Control of a conventional hydraulic valve using pulse-width modulation
Amar Kujraković, mag. inž., Jan Pustavrh, mag. inž., Rok Jelovčan, inž., izr. prof. dr. Franc Majdič, univ. dipl. inž., vsi Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za strojništvo
Ventil 32 (2026) 5 / Review articles / Scientific Article – 1.01
Abstract:
Due to the growing need to reduce costs in hydraulic systems, more cost-effective control methods are being investigated for proportional control of actuators. Conventional directional control valves could represent one such alternative. This paper investigates the feasibility of controlling a conventional 2/2-way poppet valve using pulse-width modulation (PWM) to achieve quasi-proportional control of the average flow rate. A mathematical model of the valve, a hydraulic test bench, and a control program for conducting step-response and PWM measurements were developed. The effects of PWM frequency, duty cycle, pressure, and temperature were experimentally evaluated. The results demonstrate that control of the average flow rate is achievable within a limited range of operating parameters, with performance constrained by valve switching times and operating conditions.
Keywords:
pulse-width modulation, conventional directional control valves, solenoid actuation, response time, duty cycle
Copyright (c) 2026 Amar Kujraković, Jan Pustavrh, Rok Jelovčan, Franc Majdič
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