The Dextreme pathway consists of three system solutions, with the simplest configuration of the system, Dextreme Swap, available now. Dextreme Swap replaces the excavator's main hydraulic pump with a Digital Displacement pump, custom software and digital controller, which is said to deliver a 15% reduction in fuel use and carbon dioxide emissions compared to an excavator fitted with a conventional swash plate pump.
The Digital Displacement pump is a digitally controlled hydraulic pump for off-highway machinery. The pump's digital controller activates each piston individually, providing an accurate response to system demand, enabling superior machine controllability. The pump provides unmatched full and partial load efficiency by using only the pistons needed to meet the load.
The other two solutions, not yet commercially available, build upon the Dextreme Swap system to provide additional gains. Dextreme Flex, which is predicted to deliver energy savings of 30%, allocates pump flow to services based on demand, reducing throttling losses in the main control valve. Dextreme Max, which is expected to provide energy savings of 50%, adds energy recovery from excavator motions, such as slew deceleration and boom down, as well as direct load control from the pump itself, further cutting throttling losses.
Leif Bruhn, head of digital displacement, Danfoss Power Solutions, said: “Tackling excavator efficiency challenges is critical to meeting global CO2 reduction targets. That's because excavators account for 50% of all CO2 emissions generated by construction machinery. We developed Dextreme systems to unleash the full potential of our Digital Displacement technology. Our priority is to help customers radically reduce emissions, lower energy consumption, improve productivity, and reduce total cost of ownership.”
With the fast control response of digital displacement technology, the Dextreme Swap system is claimed to make engine down-speeding possible without the risk of stalling the engine. In addition to reducing fuel consumption and emissions, this decreases noise, improving operator comfort. If reducing cycle times is more important to the machine owner than fuel consumption, the system can deliver up to 25% higher productivity by using the full rotations-per-minute capability of the engine. Additionally, digital control simplifies performance monitoring and diagnostics.
Dextreme systems work with any power source, reducing losses in the hydraulic system and improving the total cost of ownership for end users. For battery-electric excavators, Dextreme systems enable original equipment manufacturers to reduce the main battery's capacity, enabling more cost-effective electrification. Alternatively, the system can increase the run time of electrified machines without requiring a larger battery.
“The incremental aspect of Dextreme systems minimises risk for excavator manufacturers,” Bruhn added. “OEMs can realise double-digit energy savings today while creating a pathway of future improvements, no matter the energy source, that lead to significant decarbonisation.”