the optimal design solution has been manufactured and experimentally tested. The testing results shows that driven by the power level similar to off-the-shelf solenoid valves, this ECA prototype only took 5 ms to achieve 1.5 mm stroke, which provide a flow area equivalent to a nominal flow of 100 l min −1 @5 bar. This prototype also demonstrated the ECA’s design feature of long stroke with quick response by achieving 7 mm stroke in just 16 ms.