Rexroth’s ML-18 energy-efficient, pressure-compensated, load-sensing control valves were designed to reduce power consumption on new Tier 4 applications, such as skid steers, small wheel loaders and material handlers. In applications that require up to 40 gpm (151 lpm) at 4,000 psi (276 bar), the ML-18 can reduce pressure drops by as much as 50 percent compared to its competitors, the company says. The key features that enable such savings are the monoblock design, which reduces the interface restrictions between sections; dedicated tank coring for the highest flow section; and the use of backpressure valving for forced flow regenerating. To achieve these features, Rexroth has employed computer modelling to optimize the internal flow passages of the valve, which creates optimal flow geometry, while at the same time minimizing the overall package size.
