AAK Hydraulic Cartridge Counterbalance Valve with 1 more function than SUN standard part, and can reduce energy consumption by more than 20%

China [CN]

Mablevi is from South Africa, and has purchased hydraulic cartridge valves from AAK for 2 years. They are all standard parts of SUN or HyraForce models. The order frequency is high, but the quantity is small. Sometimes 10 pieces are purchased for one style, and sometimes 1 piece is purchased, but AAK has never disliked them. Last week, I received the annual order of 1,000 hydraulic cartridge counterbalance valves from Mablevi, which was unexpected and surprising. 

At the beginning of last year, their dealers reported that the energy consumption of the excavators they supplied was high. In order to increase the market share, the energy consumption must be reduced. Their engineers optimized the whole hydraulic system and put forward new requirements for the hydraulic cartridge counterbalance valve with energy recovery function. According to the feedback of the original cartridge valve manufacturer, this is the model same as SUN hydraulic cartridge counterbalance valve, which does not have energy recovery function. Mablevi checked with SUN and got the reply that this function is not available, but it can be customized. It requires a high MOQ and high development cost. Mablevi was in trouble. 

Mablevi thought of AAK and asked: Can AAK customize the hydraulic cartridge counterbalance valve with "energy recovery" function? It is the first time that I received such functional requirement from customer. After communication, I learned that they encountered difficulties in purchasing this hydraulic cartridge counterbalance valve. According to their equipment hydraulic system principle, in the process of load reduction and braking, the mechanical energy of the load is fully converted into internal energy through the throttling of the hydraulic cartridge counterbalance valve to achieve the smooth load reduction and braking, which leads to energy waste. Can we make use of this energy? This is our thinking direction. After 45 days, AAK sent 48 samples of hydraulic cartridge counterbalance valves. 

3 weeks after the samples of the hydraulic cartridge counterbalance valve were sent, Mablevi informed me by email that the excavator could work after be installed with AAK hydraulic cartridge counterbalance valve. Their internal test showed that the energy consumption fell by about 20%. It needs to wait the specific feedback from the market. He asked me to wait patiently for the annual order of this hydraulic cartridge counterbalance valve. 

AAK hydraulic cartridge counterbalance valve can realize the stable load, and the mechanical energy of the load can be converted into pressure oil through the oil recovery hole to realize the energy recovery function when lowering or braking. The key lies in 3 unique structures:

1. The throttling chamber of AAK hydraulic cartridge counterbalance valve is divided into pressure oil chamber, return oil chamber, two oil drain chambers and control oil chamber. The control oil chamber is connected with the control oil port through the throttle, the pressure oil chamber is connected with the pressure oil port, and the two oil drain chambers are connected with the oil drain port.

2. AAK hydraulic cartridge counterbalance valve is also equipped with a three-way pressure compensation chamber with 4 holes (oil inlet hole, recovery oil hole, working oil hole, and control oil hole). The oil inlet hole is connected with the oil return cavity, the oil inlet hole is connected with the oil drain cavity, the control oil hole is connected with the pressure cavity, the recovery oil hole, and the working oil hole is connected with their oil ports. 

3. The compensation valve spool and balance spring are installed in the compensation valve chamber. When the compensation valve spool acts, open the recovery oil hole first, and then open the working oil hole. The pressure of the oil inlet hole and the balance spring control the opening of the oil receiving hole and the working oil hole, control the pressure of the oil hole, and control the closing of the oil receiving hole and the working oil hole.

AAK hydraulic cartridge counterbalance valve, has 1 more function than SUN standard part, and reduces energy consumption by 20%. You can also try it!

https://www.aakindustry.com/info-detail/cartridge-counterbalance-valves-aak522