Master’s in Hydraulic Hybrids and Energy Recovery Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in hydraulic hybrid and energy recovery engineering. 12 modules covering accumulators, reversible pump-motor units, traction hybrids, digital hydraulics, energy management and Directive 2014/68/EU, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Hydraulic Hybrids and Energy Recovery Engineering — studying from South Africa
Mining, agriculture and construction make off-road and specialised machinery central to South Africa's economy. Mining equipment manufacturers and service providers support the country's extensive gold, platinum and coal operations, while agricultural machinery serves commercial farming. Engineers working on heavy vehicles and special machines focus on hydraulics, drivetrains and durability under harsh conditions. The South African Bureau of Standards and the Mine Health and Safety Council set relevant standards and safety requirements.
Fees for South Africa: R 148 000 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Will a SEIUM qualification be recognised by the professional bodies in South Africa for this area?
SEIUM qualifications are private and not accredited by any South African body. Engineering registration is handled by ECSA, and machinery safety standards are linked to SABS and the Department of Employment and Labour's regulations. Recognition of a private qualification is decided by employers or the relevant body, so confirm this with them before you enrol.
How might this qualification be used by employers in South Africa in off-road and special vehicles?
Mining, agriculture, construction and vehicle-conversion firms value practical machinery knowledge and proven problem-solving. A private qualification can support your application, especially with hands-on experience, but it carries no official status. Its weight depends on each employer, so ask potential employers in your field how they would view it.
Can I study this programme alongside full-time work from South Africa, and is there a time zone or language issue?
The programme is 100% online and in English, so you can study from home without a student visa. Master's programmes take 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Check time-zone and workload expectations with SEIUM directly.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Quantify the recoverable energy in mobile machines.
Size accumulators and pump-motor units.
Design hydraulic hybrid architectures.
Implement regenerative circuits in work functions.
Develop energy management strategies.
Apply pressure equipment and safety regulations.
Assess the profitability of energy recovery systems.
Who it's for
- Hydraulic systems engineers moving into hybrid and energy recovery architectures.
- Energy recovery engineers working on mobile machinery.
- Hybrid system control engineers developing energy management strategies.
- 1D simulation engineers modelling hydraulic and electro-hydraulic systems.
- Machinery product engineers improving the efficiency of construction equipment.
- Researchers in digital hydraulics.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the construction machinery sector.
What you'll work with
- Directive 2014/68/EU (pressure equipment)
- UNE-EN ISO 4413 (hydraulic fluid power)
- UNE-EN ISO 13849-1 (safety of control systems)
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (machinery)
- ISO 1219-1 (hydraulic graphical symbols)
- UNE-EN 14359 (hydropneumatic accumulators)
- Simcenter Amesim
- MATLAB/Simulink
- Hopsan
- Automation Studio
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Braking, boom lowering and superstructure swing1.2Quantification of recoverable energy1.3Representative duty cycles1.4Losses in conventional circuits1.5Savings potential per machine1.6Industrial reference cases1.7Storage technologies1.8Profitability of recovery1.9Selection criteria1.10Case study: recoverable energy in an excavator
2.1Bladder, piston and diaphragm accumulators2.2Thermodynamics of the precharge gas2.3Accumulator sizing2.4Choice of precharge pressure2.5Thermal losses in the gas2.6Elastomeric foams to reduce losses2.7Accumulator safety2.8Pressure equipment2.9Mandatory periodic inspections2.10Laboratory: charging curve of an accumulator
3.1Axial piston pump-motors3.2Variable displacement and its control3.3Volumetric and mechanical efficiency3.4Displacement control3.5Four-quadrant operation3.6Digital hydraulic machines3.7Hydraulic noise of the units3.8Unit selection3.9Suppliers of reversible units3.10Practical exercise: efficiency map
4.1Series and parallel architectures4.2Hydraulic launch assist4.3Refuse collection trucks4.4Design of series hybrids4.5Design of parallel hybrids4.6Charging and discharging strategies4.7Comparison with electric hybrids4.8Commercial experience with hydraulic hybrids4.9Simulation of urban cycles4.10Case study: hydraulic hybrid for a refuse truck
5.1Boom lowering5.2Swing braking5.3Hydraulic boom counterbalancing5.4Three-chamber cylinders5.5Regenerative cylinder circuits5.6Regeneration valves5.7Recovery control5.8Examples in commercial excavators5.9Efficiency achieved in tests5.10Practical exercise: regenerative boom circuit
6.1Principles of digital hydraulics6.2Digital piston pumps6.3Displacement control6.4Fast-switching valves6.5Valveless drives6.6Energy advantages of digital hydraulics6.7Control and noise challenges6.8Lines of research6.9Simulation of digital systems6.10Laboratory: displacement control
7.1Electric motors with pumps7.2Accumulators combined with batteries7.3Supercapacitors in hybrid systems7.4Self-contained electro-hydraulic actuators7.5Machine integration7.6Combined electrical and hydraulic control7.7Comparison of solutions7.8Application cases7.9Costs of electro-hydraulic systems7.10Case study: self-contained electro-hydraulic actuator
8.1Rule-based strategies8.2Equivalent consumption minimisation8.3Dynamic programming as a benchmark8.4Model predictive control8.5Duty cycle prediction8.6Hydraulic state of charge8.7Controller implementation8.8Strategy calibration8.9Strategy validation8.10Practical exercise: ECMS strategy in Simulink
9.10D and 1D models9.2Simulation in Amesim9.3Simulation in Simulink9.4Validation with data9.5Test cycles9.6Sensitivity analysis9.7Parameter optimisation9.8Hydraulic and mechanical co-simulation9.9Hardware-in-the-loop testing of the controller9.10Laboratory: hybrid excavator model
10.1Pressure Equipment Directive10.2Requirements of ISO 441310.3Functional safety of the system10.4Safe discharge of accumulators10.5Inspection and maintenance10.6Risk analysis10.7Work procedures10.8Staff training10.9Machinery Regulation10.10Case study: risks of an accumulator
11.1Bench testing11.2Field testing11.3Measurement of savings11.4Total cost of ownership11.5Payback period11.6Additional maintenance of the system11.7Reliability of hydraulic components11.8Potential market for the technology11.9Commercial arguments for customers11.10Case study: return on investment of a hydraulic hybrid
12.1Selection of machine and cycle12.2Energy analysis of the cycle12.3Recovery architecture12.4Component sizing12.5Control strategy12.6Simulation of the proposed system12.7Safety analysis12.8Economic evaluation of the solution12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Simcenter Amesim, MATLAB/Simulink, Hopsan and Automation Studio, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: bench testing of accumulators, simulation of hybrid excavators and field measurement of energy savings. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: Directive 2014/68/EU, UNE-EN ISO 4413, UNE-EN ISO 13849-1, Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, ISO 1219-1, UNE-EN 14359.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Simcenter Amesim, MATLAB/Simulink, Hopsan and Automation Studio, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the programme software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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