FLUID-WORKING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING A FLUID-WORKING MACHINE

摘要

A method of operating a fluid-working machine having a plurality of working chambers of cyclically varying volume in which each working chamber is operable to displace a volume of working fluid which is selectable for each cycle of working chamber volume. The volume of working fluid displaced during each cycle of working chamber volume, to carry out a working function, is selected taking into account the availability of other working chambers. The status of each working chamber is monitored and a working chamber treated as unavailable if it is found to be malfunctioning. A working chamber may be treated as unavailable to carry out a working function if it is allocated to an alternative working function. A fault may be detected in a working chamber of a fluid-working machine having working chambers operable to displace a volume of working fluid which is selectable for each cycle of working chamber volume to carry out a working function responsive to a received demand signal, by determining whether a measured output parameter of the fluid working machine fulfils at least one acceptable function criterion taking into account the previously selected net displacement of working fluid by a working chamber during a cycle of working chamber volume to carry out the working function.