Design and Control of the Prototype Electro-hydraulic Energy Regeneration Actuation System for Electric Construction Machinery

The electrification of construction machinery is a key development trend, but challenges such as high energy consumption and difficulty in energy replenishment have hindered its effectiveness in field operations. To improve the energy efficiency of the actuation system in construction machinery, an electro-hydraulic energy regeneration actuation system (EHERAS) and a multi-mode switching control strategy are proposed. The actuation system utilizes a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) and a four-quadrant hydraulic pump with bidirectional driving capability to enable energy regeneration. A Hardware-in-the-Loop experimental platform for the electro-hydraulic energy regeneration actuation system has been developed for a 3-ton electric-powered forklift, and experimental verification has been conducted. The results have revealed that the proposed system achieves a potential energy regeneration efficiency of 40.72%, with an energy-saving rate of 15.35%.