Design and numerical simulation of a novel pilot control cartridge valve distribution radial piston motor

Radial piston motors are one of the most important high torque rotary actuators, due to their good low-speed stability, high power density, as well as affordable price. Conventional distribution mechanisms suffer from a fundamental drawback—the unavoidable gap in the flow distribution pair, which can lead to increased leakage under high-pressure conditions, consequently restricting the working pressure. This article proposes a novel radial piston hydraulic device with two-way cartridge valve flow distribution, which can improve the sealing performance under high-pressure conditions. The simulation model of the novel motor based on AMESim environment is built. The problem of volumetric efficiency loss caused by the overlapping of distribution ports is studied and the leakage mechanism was illustrated. According to the simulation results of the prototype, it can be inferred that the motor's leakage will be effectively controlled by configuring the timing angle on the pilot ports.