Hydraulic anti-cavitation system

Abstract

An anti-cavitation system for hydraulic equipment is provided. The anti-cavitation system includes at least one high pressure hydraulic pump, at least one secondary hydraulic pump, and a motor configured to provide power to the secondary hydraulic pump. The anti-cavitation system also includes at least one accumulator fluidly connected to the secondary hydraulic pump, at least one hydraulic manifold, a control module, and at least one anti-cavitation manifold fluidly connected to at least one accumulator, and also fluidly connected to at least one hydraulic manifold.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An anti-cavitation system for hydraulic equipment, comprising:
 at least one high pressure hydraulic pump configured to supply high pressure hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic manifold;   at least one secondary hydraulic pump configured to charge at least one accumulator with hydraulic fluid;   a motor configured to provide power to the secondary hydraulic pump;   at least one accumulator fluidly connected to the secondary hydraulic pump, the accumulator configured to receive hydraulic fluid from the secondary hydraulic pump, the accumulator configured to send hydraulic fluid to an anti-cavitation manifold;   at least one hydraulic manifold fluidly connected to the high pressure hydraulic pump, and configured to receive pressurized hydraulic fluid from an anti-cavitation manifold;   a control module configured to transmit an electronic signal to the anti-cavitation manifold;   at least one anti-cavitation manifold fluidly connected to at least one accumulator and configured to receive pressurized hydraulic fluid from at least one accumulator, wherein the anti-cavitation manifold is also fluidly connected to at least one hydraulic manifold and configured to transfer pressurized hydraulic fluid to at least one hydraulic manifold.   
     
     
         2 . The anti-cavitation system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one anti-cavitation manifold is configured to transfer pressurized hydraulic fluid to at least one hydraulic manifold only when the control module transmits the electronic signal to the anti-cavitation manifold. 
     
     
         3 . The anti-cavitation system of  claim 2 , wherein the control module is configured to detect cavitation conditions within the hydraulic system, and to transmit the electronic signal when cavitation conditions are detected. 
     
     
         4 . The anti-cavitation system of  claim 2 , wherein the control module is configured to transmit the electronic signal when the high pressure hydraulic pump is not supplying high pressure hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic manifold. 
     
     
         5 . The anti-cavitation system of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary hydraulic pump is coupled to the motor. 
     
     
         6 . The anti-cavitation system of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary hydraulic pump is configured to discharge fluid at a pressure of less than approximately 16 bar. 
     
     
         7 . The anti-cavitation system of  claim 1 , wherein the high pressure hydraulic pump is configured to discharge fluid at a pressure of at least approximately 300 bar. 
     
     
         8 . The anti-cavitation system of  claim 2 , further comprising a first anti-cavitation manifold fluidly connected to at least one attachment hydraulic manifold, and a second anti-cavitation manifold fluidly connected to at least one propel hydraulic manifold. 
     
     
         9 . The anti-cavitation system of  claim 8 , wherein the first anti-cavitation manifold is configured to transfer pressurized hydraulic fluid to at least one attachment manifold, and the second anti-cavitation manifold is configured to transfer pressurized hydraulic fluid to at least one propel hydraulic manifold. 
     
     
         10 . The anti-cavitation system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least two accumulators fluidly connected to the secondary hydraulic pump, the accumulators configured to send pressurized hydraulic fluid to at least one anti-cavitation manifold. 
     
     
         11 . A method for providing an anti-cavitation system for hydraulic equipment, comprising:
 providing at least one high pressure hydraulic pump configured to supply high pressure hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic manifold;   providing at least one secondary hydraulic pump configured to charge at least one accumulator with hydraulic fluid;   providing a motor configured to provide power to the secondary hydraulic pump;   providing at least one accumulator fluidly connected to the secondary hydraulic pump, the accumulator configured to receive hydraulic fluid from the secondary hydraulic pump;   providing at least one hydraulic manifold fluidly connected to the high pressure hydraulic pump, and configured to receive pressurized hydraulic fluid from an anti-cavitation manifold;   providing a control module configured to transmit an electronic signal to the anti-cavitation manifold;   providing at least one anti-cavitation manifold fluidly connected to at least one accumulator and configured to receive pressurized hydraulic fluid from at least one accumulator, wherein the anti-cavitation manifold is also fluidly connected to at least one hydraulic manifold and configured to transfer pressurized hydraulic fluid to at least one hydraulic manifold.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the control module is configured to detect cavitation conditions within the hydraulic system, and to transmit the electronic signal when cavitation conditions are detected. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the control module is configured to detect cavitation conditions within the hydraulic system, and to transmit the electronic signal when cavitation conditions are detected. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the control module is configured to transmit the electronic signal when the high pressure hydraulic pump is not supplying high pressure hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic manifold. 
     
     
         15 . A hydraulic subassembly for a hydraulic anti-cavitation system, comprising:
 at least one secondary hydraulic pump configured to charge at least one accumulator with hydraulic fluid;   a motor configured to provide power to the secondary hydraulic pump;   at least one accumulator fluidly connected to the secondary hydraulic pump, the accumulator configured to receive hydraulic fluid from the secondary hydraulic pump, the accumulator configured to send hydraulic fluid to an anti-cavitation manifold;   at least one hydraulic manifold configured to connect to a high pressure hydraulic pump, and configured to receive pressurized hydraulic fluid from an anti-cavitation manifold;   at least one anti-cavitation manifold fluidly connected to at least one accumulator and configured to receive pressurized hydraulic fluid from at least one accumulator, wherein the anti-cavitation manifold is also fluidly connected to at least one hydraulic manifold and configured to transfer pressurized hydraulic fluid to at least one hydraulic manifold.   
     
     
         16 . The hydraulic subassembly of  claim 15 , wherein the secondary hydraulic pump is coupled to the motor. 
     
     
         17 . The hydraulic subassembly of  claim 15 , wherein the secondary hydraulic pump is configured to discharge hydraulic fluid at a pressure of less than approximately 16 bar. 
     
     
         18 . The hydraulic subassembly of  claim 15 , further comprising at least two accumulators fluidly connected to the secondary hydraulic pump, the accumulators configured to send pressurized hydraulic fluid to at least one anti-cavitation manifold. 
     
     
         19 . The hydraulic subassembly of  claim 15 , further comprising a first anti-cavitation manifold fluidly connected to at least one attachment hydraulic manifold, and a second anti-cavitation manifold fluidly connected to at least one propel hydraulic manifold. 
     
     
         20 . The hydraulic subassembly of  claim 19 , wherein the first anti-cavitation manifold is configured to transfer pressurized hydraulic fluid to at least one attachment manifold, and the second anti-cavitation manifold is configured to transfer pressurized hydraulic fluid to at least one propel hydraulic manifold.