Method and device for actuating an electrically commutated fluid working machine

1. A method for actuating a fluid working machine, wherein the fluid working machine has at least one working chamber with a cyclically varying volume, a high-pressure fluid connection, a low-pressure fluid connection, at least one electrically actuable valve for actuably connecting the high-pressure fluid connection or the low-pressure fluid connection to the working chamber, comprising the steps of:

actuating the at least one electrically actuable valve depending on a fluid requirement and/or a mechanical power requirement,

actuating the at least one electrically actuable valve additionally depending on an electrical power required for actuating the at least one electrically actuable valve,

comparing the required electrical power with a soft electrical power limit, a hard electrical power limit or both the soft electrical power limit and the hard electrical power limit,

if the required electrical power is compared only to the hard power limit and is greater than the hard power limit, adjusting an actuation cycle of the fluid working machine,

if the required electrical power is compared only to the soft power limit and is greater than the soft power limit, actuating the at least one electrically actuable valve,

if the required electrical power is compared to both the hard power limit and the soft power limit and is greater than both the hard power limit and the soft power limit, adjusting an actuation cycle of the fluid working machine,

if the required electrical power is compared to both the hard power limit and the soft power limit and is greater than the soft electrical power limit and less than or equal to the hard power limit, actuating the at least one electrically actuable valve.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one upper electrical power limit is defined by at least one part of at least one control device and/or is defined at least temporarily and/or at least partially by the electrical power which is available in the system.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a plurality of electrically actuable valves is actuated, and the electrically actuable valves are associated with different working chambers.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a valve actuation pattern is calculated using a buffer variable.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an extrapolation algorithm is used for the value of a buffer variable and/or for the value of an expected fluid requirement and/or for the value of an expected mechanical power requirement.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least the difference between the fluid requirement and/or the mechanical power requirement and the quantity of fluid actually available after the application of the modification in respect of the electrical power requirement or the mechanical power actually available is determined and is stored, in an error variable.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein when a determined value of the error variable is exceeded, correction methods are used.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a plurality of different valve actuation patterns is calculated and stored in advance.

9. A control device configured to execute the method as claimed in claim 1 .

10. The control device as claimed in claim 9 , the control device comprising an electronic memory device, a programmable data-processing device, a semiconductor component and/or a temporary energy storage device.

11. An electrically commutated fluid working machine comprising a control device configured to execute the method as claimed in claim 1 .

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the hard power limit and/or the soft power limit is defined by a control device based on the electrical power which is available in the system.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a plurality of electrically actuable valves is actuated, and the electrically actuable valves are associated with different working chambers, wherein a plurality of the working chambers are arranged with a phase offset in relation to one another and/or a plurality of the working chambers which operate in parallel is provided.

14. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a plurality of electrically actuable valves is actuated, and the electrically actuable valves are associated with different working chambers, wherein the working chambers are arranged with a phase offset in relation to one another and/or a plurality of working chambers which operate in parallel is provided.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a valve actuation pattern is calculated using a buffer variable.

16. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a valve actuation pattern is calculated using a buffer variable.

17. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein a valve actuation pattern is calculated using a buffer variable.

18. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the value of a buffer variable is based on an extrapolation algorithm, the value of an expected fluid requirement and/or the value of an expected mechanical power requirement.

19. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein an extrapolation algorithm is used for the value of a buffer variable and/or for the value of an expected fluid requirement and/or for the value of an expected mechanical power requirement.

20. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the working chambers are arranged with a phase offset in relation to one another and/or a plurality of working chambers which operate in parallel is provided.

21. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said correction methods comprise permitting otherwise impermissible partial pump quantities.