On the Dynamic Behavior of Check Valves for High Frequency Oscillation Pumps

Fast check valves play a key role in digital hydraulics and high frequency oscillation pumps (HFOP); in these applications check valves with very short response times in the order of hundreds of microseconds are required. This paper presents a study on the dynamics of two different types of check valves, namely a ball valve available from the market and a plate valve designed specifically for a novel HFOP. A high frequency pumping cycle using such valves has been simulated mathematically in Matlab/Simulink for different working conditions. The same was reproduced physically by means of a test rig specifically designed for testing high frequency valve dynamics. The comparison between simulated and experimental results shows the influence of valve design (e.g. geometry of moving element) as well as fluid propagation effects on the dynamics of the process. The volumetric efficiency of the pumping cycle resulting from the collected data is a major input for the design of the valve for the specific HFOP application.