Piston pumps are core components in hydraulic systems, and their performance, efficiency, and stability significantly impact the operation of the entire system. The flow distribution method is a key factor determining the overall performance of the piston pump, directly affecting the pump’s output flow rate, pressure, and efficiency, and significantly influencing its working stability and reliability under different operating conditions. This paper reviews the structural principles, advantages, and disadvantages of current mainstream valve distribution, disc distribution, and shaft distribution methods, and discusses the main challenges they face in various applications. It focuses on analyzing how to improve piston pump performance by optimizing structural parameters, control strategies, and flow channel design. Furthermore, this paper introduces new flow distribution structures such as piston distribution and cylinder block distribution. The above provides a theoretical basis for the selection and innovation of flow distribution structures for piston pumps under different operating conditions in the future.
Lv et al. (2026) studied this question.