The importance to consider advanced fluid properties in flow simulation of hydrostatic machines (Part 1)
Mag. Anže Čelik, univ. dipl. inž., Poclain Hydraulics d. o. o., Žiri, Slovenija
Ventil 32 (2026) 2 / Review articles / Technical article – 1.04
Abstract:
Hydrostatic machines are devices that transfer power using pressurized hydraulic fluid within a closed circuit, relying on positive displacement pumps and motors. They convert mechanical energy into fluid pressure and back into mechanical torque.
Simulation of such machines still requires highly skilled engineers, use of advanced simulation tools and advanced simulation approach … despite the availability of modern simulation tools with well suited graphical user interface (GUI) and numerical techniques.
The paper presents recent activities and progress on simulation of hydrostatic machines – in particular, the axial piston pump and the radial hydraulic motor. Despite that these machines have been designed and produced by Poclain for decades, there are still (design) features and phenomena not being investigated in detail or never being simulated.
The simulation advancements mainly refer to the application of complicated kinematic motion, fluid properties, physics to consider as well as mesh and numerical algorithm techniques. In this paper, the focus is given on modelling of advanced fluid properties (e.g. compressibility, cavitation etc.). Fluid with such advanced properties is used in fluid flow simulation.
Numerical approach has been performed by means of computational fluid dynamic (CFD) within the environment of Siemens Simcenter Star-CCM+. The anticipation of cavitation has been possible by implementation of existing »full cavitation model«.
Keywords:
radial hydraulic motor, axial piston pump, CFD simulation, cavitation, piston chamber, swash plate
Copyright (c) 2026 Anže Čelik
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