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Double-Acting Actuator (G-IL)

Linear actuator with isothermal liquid and gas chambers

Since R2020a

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  • Double-Acting Actuator (G-IL) block

Libraries:
Simscape / Fluids / Isothermal Liquid / Actuators

Description

The Double-Acting Actuator (G-IL) block represents an isothermal liquid chamber and a gas chamber separated by a piston plate. The piston actuation is controlled by the pressure differential between the chambers. The motion of the piston when it is near full extension or full retraction is limited by one of four hard stop models.

Port A is the isothermal liquid inlet and port B is the gas inlet. Connect elements for heat transfer between the gas chamber and the environment to port H. Port C acts as a mechanical translational reference for the actuator casing. Port R is associated with the actuator piston. The piston position is reported at port P.

Displacement

The piston displacement is measured as the position at port R relative to port C. The Mechanical orientation identifies the direction of piston displacement. The piston displacement is neutral, or 0, when the chamber volume is equal to the chamber dead volume. When displacement is received as an input, ensure that the derivative of the position is equal to the piston velocity. This is automatically the case when the input is received from a Translational Multibody Interface block connection to a Simscape Multibody joint.

Hard Stop Model

To avoid mechanical damage to the piston when it is fully extended or fully retracted, an actuator typically displays nonlinear behavior when the piston approaches these limits. The Double-Acting Actuator (G-IL) block models this behavior with a choice of four hard stop models, which model the material compliance through a spring-damper system. The hard stop models are:

  • Stiffness and damping applied smoothly through transition region, damped rebound.

  • Full stiffness and damping applied at bounds, undamped rebound.

  • Full stiffness and damping applied at bounds, damped rebound.

  • Based on coefficient of restitution

The hard stop force is modeled when the piston is at its upper or lower bound. The boundary region is within the Transition region of the Piston stroke or piston initial displacement. Outside of this region, FHardStop=0.

For more information about these settings, see the Translational Hard Stop block page.

Block Schematic

The Double-Acting Actuator (G-IL) block is a composite of four Simscape Foundation blocks:

Ports

Output

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Physical signal port associated with the piston position.

Conserving

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Isothermal liquid conserving port associated with the inlet to chamber A.

Gas conserving port associated with the inlet to chamber B.

Mechanical translational conserving port associated with the case.

Mechanical translational conserving port associated with the piston rod.

Thermal conserving port associated with heat transfer to or from the gas chamber.

Parameters

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Configuration

Piston displacement direction. Pressure at A causes positive displacement of R relative to C corresponds to piston extension when the pressure difference between chambers A and B is positive. Pressure at A causes negative displacement of R relative to C corresponds to piston retraction when the pressure difference between chambers A and B is positive.

Maximum piston travel distance.

Piston position at the start of the simulation.

Model choice for the force on the piston at full extension or full retraction. See the Translational Hard Stop block for more information.

Piston stiffness coefficient.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Hard stop model to

  • Stiffness and damping applied smoothly through transition region, damped rebound

  • Full stiffness and damping applied at bounds, undamped rebound

  • Full stiffness and damping applied at bounds, damped rebound

Piston damping coefficient.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Hard stop model to

  • Stiffness and damping applied smoothly through transition region, damped rebound

  • Full stiffness and damping applied at bounds, undamped rebound

  • Full stiffness and damping applied at bounds, damped rebound

Application range of the hard stop force model. Outside of this range of the piston maximum extension and piston maximum retraction, the Hard stop model is not applied and there is no additional force on the piston.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Hard stop model to Stiffness and damping applied smoothly through transition region, damped rebound.

Ratio of the final to the initial relative speed between the slider and the stop after the slider bounces.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Hard stop model to Based on coefficient of restitution.

Threshold relative speed between slider and stop before collision. When the slider hits the case with speed less than the value of the Static contact speed threshold parameter, they stay in contact. Otherwise, the slider bounces. To avoid modeling static contact between the slider and the case, set this parameter to 0.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Hard stop model to Based on coefficient of restitution.

Minimum force needed to release the slider from a static contact mode.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Hard stop model to Based on coefficient of restitution.

Isothermal Liquid Side

Cross-sectional area of the piston rod in chamber A.

Open volume in the fluid chamber when the piston is fully retracted.

Whether to model any change in fluid density due to fluid compressibility. When Fluid compressibility is set to On, changes due to the mass flow rate into the block are calculated in addition to density changes due to changes in pressure. In the Isothermal Liquid Library, all blocks calculate density as a function of pressure.

Initial liquid pressure for compressible fluids.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Fluid dynamic compressibility to On.

Environment reference pressure. The Atmospheric pressure option sets the environmental pressure to 0.101325 MPa.

User-defined environmental pressure.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Environment pressure specification to Specified pressure.

Gas Side

Cross-sectional area of the piston rod in chamber B.

Cross-sectional area at port B.

Open volume in the gas chamber when the piston is fully retracted.

Initial pressure in the gas chamber.

Initial temperature in the gas chamber.

Environment reference pressure. The Atmospheric pressure option sets the environmental pressure to 0.101325 MPa.

User-defined environmental pressure.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Environment pressure specification to Specified pressure.

Extended Capabilities

C/C++ Code Generation
Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.

Version History

Introduced in R2020a

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See Also

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