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Developing controllers for hydraulic servos is difficult due to the inherent uncertainty and nonlinear characteristics of the system. Systems are classed as uncertain when they are subject to unknown parameter variations or disturbances, or when there is incomplete knowledge of the system model, all of which are common in hydraulic servo systems. However, unlike conventional control techniques, the use of modern control methods means that system uncertainty can be considered at the controller design stage, and consequently robust controllers can be developed. In this paper the robust control of hydraulic servo systems is considered, and sources of uncertainty typical in hydraulic drives are discussed. The effect of ignoring these uncertainties is demonstrated by simulation experiments of a hydraulic servo, comparing conventional control techniques to the modern approach of H∞ optimal control. The implementation of modern controllers is also discussed.

In traditional liquid cooled internal combustion engine systems, the coolant temperature is controlled by a thermostat which governs the coolant flow rate to the radiator. The thermostat is effectively a directional control valve in which the spool displacement is used to direct flow to the radiator. The coolant temperature is primarily a function of four parameters, namely radiator and thermostat characteristics, coolant flow rate and ambient temperature. By employing closed-loop feedback, the coolant temperature can be controlled according to environmental conditions. To achieve this goal the overall system must be correctly designed. That is the issue discussed in this paper. The increasing use of simulation for both circuit and component analysis in the automtive industry has come about due to the requirement for acceptable transient as well as steady state system performance.