FLUID-WORKING MACHINE AND OPERATING METHOD

摘要

A fluid-working machine has a plurality of working chambers, e.g. cylinders ( 11 ), of cyclically changing volume, a high-pressure fluid manifold ( 14 ) and a low-pressure fluid manifold ( 16 ), at least one valve ( 13, 15 ) linking each working chamber to each manifold, and electronic sequencing means ( 20 ) for operating said valves in timed relationship with the changing volume of each chamber ( 11 ), wherein the electronic sequencing means is arranged to operate the valves of each chamber in one of an idling mode, a partial mode in which only part of the usable volume of the chamber is used, and a full mode in which all of the usable volume of the chamber ( 11 ) is used, and the electronic sequencing means ( 20 ) is arranged to select the mode of each chamber on successive cycles so as to infinitely vary the time averaged effective flow rate of fluid through the machine.