A hydrostatic drive includes a diesel engine and a hydrostatic adjustable machine which supplies multiple consumers in normal operation as a pump. The machine has a pressure/flow regulator to which is communicated, according to the load-sensing principle, the highest load pressure of the consumers, in particular when the machine is operated as a pump. In order to realize a start/stop function of the diesel engine, a previously charged high-pressure reservoir supplies the hydrostatic machine, which then acts as a starter motor for the diesel engine. In order to switch from pump to starter motor, the hydro-machine is adjusted over zero. In order for this switch to take place quickly and reliably, the pressure/flow regulator is deactivated by means of a switching valve and the adjustment device is supplied with an adjustment pressure medium via the switching valve, which medium is taken from the high-pressure reservoir or from an auxiliary reservoir.

A method and apparatus for gas compression and expansion that simultaneously serves as storage tank for the compressed gas, and heat exchanger for heat transfer to the environment to maintain near-isothermal conditions.

A hydraulic axle includes a reversible hydraulic pump. The hydraulic axle has a multi-surface cylinder with two retraction surfaces and two deployment surfaces. A first deployment surface and a first retraction surface are configured to interconnect with each other and separate from other surface during a rapid-traverse stroke. A pressure medium is configured to act on the second deployment surface to enable deployment.

An energy storage and regeneration system that converts irregular, non-constant, and variable input power to regular, constant, and controlled output power using hydraulics whereby the irregular input power is used to pump hydraulic fluid into an accumulator array where it is stored pressurized. Energy is released in a controlled fashion using a hydraulic motor operated by the pressurized hydraulic fluid from the accumulator array, in accordance with the specified power demand. One or more power units may be deployed depending on the amount of energy required at the output. Each power unit includes a hydraulic motor and associated floating accumulator whose internal pressure is controlled to maintain a substantially constant pressure differential across its associated motor.

An energy storage and regeneration system that converts irregular, non-constant, and variable input power to regular, constant, and controlled output power using hydraulics whereby the irregular input power is used to pump hydraulic fluid into an accumulator array where it is stored pressurized. Energy is released in a controlled fashion using a hydraulic motor operated by the pressurized hydraulic fluid from the accumulator array, in accordance with the specified power demand. One or more power units may be deployed depending on the amount of energy required at the output. Each power unit includes a hydraulic motor and associated floating accumulator whose internal pressure is controlled to maintain a substantially constant pressure differential across its associated motor. The system can be integrated into various energy system sources including renewable energy such as wind, PV or thermal solar, wave, tidal, etc.

A hydrostatic drive system (1) has a hydrostatic pump (3) driven by a drive motor (2) and connected in a closed circuit with a hydrostatic motor (4). The hydrostatic motor (4) drives a consumer (5) and the closed circuit is formed by a first hydraulic connection (6a) and a second hydraulic connection (6b). A hydrostatic accumulator (30) can be connected with at least one of the two hydraulic connections (6a, 6b). A hydrostatic drive unit is located in an accumulator flow path (21) between one of the two hydraulic connections (6a, 6b) and the hydrostatic accumulator (30) and an additional hydrostatic drive unit is located in a tank flow path (22) between the other of the two hydraulic connections (6a, 6b) and a tank (17). The hydrostatic drive unit and the additional hydrostatic drive unit are a hydrostatic dual-flow double drive unit (20) provided in the accumulator flow path (21) and in the tank flow path (22).

A hydraulic cylinder enclosing a cavity, the cylinder containing a thru hole, an inner cylinder surface, and a longitudinal axis, and a piston within the cavity and movable relative to the cylinder in parallel to the longitudinal axis between a first and second positions. The piston includes a rod extending through the thru hole, the piston attached to the rod and in sealed engagement with the inner cylinder surface, and dividing the cavity into low and high pressure cavities, and each of the low and high pressure cavities containing a hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic cylinder further including a flexible bladder within the high pressure cavity containing a gas and preventing the gas from mixing with hydraulic fluid in the high pressure cavity. The flexible bladder is attached to an end of the cylinder, and is expandable within the high pressure cavity so that when the piston is in the first position, the flexible bladder and the gas are compressed, and as the piston moves toward the second position, the flexible bladder and the gas fill at least a portion of the high pressure cavity.

A method and a system for recovering and utilizing crane operating energy and a crane includes converting by a first hydraulic power means hydraulic energy generated by a hydraulic actuator into mechanical energy of a transmission shaft; driving, by the transmission shaft, a second hydraulic power means to rotate so as to convert the mechanical energy of the transmission shaft into mechanical energy of the second hydraulic power means; filling, by the second hydraulic power means, pressurized oil into an accumulator so as to convert the mechanical energy of the second hydraulic power means into hydraulic energy for storage.

The object of the present invention is to provide an inventive energy recovery method for a hydraulic system comprising a hydraulic cylinder (1), a pump (2), a tank (3), a supply conduit (4), a return conduit (5), and a hydraulic accumulator (7), the method comprises the steps of charging said hydraulic accumulator (7), and storing fluid in said hydraulic accumulator (7), wherein said energy recovery method comprises the step of directing fluid from said hydraulic accumulator (7) into an expanding chamber (8, 9) of said hydraulic cylinder (1) during an overrunning load condition.

A hydrostatic drive system (1) with a hydrostatic pump (3) driven by a drive motor (2) and connected in a closed circuit with a hydrostatic motor (4). The hydrostatic motor (4) is connected with a consumer (5). The closed circuit is formed by a first hydraulic connection (6a) and a second hydraulic connection (6b). A pressure accumulator device (30) can be connected with the two hydraulic connections (6a, 6b) for the storage of energy and the output of energy. The pressure accumulator device (30) is a double piston accumulator (31) having a high-pressure-side pressure chamber (32) and a low-pressure-side pressure chamber (33). The high-pressure-side pressure chamber (32) can be connected with one of the two hydraulic connections (6a, 6b) of the closed circuit and simultaneously the low-pressure-side pressure chamber (33) can be connected with the respective other hydraulic connection (6b, 6a) of the closed circuit.