Servo-Pump Hydraulic Control System Performance and Evaluation

for CVT Pressure and Ratio Control

Thomas H. Bradley and Prof. Andrew A. Frank

UC Davis Hybrid Electric Vehicle Research Center

Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering
University of California - Davis
One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616
Phone: 530-752-8849
Fax: 530-752-2198

Fluid pumping losses are one of the major sources of torque loss in modern Continuously
Variable Transmissions (CVTs) due to the high pressures and flow rates required in the
hydraulic control system. To reduce the magnitude of these losses, researchers at UC Davis
have developed a servo-pump control system for CVTs designed for improved pressure and
ratio controllability with minimal power consumption. This paper includes a description of
the control system concept and configuration as well as an evaluation of the power draw of
the system. The results of vehicle testing show that the servo-pump CVT control system
reduces the control power required by more than 83%. Vehicle testing and simulation
provide an estimate of the fuel economy gain that can be achieved using the servo-pump CVT
control system in a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) application.

controllable relief valve to minimize over-

1. INTRODUCTION
clamping losses in the variator [1]. The
In a modern Reeves-type CVT, losses loss of energy in the form of the fluid
associated with the hydraulic control rejected through the relief valve is a source
system are a major source of inefficiencies of inefficiency within the hydraulic control
within the transmission. These losses system. These losses are difficult to
limit the applicability of CVT design out because of the high pressures
technologies due to decreased fuel and flows that must be present
economy and lower performance. In continuously to handle pressure and
servo-valve CVTs, hydraulic pressure for shifting transients [2].
the control system is provided by a
positive displacement pump tied to the Servo-pump pressure and ratio control
input shaft of the transmission. The output addresses the fuel economy and
pressure of the pump is regulated using a performance problems associated with
conventional CVTs by reducing control efficient at the part loads that encompass
system power draw. In addition, a servo- most driving conditions. At part load, a
pump control system can exhibit good pulse width modulating amplifier provides
controllability, and hydraulic and electrical variable-width pulses of equal magnitude
simplicity. to dictate the torque required of the motor.
Unlike an analog torque control system,
This paper describes the application of where current must be dissipated at part
servo-pump control to the JATCO 2-liter load, there is little loss in the amplifier's
CVT and will present the results of control power transistor because the torque pulses
power measurements and fuel economy are averaged by the inertia of the motor-
simulations. pump system. Pulse width modulation of
the servo-pumps leads to a control system
2. SERVO-PUMP DESIGN
that with low energy consumption at
CONCEPT
Using the modern servo-valve CVT various duty cycles.
control system as a benchmark, the design
goals for the servo-pump CVT control A servo-pump control system for the CVT
system are decreased power consumption, results in improved controllability by
improved control system performance and decoupling the clamping pressure and ratio
simplification of the mechanical and control from the transmission input speed.
hydraulic components of the CVT. These This allows for dynamic shifting and fast
objectives are accomplished by using a pressure response even at low engine
servo-motor and pump system to control speeds. This makes the servo-pump
the pressures and flows necessary to system ideal for application to electric
operate the CVT. launch HEVs. Also, by using reversible
positive displacement pumps, both
This system of servo-pump pressure and pressure and bi-directional flow control
ratio control achieves low power are available simultaneously as demanded
consumption by pulse width modulation of by the controller.
the servo-pumps for speed and torque
control. Although the energy efficiency of Because the flow and pressure
a pulse width modulated system is requirements of the CVT are satisfied
generally lower than that of an analog entirely by the servo-pumps, fewer
system at maximum load, maximum flow precision valves and orifices are
and maximum pressure conditions are necessary. Reducing the number of low
uncommon in a CVT. For improved fuel tolerance parts in the CVT can
economy the control system must be significantly reduce manufacturing costs
for the servo-pump CVT system. Fewer
hydraulic passages and valves improve the The clamping pump is feedback controlled
compactness and packaging of the to provide hydraulic pressure to both the
transmission. primary and secondary pistons to prevent
slip of the CVT belt. In order to minimize
3. SYSTEM CONFIGURATION
the losses in the CVT system due to
A servo-pump control system can be overclamping, the pressure command is a
implemented in a variety of configurations function of the torque transmitted to the
with advantages and disadvantages CVT. The pressure control system
attributable to each configuration. The response dictates the rate at which torque
configuration chosen for these can be input to the CVT. A fast rise time
experiments is the one shown in Figure 1. and accurate pressure tracking ensures
This figure shows the bi-directional servo- both system robustness and full vehicle
pumps and pressure sensors for feedback performance.
control [3].

The function of the shift pump is to

provide control of the CVT ratio by
controlling the differential pressure
between the secondary and primary
pistons. The rate of change of ratio is
comparatively slow and so the response of
this system may be sacrificed for ratio
tracking accuracy.

4. CONTROL SYSTEM
DESCRIPTION
Figure 1. Servo-pump CVT System as Because of the separation of functionality
Implemented
between the two servo-pumps, two
A mechanical configuration as shown in
feedback loops are used to torque control
Figure 1 has advantages over other
the servo-motors. One loop controls the
conceivable configurations in terms of
clamping pump and the other loop controls
simplicity and controllability. This
the shift pump. Ratio and pressure
configuration conveniently divides control
commands are inputs to the CVT
of the CVT into a clamping feedback loop
controllers from the powertrain controller.
and a shifting loop of different
To allow communication between the
performance requirements.
pressure and ratio control systems, the
pressure feedback loop is augmented by
the two feed-foreword signals shown in overcome motor and pump stiction at low
Figure 2. rotational speeds [4].

5. IMPLEMENTATION
The servo-pump CVT is implemented in
Coulomb, a 1994 Mercury Sable
Aluminum Intensive Vehicle converted to
battery dominant HEV. The reversing
gear, torque converter and over-torque
clutch of the stock transmission have been
removed as unnecessary in this
application. The stock high pressure
hydraulics and lubrication distribution has
been replaced with the servo-pump
hardware and a separate lubrication
system. Pulleys and high-pressure
dynamic seals are identical to stock.
Figure 2. Global Control System
Schematic
The first feed-foreword signal, labeled FF
Signal 1 in Figure 2, provides a command
proportional to the shift rate to the
Electric
pressure servo-pump. This command is Traction
Motor
necessary because the piston area of the
primary pulley is greater than that of the Redesigned
Internal
secondary pulley. As the CVT Hydraulics

downshifts, the fluid going through the

Servo- Servo-
pressure pump must reverse flow and Motor Pump

return to the sump. The feed-foreword

Figure 3. Cutaway Diagram of Modified
signal from the shift rate allows this 2L CVT HEV Powertrain
reversal of pump rotation to occur without Analog control signals from the micro-
loss of clamping pressure. controllers go to the servo-motor
controllers powered from the high voltage
The second feed-foreword signal, labeled bus in the vehicle. These motor
FF Signal 2 in Figure 2, provides a small controllers provide torque control to
command to the pressure servo-motor. brushless servo-motors. The servo-motors
This signal assists the servo-motor to spin reversible gear pumps of 1.07 cc/rev.
The lubrication system is made up of a
low voltage gear pump plumbed to the 250.0

stock lubrication passages.

Electrical Power Consumption, W

200.0

6. POWER CONSUMPTION 150.0

TESTING
100.0
To evaluate the power draw of a servo-
pump control system, vehicle testing was 50.0

performed under both dynamic and steady

0.0
conditions. All testing was performed 0 10 20 30 40 50
Secondary Pressure, bar
using Coulomb running in all-electric Pressure Pump, i = 2.2 Pressure Pump, i = 1.0
Pressure Pump, i = 0.7 Ratio Pump, i = 2.2
mode. Measurements were taken of the Ratio Pump, i = 1.0 Ratio Pump, i = 0.7

servo-motor controller current draw and Figure 4. Steady State Power Draw
the traction battery bus voltage at 50 Hz to
DRIVE CYCLE TESTING- The drive
determine instantaneous power draw and
cycle tests consisted of performing the
energy consumption. Amploc PRO5
USEPA city (505) and highway (HWFET)
inductive current sensors were used to
cycle tests and measuring the power draw
measure motor current and an Omega
of the control system. Table 1 gives the
Engineering CCT-01-0/650V signal
total electrical energy consumed by the
conditioner provides a measurement of
servo-pump control system over the
battery bus voltage. Testing was divided
course of two test cycles. Published
into steady state and drive cycle tests.
values for the pump losses in a
conventional CVT vary from 50-150
STEADY STATE TESTING- The steady
KJ/km [1]. The energy required for
state tests consisted of a series of three
lubrication can be further reduced with
tests in which a ratio was chosen and the
better optimization of the lubrication
control power draw was measured for a
pump.
range of clamping pressures. All tests
used a transmission input speed of 2000
The total electrical energy used by the
rpm. The results of the steady state tests
vehicle for traction, cooling, lubrication
are presented in Figure 4. For
and control is 3613 W-hrs for the HWFET
comparison, Vroemen measured the pump
cycle and 1195 W-hrs for the 505 cycle.
power consumption of a Van Doorne
Thus, control of the CVT accounts for less
Transmissie P920 CVT as between 600
than 1.5% of the total energy consumed by
and 2500 W over the same range of
the vehicle at low average speeds and even
pressures [5].
less at high average speed.
Table 1. Electrical Control Energy be made between a servo-pump CVT
Consumed over Cycles
vehicle and a conventional CVT vehicle
Energy Consumed (W-hrs)
Test Pressure Ratio Lubrication [6]. This will allow a comparison and
Cycle Pump Pump Pump Total KJ/km
HWFET 6.1 2.2 10.6 18.9 4.1 analysis of this fuel economy gain
505 4.2 2.4 7.0 13.6 8.5
associated with servo-pump control.
Figure 5 shows the dynamic power draw
of the control system over a portion of the For the servo-pump CVT vehicle, a
505 cycle. Under conditions of high speed validated vehicle and powertrain model of
and low rate-of-change-of-ratio, the power Coulomb was used. This model was
draw of the control system is low, between incorporates the power draw results from
20 and 50 W. Accelerations and high rate the steady and dynamic testing described
ratio changes require up to 150 W of above.
control power draw.

160 2.5 To simulate the power draw of the

140 conventional CVT control system, the
2
120 PSAT model was modified to incorporate
Power, Watts ; Speed, kph

100
1.5
the pumping losses of the conventional
Ratio

80 system as measured by Vroeman [5]. The

60
1 pumping losses are modeled as an
40 accessory draw on the engine, where the
0.5
20 torque absorbed is a function of the

0 0
pressure command and transmission input
160 200 240 280 320
Time, sec
speed. Because the control strategy is that
Control Power Draw, W of an idle-stop HEV, the pumping losses
Vehicle Speed, kph
Transmission Ratio
are only applied to the engine when the

Figure 5. Dynamic Electrical Power vehicle speed is above the 16 kph engine
Draw of Combined Pressure and Ratio engagement speed.
Servo-Amplifiers

7. FUEL ECONOMY SIMULATION The simulations were run for both the 505

Reduction in the control power draw of the and HWFET cycles using a hybrid-
electric, ideal operating line strategy.
CVT will have a positive effect on
Battery state of charge was maintained
transmission efficiency and therefore
vehicle fuel economy. Using PSAT within 1% over the course of the

(Partnership for a New Generation of simulation. Results are presented in

Vehicles Systems Analysis Toolkit), a Figure 6 and Table 2.

simulated fuel economy comparison can

 8 and ratio control. Further advances in
Conventional
7 Servo- controls software, hydraulics refinement
Pump Conventional
Servo- and system robustness are necessary to
6
Equivalent Fuel Usage, L/100km

Pump
optimize the system towards a prototype
5
design.
4

3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This research has been generously
2
supported by testing and research contracts
1
with Nissan Motor Limited and JATCO.
0
505 Cycle HWFET Cycle
REFERENCES

Figure 6. PSAT Fuel Economy [1] T. Ide, "Effect of belt loss and oil
Simulation Results pump loss on the fuel efficiency of a
vehicle with a metal v-belt CVT,"
Table 2. PSAT Control Energy presented at FISITA World
Simulation Results Automotive Congress, Seoul, Korea,
Servo-Pump Conventional 2000.
CVT (W-hrs) CVT (W-hrs)
505 Cycle 10.28 88.63 [2] E. Hendricks, "Qualitative and
HWFET Cycle 4.56 61.92
quantitative influence of a fully
PSAT simulations show roughly an 8-9% electronically controlled CVT on
fuel economy and vehicle
improvement in fuel economy for the performance," Society of Automotive
servo-pump CVT HEV from an 88-93% Engineers Technical Paper Series,
930668, 1993.
reduction in control energy consumed.
The difference in control energy draw [3] J. H. M. Van Rooij. European Patent
# EP-A-0 423 536, 1998.
between the EV tests of Table 1 and the
HEV tests of Table 2 is due to different [4] B. D. Moran, "Servo-hydraulic
Control of a Continuously Variable
transmission control strategies. Transmission." Thesis: University of
California - Davis, 2000.
8. CONCLUSION
[5] B. G. Vroemen, "Component
A proof-of-concept servo-pump CVT Control for the Zero Inertia
control system has been designed and built Powertrain." Thesis: Technische
Universiteit Eindhoven, 2001.
that achieves significant improvements in
vehicle fuel economy through reduction of [6] A. Rousseau, "PNGV Systems
Analysis Toolkit," 4.1 ed: Argonne
pumping losses. Vehicle testing and National Laboratory, 2001.
simulation of the servo-pump control
system shows that approximately a 5%
improvement in vehicle fuel economy is
possible using servo-pump CVT pressure