Energy-Saving Solution for Hydraulic Excavators Using Electrical Boom Energy Regeneration System

Abstract

This study presents a novel energy recovery system for hydraulic excavators, designed to capture and reuse the potential energy generated during boom operations, thereby reducing overall power demand. The proposed system integrates a hydraulic motor/pump and an electric motor/generator at the outlet of the boom cylinder’s bore chamber. During the boom’s lowering phase, potential energy is harvested, converted into electrical energy, and stored in a battery. This stored energy is subsequently redirected into the system via the inlet of the main hydraulic pump, reducing the pressure differential across the pump during the lifting phase and effectively lowering power consumption. Furthermore, an energy management strategy is implemented to dynamically switch between operating modes based on real-time working conditions while ensuring battery health and operational safety. To evaluate system performance, a simulation model is developed using AMESim. The results demonstrate that the proposed system can achieve an energy regeneration efficiency of up to 45.7% and a corresponding reduction in energy consumption of approximately 42.9%.