Research on the characteristics of a pneumatic proportional valve

Abstract

The execution of autonomous driving in heavy-duty trucks necessitates stringent regulation of their braking torque output. Hydraulic retarder serves as a widely auxiliary braking system in heavy-duty vehicles, with the pneumatic proportional valve functioning as the core component of its control system, regulating the output response and control precision of the braking torque of the hydraulic retarder. To improve the accuracy of brake torque control for hydraulic retarders, it is critical to conduct thorough research on the control system, especially the pneumatic proportional valve. Therefore, A detailed analysis of the working mechanism of pneumatic proportional valves was conducted, encompassing the construction of mathematical and simulation models. The efficacy of the simulation model was confirmed via experimental validation. When the control pressure increases, the simulation results are close to the experimental results, with a maximum discrepancy of 18%; when the control pressure decreases, the simulation results show a similar trend to the experimental results. The research can aid in formulating control methodologies for pneumatic proportional valves and offer theoretical guidelines for future exploration into boosting the precision of hydraulic retarder braking torque control.