Hydropneumatic suspension

Hydropneumatic suspension is a type of automotive suspension system, invented by Citron, and fitted to Citron cars, as well as being used under licence by other car manufacturers, notably Rolls-Royce, and Peugeot. It was also used on Berliet trucks and is since recently used on Mercedes-Benz cars.Similar systems are also used on some military vehicles. The suspension was referred to as olopneumatique in early literature, pointing to oil and air as its main components. The purpose of this system is to provide a sensitive, dynamic and high-capacity suspension that offers superior ride quality. A nitrogen reservoir with variable volume yields a spring with non-linear force-deflection characteristics. In this way the resulting system does not possess any eigen frequencies and associated dynamic instabilities, which need to be suppressed through extensive damping in conventional suspension systems. The actuation of the nitrogen spring reservoir is performed through an incompressible hydraulic fluid inside a suspension cylinder. By adjusting the filled fluid volume within the cylinder, a leveling functionality is implemented. The nitrogen gas within the suspension sphere is separated from the hydraulic oil through a rubber membrane. The nitrogen gas as spring medium is approximately six times more flexible than conventional steel, so self-leveling is incorporated to allow the vehicle to cope with the extraordinary suppleness provided. France was noted for poor road quality in the post-war years, so the only way to maintain relatively high speed in a vehicle was if it could easily absorb road irregularities. While the system has inherent advantages over steel springs, generally recognized in the auto industry, it also has a perceived element of complexity, so automakers like Mercedes-Benz, British Leyland (Hydrolastic, Hydragas), and Lincoln have sought to create simpler variants using a compressed air suspension. The system of the inventor Citron had a disadvantage that only garages equipped with special tools and knowhow were qualified to work on the cars, making them seem radically different from ordinary cars with common mechanicals. This system uses a belt or camshaft driven pump from the engine to pressurise a special hydraulic fluid, which then powers the brakes, suspension and power steering. It can also power any number of features such as the clutch, turning headlamps and even power windows. The suspension system usually features driver-variable ride height, to provide extra clearance in rough terrain.

There have been many improvements to this system over the years, including variable ride firmness (Hydractive) and active control of body roll (Citron Activa). The latest incarnation features a simplified single pump-accumulator sphere combination. Auto manufacturers are still trying to catch up with the combination of features offered by this 1954 suspension system, typically by adding layers of complexity to an ordinary steel spring mechanical system. Functioning At the heart of the system, acting as pressure sink as well as suspension elements, are the so called spheres, five or six in all; one per wheel and one main accumulator as well as a dedicated brake accumulator on some models. On later cars fitted with Hydractive or Activa suspension, there may be as many as ten spheres. Spheres consist of a hollow metal ball, open to the bottom, with a flexible desmopan rubber membrane, fixed at the 'equator' inside, separating top and bottom. The top is filled with nitrogen at high pressure, up to 75 bar, the bottom connects to the car's hydraulic fluid circuit. The high pressure pump, powered by the engine, pressurizes the hydraulic fluid (LHM) and an accumulator sphere maintains a reserve of hydraulic power. This part of the circuit is at between 150 and 180 bars. It powers the front brakes first, prioritised via a security valve, and depending on type of vehicle, can power the steering, clutch, gear selector, etc. Pressure flows from the hydraulic circuit to the suspension cylinders, pressurizing the bottom part of the spheres and suspension cylinders. Suspension works by means of a piston forcing LHM into the sphere, compacting the nitrogen in the upper part of the sphere; damping is provided by a two-way 'leaf valve' in the opening of the sphere. LHM has to squeeze back and forth through this valve which causes resistance and controls the suspension movements. It is the simplest damper and one of the most efficient. Ride height correction (self levelling) is achieved by height corrector valves connected to the anti-roll bar, front and rear. When the car is too low, the height corrector valve opens to allow more fluid into the suspension cylinder (e.g., the car is loaded). When the car is too high (e.g. after unloading) fluid is returned to the system reservoir via lowpressure return lines. Height correctors act with some delay in order not to correct regular suspension movements. The rear brakes are powered from the rear suspension circuit. Because the pressure there is proportional to the load, so is the braking power.

Advantages Hydropneumatics have a number of natural advantages over steel springs that are poorly understood, leading to general public perception that hydropneumatics are merely "good for comfort". They actually also have great advantages related to car handling and control efficiency, solving a number of problems inherent with using steel springs that suspension designers have always dreamt they could eliminate. Hydropneumatic is naturally a progressive spring-rate suspension; i.e., the more it is compressed, the harder it becomes. This results in the suspension being extremely soft around its initial course (softer than a steel spring) but getting harder and harder as compressed (more than a steel spring). This is because of the properties of gas: halve its volume, and its pressure doubles. When the suspension operates, the ram is pushing oil into the sphere altering its gas volume (and therefore the pressure). This natural principle of hydropneumatics has not been met so far by any other type of suspension. The nearest is steel springs with a softer course and a harder course (two different spring rates, while hydropneumatics offer an infinite number of rates). Usually steel-sprung cars are either too soft ("comfortable"), or too stiff ("sporty"), or some intermediate compromise, while hydropneumatics offer "two cars in one". The self-levelling system makes it such that there's always and at any time an equal travel available for suspension compression and extension, no matter the car's load. Citron have calculated that the ideal suspension should have at least about 18 cm of motion range, i.e. 9 cm each way, for achieving effective continuous contact between pavement and tyres (by absorbing any road unevenness). With a "height corrector" for each axle, the car suspension always remains at its ideal middle position, providing a steady compression and extension course, no matter the car's load. As you load a steel-sprung car, its bump absorption capability becomes totally asymmetrical (too small a compression margin and too much of an extension course available, and the suspension moves far from its ideal operating angles, reducing lateral/longitudinal grip, etc.). Very importantly, the continuous self-levelling function also rids suspension design of a number of unwanted compromises that commonly designers of steelsprung cars have to incorporate: as the suspension is always functioning around one predetermined position, no matter the car's load, the various suspensiongeometry issues become a much simpler equation to solve. A hydropneumatic suspension operates from its ideal angles at all times and conditions. Compact suspension design, lies horizontally under the rear of the car avoiding suspension turrets taking up luggage space.