• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.211-217
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• 2015

Emission gas regulations and constantly increasing fuel costs call for the worldwide use of environmentally friendly and energy-efficient machines in industry. To meet these requirements, a hybrid excavator prototype has been developed that incorporates an electric swing motor, engine assist motor, and ultra-capacitor module into a conventional hydraulic excavator of the 22-ton class. This paper mainly describes a few techniques to optimize its energy efficiency. These include 1) controlling the engine speed in proportion to the load torque, 2) controlling the pump displacement when driving the electric swing system, 3) managing the ultra-capacitor voltage to minimize the electrical energy loss, and 4) reducing the cooling fan speed to improve the energy efficiency of the system.