20 Minutes With Mike Gust

Thomas T. Astrene, Publisher | TLT 20 Minutes January 2011

A veteran engineer with experience in industry and academia discusses the future of hydraulic system design and application.
 
MIKE GUST - The Quick File
• Mike Gust has enjoyed a rich and varied career in lubrication engineering, including stints in industry and academia. Currently vice president of engineering for McQuay International, a leading HVAC provider headquartered in Minneapolis, he previously was industry liaison officer for the Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP), which is affiliated with the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
• Mike has more than 20 years of experience in the fluid power industry, in various engineering management positions. Prior to his stint with CCEFP, he was director of engineering and advanced technology for Eaton Corp. in Cleveland.
• He received his bachelor’s of science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of North Dakota.

Mike Gust
TLT: What is the CCEFP?
Gust: the Center for Compact and efficient Fluid Power is a national research center funded by the National Science Foundation and dedicated to transforming the way fluid power is researched, applied and taught. The center consists of seven universities and approximately 60 industry member companies. The universities include the University of Minnesota, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Purdue University, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Vanderbilt University, North Carolina A&T and the Georgia Institute of Technology. CCCEFP’s industry members include component and system providers, vehicle integrators and fluid/additive manufacturers.

TLT: Define fluid power and the role of CCEFP.
Gust: By definition fluid power is the use of liquids or gases to transfer power or to control motion. CceFP’s research focus is on making fluid power more compact, efficient and effective-and also clean, quiet and easy to use. Research is validated on four test beds of varying power and weight levels including an energy-efficient excavator, a hydraulic hybrid passenger vehicle, remote-controlled, fluid-powered robot and a medical ankle-foot orthosis.

The main objective of the excavator and hybrid vehicle are to demonstrate dramatic improvements in fuel economy. The robot and orthosis are used to explore entirely new applications for fluid power.

TLT: Describe your role with CCEFP.
Gust: As the center’s industry liaison director, my responsibilities included recruiting industry members, maintaining existing members and transferring new concepts, technologies and intellectual property to our members for commercialization. Before joining CCEFP, I spent nearly 20 years in the fluid power industry where I led engineering and technology organizations.

My initial exposure to the center was during the solicitation phase where I helped justify the case for its formation. For years I watched while alternative technologies such as electronics and batteries benefited from billions of dollars of public research while fluid power received little, if any, investment. To ensure fluid power remained competitive, I felt it was essential that an organization such as the CCEFP be formed.




Gust’s role with the center for compact and Efficient Fluid power had him participating in many industry events where he lobbied for research funding for fluid power. At left he chats with industry member Simon Basely of Bosch Rexroth Corp.

TLT: What is the status of the fluid power industry today?
Gust: The fluid power industry is going through a transformation. For example, its inherently high-power density is being augmented by digital valve technology to increase its efficiency. This combination opens up new applications such as hybrid vehicles.

CCEFP’s hybrid vehicle utilizes a hydro-mechanical transmission (HMT) to increase vehicle fuel economy. The continuously variable characteristics of the HMT allow for significantly greater flexibility of engine management. The result is engine operation that is much closer to its optimum efficiency than a conventional transmission. The hybrid feature allows for energy storage of fluid pressure in an accumulator during braking events that can be redeployed during vehicle acceleration, further increasing mileage and acceleration performance.

Another exciting opportunity for fluid power with huge commercialization potential is wind power. Specifically, the use of a HMT or hydrostatic transmission (HST) to transfer power from the turbine blades rotating shaft to the generator is very promising. The continuously variable aspects of these transmissions allows for the blade pitch to be controlled in a manner such that the blades operate near their maximum power coefficient regardless of wind speed. This helps to maximize the system efficiency in much the same manner as the previously described hydraulic hybrid engine does. The use of a synchronous generator is possible and eliminates the need for power electronics. It is possible to add an energy storage device that captures fluid pressure during periods of high winds. The resulting system promises to improve reliability and power capture.

TLT: What do you see in the future for fluid power?
Gust: the role of fluids in future fluid power systems is expected to increase. Efficiency improvements are possible through fluids that are less sensitive to temperature changes and, thus, reduce internal leakage. Additives that allow systems to operate at pressure above 700 bar further enhance the power density advantage that fluid power enjoys. It is crucial that technologists from the fluids industry remain active in the CCEFP so that together we can make the future bright for the fluid power industry.

In addition, the CCEFP will be exhibiting at the 52nd national Conference on Fluid Power, March 22-26, at the IFPE show in Las Vegas (www.ifpe.com). Approximately one-third of the technical papers being presented will include research being conducted at the CCEFP.

You can reach Mike Gust at mjgust@me.umn.edu.