VB Technical University of Ostrava

Modelling and Simulation of

Mechatronic Systems
Prof.Ing.Petr Noskievi, CSc.
Department of Automatic Control and
Instrumentation

Hydraulic systems

The modelling od hydraulic systems will be focused on the mathematical

description of the properties of the systems, in which the fluid is in the move
and in which the compressed fluid works. The creation of the mathematical
models is based on the use of the knowledge of fluid mechanics.
The real fluid is compressible, but less than gas and steam.
The creation of the mathematical models is based on the application of
the two general laws: conservation of mass and conservation of
energy.
The need of the mathematical models of hydraulic systems is by the control
of the fluid flow, control of the fluid reserve in the tanks and by the
control of the motion of the mechanisms with hydraulic drives.

Conservation of mass Continuity equation

Conservation of the mass
Two types of the mass changes:
Local change of the mass dmt is caused by the compressibility of the fluid,
Convective change of the mass dms is caused by the difference of the
mass flowing into and out of the unit volume.
Continuity equation for one dimensional steady flow:

dm = dms + dmt = 0
d
( .S .v ) = 0
ds

1.S1.v1 = 2 .S2.v2 = .S.v = const

= const

Q = S .v = const .

Conservation of energy Bernoulli`s equation

Bernoulli`s equation expresses the conservation energy law by the
flowing of the ideal fluid in the gravitational field characterized by the
gravitational acceleration.
Bernoulli`s equation for the ideal incompressible fluid in the gravitational
field and for the steady flow has the following form:

v2 p
+ + g.h = const.
2

WK Kinetic energy
WP Potential energy due to pressure
Wh Potential energy - due to gravity

WK + W p + Wh = const .
wK =

WK 1 2
= v
m
2

= g.h

v2
p
+
+ h = const
2g g

wh =

WP
= g .h
m

Fluid outlet from the tank

Fluid outlet from the closed
(pressurized) tank
v12
p2 v22
+ + g.h =
+ + g.hZ
2

p1

S1.v1 = S 2 .v2

v1 =

v22
hZ = .
2g

S1

S2

S 2 .v 2
S1

v2, p2

g.h +

p2 v22
v22
1 S 2 2
+ . .v2 + g.h =
+ + g. .
2 S1
2
2g

p1

p1

v 2 = 2.

p1 p 2

S
1 + 2
S1

For the small opening area S2 in comparison with the cross-section area of
the tank can be obtained:
g.h +
v = 2.

p1 p 2

1+

p p2
. 2. g.h + 1

1+

For ideal fluid we can write:

=0

p p2

vt = 2. g.h + 1

Dynamics of the Liquid level in the open tank

Outlet velocity:
S1.v1 = S 2 .v2

Atmospheric
pressure

p0, S1

v2 = 2.g.h

v1

dh
v1 =
dt

p0, S2
v2 ,Q2

dh
S1 . = S 2 . 2.g .h
dt

The liquid level h by the gravitational outflow from the tank is described using
the homogenous nonlinear first order differential equation:
dh S 2
+
2g . h = 0
dt S1

h0

1
S1

Q2

h(t)

h(t)
S2 2g

Block diagram of the mathematical

model of the liquid level the
systm without inflow

Outlet from the tank with inlet

The rate of the change of the fluid level can be expressed by the
nonlinear differential equation:
S1 .

dh
=Q1 Q2
dt

S1 .

dh
=Q1 S 2 . 2 gh
dt

Q1

p0,S1

dh S 2
1
+ . 2 g . h = .Q.1
dt S1
S1

h(t)

The steady state for the constant inlet is equal:

dh
=0
dt

S2
Q
. 2g . h = 1
S1
S1

h =

Q12
2gS 22

p0

Q1

Q1

h0

1
S1

Q2

Because of the existence of the steady state the

system has the property called self controllability.
(For the constant inflow the level of the liquid is
constant).

S2

v2, Q2

h(t)

h(t)
S2 2g

Block diagram of the mathematical

model of the liquid level- tank with
inlet

Control of the liquid level using the variable

inlet
hu
h

The relay controller with

hysteresis can be used for level
control. The controller will
control the solenoid valve. The
flow Q1 is given by the
equations for the command
value u :
Q1 = Q1 max pro u = 1

Q1 = 0

hW

Reg

Q1=Q(u)

S1

h(t)

pro u = 0

S2

Closed loop level control using the relay controller

hW

emin

emax e

Q1=Q1(u)

h0

Q1

1
S1

Q2
h(t)
S2 2g

h(t)

Q2

Simulation model of the liquid level control

The course of the liquid level

Simulation model in Simulink

1.1
1.05

KQ
Step

Relay

Inlet
flow

Flow difference

h
[m]

1/S1
Liquid surface

s
level h

0.95

0.9

S2*sqrt(2*g)

Outlet flow

Liquid level control

S1=1%liquid surface m2
S2=0.00065%cross section area of the outlet pipe
KQ=0.01%flow gain m3/s
g=9.81%m/s2

MATLAB
Function

0.85

sqrt
0.8

0.75
0

10

20

30

40

50

60
t[s]

70

80

90

100

Modelling of the hydraulic drives

Hydraulic drives the power transmission is realized by the fluid.

Hydrodynamic drives x hydrostatic drives
Hydrodynamic drives use the kinetic energy of the fluid.
Hydrostatic drives use the potential energy of the fluid due to pressure.
The hydraulic circuit is a set of the elements needed for the transformation
of the energy and their transmission. The basic elements forming the hydraulic
circuit are: hydraulic pump, hydraulic cylinder, flow valves, pressure valves,
pipelines, hoses etc.
The transmitted power is given by:

P = Q.p

Description of the hydraulic circuits

The properties of the hydraulic circuits are described in general by the
system of algebraic equations, which we obtain using the generalized
Kirchhoff`s laws used in the circuit theory.
They have the following form for the hydraulic circuits:
I. The sum of the actual flows ninto and from the node is equal to zero.

=0

i =1

II. The sum of the actual pressure drops around any closed loop is equal to
zero.
n

=0

i =1

The number of the created linear independent equations must be equal to

the number of variables. It is not possible to use both laws on each node
and each closed loop, but on the independent nodes and independent loops
in the same way as by the description of the electric circuits.

Hydraulic lumped elements

The transmission of the pressure energy is not without losses. The pressure
energy of the fluid is changed into the other forms of energy dissipation of
the energy, mainly into the thermal energy, kinetic energy and deformation
energy.
The basic system elements in an engineering system can be
divided into two groups: energy storage elements and energy
dissipation elements.
Fluid resistor R (fluid resistance)
Fluid inertor H (fluid inertance, fluid inductance)
Fluid capacitor C, (Fluid capacitance) or resistance against the
deformation D

R
H
D

Hydraulic resistance
R=

p
Qn

Linear hydraulic resistance n=1

RL =

p
Q

[RL ] = Nm 5 s

p = RL .Q

Nonlinear resistance n=2

RN =

p
Q2

Turbulent flow

p = RN .Q 2

Reynolds number:

Re =

Laminar flow

Re Re krit = 2320

Re Re krit

[RN ] = Nm 8 s 2
v .d

Where v is the velocity of the flow, d is a characteristic dimension (by the

pipeline the inner diameter), kinematic viscosity.

Hydraulic resistance
l v2
p = . . .
d 2

Laminar flow
Flow velocity
p =

v=

Q 4.Q
=
S .d 2

128..l.
.Q
4
.d

Turbulent flow

Friction coefficient

RL =
B =

0,3164
4

Re

l v2
l 1 Q
8..l.
p = . . . = . . . . = 2 5 .Q 2
d 2
d 2 S
.d

64 64.
=
Re v .d

128.v.l.
.d 4

Experimental obtained formula - Blasius

RN =

8..l.
2 .d 5

Hydraulic Inductance
The hydraulic inductance can be derived from the motion equation
Newton`s law for the piston of the hydraulic cylinder. The piston and
load mass is m:
p
x, v, a
p
S
2

m.

dv
= ( p1 p 2 ).S .
dt

p =

m S dv
. .
S S dt

p =

m dQ
.
S 2 dt

H=

m
S2

Hydraulic Inductance piston and load mass is m

m .l.S .l
H= 2 = 2 =
S
S
S

p
1

V
;m
;

v
p
2

Hydraulic inductance the column of the liquid

Definition of the hydraulic inductance

H =

p
dQ
dt

kg Ns 2
[H ] = 4 = 5
m
m

Hydraulic Capacitance
The hydraulic capacitance CH describes the fact that by the change of the
pressure - difference p - the fluid changes the volume the difference V.

p.CH = V

Hydraulic capacitance

p = D.V

Resistance against the deformation

p =

K
.V
V
t

V = Q( )d
0

K is the bulk modulus.

D=

p
t

Q( )d
0

Q=

1 dp
.
D dt

CH =

V
p

D=

p
V

[D] =

N
m5

Mathematical models of the elements of the hydraulic

circuits

Hydraulic circuit
The hydraulic circuit consists
o f t h e b a s i c h y d ra u l i c
elements:
Pump (gear, piston, vane
pump), relief valve, control
valve proportional valve or
servovalve which control the
direction and velocity of the
motion, hydraulic cylinder,
load and moved mass,
pipelines, filter and tank.

SA

Differencial
Cylinder

SB
x,v

Load Force
F

pA
pB

Directional
Control Valve
u
Filter
Pump
QHG
M

Relief Valve
p0

Pump
Symbol, resistance circuit and static characteristic of the pump
Qt

Gp =

1
Rp

Qs
Q

Qz

p
Qs = Qt Qz = Qt
= Qt G p p
Rp

1
RP= G
P

p Qt

Qt = Vt n

Vg =

Qs
p

Band axis axial piston pump

d p2

Qt
Qz

hi =

d p2
4

D p sin

K HG =

y max
u HG max

The dynamics of the positioning system can be described by the

second order system using the differential equation or transfer
function:

THG !y! + 2 HGTHG y! + y = K HG u HG

GHG ( s) =

K HG
THG s 2 + 2 HGTHG s + 1

Pump
Block diagram of the controlled pump
KHG T
uHG

HG

Hydrogenertor

HG

yHG

K
QG

Q
HG

1/C H

ps

GHG

The linear mathematical model of the pump with the hydraulic

capacity CH can be written in the form of the state model:

0
1
0

y HG 0
y! HG
0

K
1

v! =
v +
0Q
HG
HG

0
u

HG
HG
HG

s
THG
THG
THG

p s
p! s
1

K
0
G

QG
0
HG
C
C H
H

Hydraulic pipeline
The structures of the different models of the piece of the pipeline.
The number of the
used elements can
be achieved using
the condition:
l f
l f
< n < 10
c0
c0

L - element
pi
Qi

pi

RHi

T - element
Qi

L Hi

CHi

p I+1

pi

Q i+1

Qi

RHi

L Hi

LHi
C Hi

- element
pI
Qi

p i+1

R Hi Q L Hi
i
C Hi

C Hi

Q i+1

R Hi

p i+1
Q i+1

Lumped Model of the Hydraulic Pipeline

Each element of the pipeline is characterized by the two variables pressure
pi and flow Qi. The pressures and flows can be calculated from the
differential equations, which are expressed using the hydraulic resistances
(only the linear resistance was taken into the account), capacitances and
impedances:
for i=1, 2,, n+1

1
(Q Qi )
C Hi i 1
1
Q! i =
( p RHii Qi pi +1 )
LHi i
p! i =

pi

RHi

pi

for i=1, 2,, n

Qi

LHi

Qi-1

pi+1
Qi

RH1 Q
1

p1

Q0
CH1

pi+2
Qi+1

CHi+1

CHi

p1

RHi+1 Q
i+1

pi

LH1

p2

pn

Q1

Qn-1

RHn Q
n

pi

LHn

pn+1
Qn

CHn

Qn+1
CHn+1

State Model

1
QA =Q0

The serial connection of the lumped parameter models

can be described using the state model in the form:

CH1

p1

LH1

Q1

0
p$ 1
Q$ 1
1 LH 1
p$ 2 0
$
Q2 =
p$ 3

! !
p$
n
$
Qn 0

1
CH 1
RH 1
LH 1
1
CH 2

1
LH 1

"

0
!

CH 2

#
#
1
C Hn

"

0
1
LH 1

1
C Hn
RHn
LHn
1

C Hn +1

0 p
1
1 C H 1
0 Q1
0

0
0
p 2
Q2 0
+
p3 0
0 ! !

1
0
p
LHn n

0 Qn 0

RH1

0
0
0

0
[Q Q ]
0 0 n +1

!
0

1
C Hn +1

p2

y1 = p1
y 2 = p n +1

CH2

CHn

LHn

Qn
RHn
1
Pipeline model

QB =Qn+1

CHn+1

pn+1

Flow control valve

Hydraulic resistance control edge

v~Q pA

Flow though the control edge

v=

Q=S

xSV

p0 p A
2

B = d

p0 p A = d ( x sv x sv 0 )

p0

p0 p A

xSV xSV0

Q = B(x sv x sv0 ) p0 p A

Valve dynamics

Tsv2 !!
x sv + 2sv Tsv x! sv + x sv = K sv usv
Qi = B abs(x sv x sv0 ) abs(pi ) sgn(pi )

for i = PA,AT,PB,BT,

Model of the Servovalve

QA = QPA QAT

QB = QPB QBT

Tsv2 !!
x sv + 2sv Tsv x! sv + x sv = K sv usv
Qi = B abs(x sv x sv0 ) abs(pi ) sgn(pi )

QA , p A

Q
PA

for i = PA,AT,PB,BT,

p0

Linearized model
Q A Q A0 +

Q A
x sv

Q A = K Qx x s + K Qp p

T
QBT

Q
PB

+
prac.bod

QAT

Q A
p

B
prac.bod

dic stupe
Control
unit of
the
valve
servoventilu

QB , p B

Hydraulic Cylinder

The modelling of the hydraulic cylinder

starts from the piston connected with
the piston rod and moving mass. The
state of the piston rigid body - is
described using the motion equation.
Motion equation:

pA

SA

SB

pB

x, v
m

QA

QB

m!x! + bx! = S A p A S B pB F FT sgn(x!)

The working forces on the right side of the differential equation are the external load
force F, friction force FT and forces which depend on the pressure in the chambers A
and on the pressure in the chamber B:
Equations for the pressures in the chambers A and B can be expressed from the
description of the hydraulic capacity of the chamber A and chamber B:
QA = S A v + C A

dp A
+ QLA + QL
dt

dp A
1
[QA S Av QLA QL ]
=
dt
CA

QB = S B v C B

dp B
QLB + QL
dt

dp B
1
[S Av QB QLB + QL ]
=
dt
CB

Hydraulic Cylinder
Using the Laplace transformation the transfer function of the hydraulic
cylinder can be obtained. The symmetric cylinder with the piston in the
middle position is supposed.
Linear model transfer function
Transfer function inlet flow- position

GQx ( s) =

S
Gi b + S 2

X ( s)
=
Q( s )

mV0
V b + 2 KmGi
s
s2 + 0
s + 1
2
2
2 K Gi b + S
2 K Gi b + S

GQx ( s) =

Transfer function external (load) force

position (disturbance transfer functio)
V

Gi
0 s + 1
F ( s)
2 KGi
Gi b + S 2
X ( s)

G Fx ( s ) =
=
F (s)

mV0
V0 b + 2 KmGi
2
s
s
+
s
+
1

2
2 K Gi b + S 2
2 K Gi b + S

KM
s T s + 2 M TM s + 1

2
M

GFx ( s) =

S
Gi b + S 2

TM =

m V0
2 K Gi b + S 2

M =

TM b
2m

KF =

Gi
S

K F K M (1 + TF s )
s TM2 s 2 + 2 M TM s + 1

Parameters of the Transfer function:

KM =

TF =

V0
2 KGi

Resistance model of the hydraulic cylinder

Using the defined hydraulic elements

the resistance model of the hydraulic
cylinder can be created. The state of
the system hydraulic cylinder is
described using the following
equations describing the basic
elements:

RLA=
pA QA

QLA
1
CA

p0

pB

1
GLA
S.v

QB

1
CB

pA =

pB =

1
CA
1
CB

[Q

S A v QLA QL ].d + p A0

[S
0

v QB QLB + QL ].d + p B 0

1
RLB= G
LB

LH

QL
1
RL= G
i

QLB

F
m dv b
+ v + z = p A pB
S dt S
S

RP

RZ

Simulink model Hydromotor

The described mathematical model was

used for the creation of the simulation
model in the simulation programme
MATLAB-Simulink. The hydraulic cylinder
is realized using the subsystem
Hydromotor which is shown and their
parameters can be set on using the
window.

Simulation model of the servovalve Simulink

The structure of the model of the servovalve.

Model Servovalve Simulink

The icon of the model of the servovalve.

Open loop control of the hydraulic drive servovalve and hydraulic cylinder

The created subsystems allow to create a simulation model of the

whole hydraulic drive. The block diagram shows the simulation model
for the analysis of the behaviour in the open loop.

U step
Const.pump

Leakage of the pump

Model of the pump and

relief valve

Model of the servo drive

Open loop control of the hydraulic drive piston is running out

Piston position

Piston velocity

pressures

Control signal

Load force

Open loop control of the hydraulic drive piston is running in

Piston position

Piston velocity

pressures

Control signal

Load force

Simulation model of the closed loop position control simulation model

Closed loop control simulation the simulation of the closed loop controlled
hydraulic drive can be analysed using the shown simulation model.

w step

P-controller
Const.pump

Model of the pump and

relief valve

Model of the servo drive

Simulation model of the closed loop position control

Piston position

Piston velocity

pressures

Control signal

Load force

Fluid power model library created in Simulink

The described approach for modelling of the elements of the hydraulic

circuits can be used for creation of the library of the model of the basic
hydraulic and also pneumatic elements.

Simulation model of the pump with speed controlled AC-motor

Simulation model of the fixed displacement pump driven by the

speed controlled AC-motor.