Comparative analysis of electric and hydrostatic machines in the transmissions of tracked vehicles

The results of the analysis of existing electric and hydraulic-volume machines that are actually or potentially used as part of the transmissions of tracked vehicles, both high-speed, for example, tractors, armored vehicles, and low-speed - industrial tractors are presented. The transmissions of such machines necessarily include turning mechanisms - differential, independent and others. In modern tracked vehicles, they tend to use stepless turning mechanisms. They are built on the basis of hydro-volume and electric machines. They are similar in their external manifestations. That is why the question of the advantages and disadvantages of these alternative types of transmissions is relevant to designers and scientists dealing with the issues of continuously variable transmissions of transport and traction machines. The authors made an attempt to compare hydro-volume and electric machines according to some important criteria. Graphs of the dependences of the cost of these machines and the mass on their rated power are constructed. The final comparative graphs and conclusions about the applicability of the considered machines are formed. The use of electric machines at the moment can be justified in cases where excessive weight and dimensions are not critical parameters of a self-propelled machine, for example, railway equipment, ship power plants, construction and road heavy equipment. However, for self-propelled machines of light and medium class, including industrial tracked tractors, the mass and size indicators of their transmissions and power units as a whole are extremely important, therefore, according to the results of the analysis, preference is given to hydraulic transmissions.