Mobile multi-purpose power generating machine

Abstract

Mobile machine (10) which has the following features: a power source (16) configured to drive the mobile machine (10) and to generate electrical power for use outside the mobile machine (10); and a working tool (12) that is powered by the power source (16); wherein the power source (16) has the following features: an internal combustion engine (18); a generator (20) which is driven by the internal combustion engine (18); a traction device (14); a motor (22) which is electrically coupled to the generator (20) and mechanically coupled to the traction device (14); and a transfer switch (24) which is arranged and operable between the generator (20) and the motor (22) to divert all the electrical power generated by the generator (20) away from the motor (22); wherein the electrical power from the generator (20) is directed only to either the motor (22) or to a location outside the mobile machine (10).

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present application relates to a mobile machine and in particular to a mobile machine which has several uses, one of which includes power generation. background

[0002] Machines such as tracked tractors, wheel loaders, transport trucks, and other heavy construction, agricultural, and mining equipment are used to perform many tasks, including digging, grading, loading, tilling, transportation, power generation, and other similar operations. To perform these tasks effectively, each machine requires a power source that delivers significant power to a drivetrain and / or tool assembly. The power source can be an internal combustion engine, such as a turbine engine, diesel engine, gasoline engine, or a gaseous fuel engine, to generate a torque output across a range of rotational speeds. This speed output can be transferred from the power source, through a transmission, to a traction device in contact with the ground, such as wheels, tracks, or belts, which propels the machine.Furthermore, this speed output can be transmitted via a hydraulic pump or an electric generator to a tool, such as a shovel, a shield, a ripper or a tipper.

[0003] Although the machines described above can be quite efficient in performing their respective predetermined tasks, they can still be expensive and costly to transport. If a particular workplace has many different types of tasks, many different pieces of equipment will be needed at the workplace. The number of different pieces of equipment operating, idle, or not in use at the same workplace increases the workplace's operating costs. Furthermore, transporting each piece of equipment to and from the workplace can be expensive, especially if the workplace is located far from the machines' current location. One way to reduce the operating costs of a remote workplace with a variety of different tasks is to use a single machine at the workplace for multiple uses or purposes.

[0004] A multi-purpose machine is described in US 6,649,289 B2 (the '289 patent), which was granted to Hsu et al. on November 18, 2003. Specifically, the '289 patent describes an electric car used for both transportation and power generation for off-board facilities at a remote location. The electric car of the '289 patent has an on-board fuel cell that generates sufficient electrical power to propel the car. When the car is parked at a remote location, the fuel cell continues to operate and generate electrical power. The electric car is connected by power cables to an off-board network or power grid to deliver a portion of the electrical power generated by the on-board fuel cell to the remote location.By using the electric car for both transportation and stationary power generation, the initial costs of the car can be offset by the benefit associated with stationary power generation. Furthermore, the transportation costs of a separate power generator to a remote location can be eliminated.

[0005] Although the multi-purpose nature of the electric car described in the '289 patent offsets the car's initial cost and some transportation costs associated with its remote location, its use and benefit may be limited. In particular, because the fuel cell of the '289 patent is associated with an electric car, its use at a workplace related to construction, agriculture, or mining may be minimal. That is, without a work tool, the car's sole purpose or use at the workplace may be power generation, and due to its size and configuration, the amount of power and the output variability of the power provided by the car may not be sufficient to support the operation of the workplace.

[0006] Furthermore, US 2002 / 0153725A1 teaches a mobile-to-stationary power generation plant for emergency use in the form of a hybrid vehicle such as a diesel-electric locomotive or a specifically modified truck, using self-erecting transmission lines and foundation means.

[0007] Furthermore, US 6 107 691 A discloses a method and a device for generating electric current from several fuel cell-powered vehicles while the vehicles are parked in a parking lot.

[0008] The machine of the present disclosure solves one or more of the problems set out above. Summary of the invention

[0009] The object of the present invention is achieved by a mobile machine and by a method for power management on board a mobile machine according to the main claims. The dependent claims relate to preferred embodiments of the invention.

[0010] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a mobile machine. The mobile machine includes, among other things, a power source configured to drive the mobile machine and to generate electrical power that is not used on board the mobile machine. The machine also includes a working tool that is driven by the power source.

[0011] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a mobile machine comprising, among other things, an internal combustion engine and a generator driven by the internal combustion engine to produce electrical power in the range of 100-2600 kW. The mobile machine may also include a traction device configured to propel the mobile machine and a motor configured to draw electrical power from the generator and drive the traction device. The mobile machine may further include an interface electrically coupled to the generator to selectively make all of the generator's electrical power available for use outside or not on board the mobile machine.

[0012] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method for power control or power management on board the mobile machine. The method includes, among other things, generating an electrical power output and receiving an operating mode input. The method further includes routing the entire generated electrical power output, in response to the operating mode input, either through an onboard power flow path or an offboard power flow path. Brief description of the drawings Fig. Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an exemplary disclosed machine; and Fig. Figure 2 is a schematic representation of an exemplary disclosed performance system for the machine of Fig. 1. Detailed description

[0013] Fig. Figure 1 illustrates an example machine 10. Machine 10 can be a mobile machine that performs a type of operation associated with an industry, such as mining, construction, agriculture, transportation, or any other industry known in engineering. For example, machine 10 can be an earthmoving machine, such as the tracked tractor used in Fig. Figure 1 is shown. Alternatively, the machine 10 can represent a machine that is not an earthmoving machine, such as a road truck, a passenger vehicle, or a machine performing any other suitable operation. The machine 10 can include a working tool 12, a traction device 14, and a power system 16 configured to transmit a power output to the working tool 12 and the traction device 14 in response to an operator input.

[0014] Numerous different work tools 12 can be attached to the individual machine 10 and controlled by the operator of the machine 10. The work tool 12 can include any device used to perform a specific task associated with a surface or object not located on board the machine 10. For example, the work tool 12 can be a ripper, shovel, shield, or bucket that engages with a work surface; a fork assembly used to handle an object not located on board, such as a pallet; a tipper that carries and / or moves soil material loaded in it; a sweeper or snow blower that prepares a work surface; a cutting device; a gripping device; or any other device known in the art that performs a task.Many of these working tools can be hydraulically driven, and all can be driven or powered by the system 16. Although in the disclosed embodiment the working tool 10 is connected to the operator station at the front in order to lift and / or tilt relative to the machine 10, it can alternatively or additionally be connected to the machine 10 at the rear, bottom, top, or side in order to rotate, move, pivot, or move in any other manner known in the art.

[0015] The traction device 14 can have tracks 14L and 14R arranged on each side of the machine 10. Alternatively, the traction device 14 can have wheels, belts, or other driven traction devices. The traction device 14 can be driven by the power system 16 to rotate according to the output rotation of the power system 16.

[0016] As in Fig. As illustrated in Figure 2, the power system 16 can have several components that work together to drive the working tool 12 and generate an electrical output that is available both on board and outside the machine 10. In particular, the power system 16 can have a power source 18, a generator 20, a motor 22, a transfer switch 24 located between the generator 20 and the motor 22, and an interface 26 for external power (power used outside the machine).

[0017] The power source 18 can generate a mechanical power output and, for example, comprise an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine can be a diesel engine, a gasoline engine, a gaseous fuel-driven engine, a turbine engine, or any other type of internal combustion engine known to those skilled in the art, where the power output is directly related to the amount of fuel burned therein. It is also considered that, alternatively, the power source 18 can embody a power source that is not an internal combustion power source, if desired, such as a fuel cell, a battery, or any other power source known in the art.

[0018] The generator 20 can be a three-phase, rotating-field permanent magnet generator configured to produce an alternating current output (AC output) in response to a rotational input from the power source 18. Alternatively, the generator 20 can be a switched reluctance generator, a direct-phase DC generator, or any other suitable generator design known in the art. The generator 20 can have a rotor (not shown) rotatably connected to the power source 18 by any means known in the art, such as a direct crankshaft connection 28, a drive train, a hydraulic circuit, or any other suitable method.The generator 20 can be electrically connected to a common bus via a generator inverter 32, which converts the three-phase alternating current into in-phase power or direct current.

[0019] The common bus 30 can have positive and negative power lines that connect the generator inverter 32 and the motor 22 via the motor inverter 34. The common bus 30 can also be electrically connected to power storage devices such as (not shown) batteries, (not shown) capacitors, and other devices known in the art, and / or to additional power loads to supply power to or remove power from the common bus 30, if desired.

[0020] The motor 22 can be a permanent magnet rotating field motor configured to receive power from the common bus 30 and to drive the drive device 14R. Alternatively, the motor 22 is considered to be a switched electric motor, a DC motor, or any other suitable type of motor known in the art. It is also considered that the motor 22 supplies power to the common bus 30 during a power regeneration event (e.g., when gravity or a torque acting on the tracks 14R drives the motor 22). Although only a single motor 22 in Fig.As shown in Figure 2, it is considered that several motors 22 are incorporated into the machine 10 in a series or parallel configuration. Furthermore, the motor 22 can be connected to only one traction device 14R or to both traction devices 14L and 14R by a direct connection 36 or by an indirect connection (not shown), such as a reduction gear arrangement if desired.

[0021] The motor inverter 34 can convert the DC power from the generator inverter 32 into three-phase AC power at a desired voltage and / or frequency, as described below. Specifically, the motor inverter 34 can be configured to output power between 100 and 2600 kW and to vary its voltage, for example, within a range of 120–480 V and 50–400 Hz. This voltage and / or frequency variation can be initiated in response to an operational requirement or an operator request received via the external power interface 26.

[0022] The transfer switch 24 can be connected to the common bus 30 in a transmitting manner to selectively interrupt the power supply to the motor 22. That is, in response to an operating mode selection made by an operator of the machine 10, the transfer switch 24 can direct all power from the generator 20 to either the motor 22 or to the interface 26 for external power. The available operating modes include, for example, an operating mode for use with a mobile machine or an operating mode for stationary power generation.

[0023] The transfer switch 24 can represent a single microprocessor or multiple microprocessors that have means for controlling the power supply of the system 16. Numerous commercially available microprocessors can be configured to perform the functions of the transfer switch 24. It should be clear that the transfer switch 24 can easily represent a general-purpose machine microprocessor or a power source microprocessor capable of controlling multiple machine or power source functions. The transfer switch 24 can include all the components necessary to perform the desired system control, such as memory, a secondary storage device, and a processor, such as a central processing unit or CPU. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the transfer switch 24 can include additional or other components.The transfer switch 24 can be associated with various other known circuits, such as power supply circuits, signal conditioning circuits or magnetic drive circuits.

[0024] It is considered that the transfer switch 24 can alternatively be operated manually if desired: In one example, one or more power cables 38, 40, 42 can be manually connected to receive electrical power from the generator 20, while the motor 22 can be manually disconnected from the common bus 30. In this situation, the machine 10 may not have selectable operating modes.

[0025] The external power interface 26 can provide access to the onboard electrical power generated by the generator 20. For example, the external power interface 26 can have one or more distinct power outputs 26a, 26b, 26c, 26d. Each power output 26a-d can provide a different voltage and / or frequency output. Alternatively, one or more similar outputs can be included in the external power interface 26. In this case, the external power interface 26 can provide means for an operator to select or otherwise request a specific voltage and / or frequency from the power supply.Responding to the connected output, an external power demand, and / or the selected power supply characteristic(a), the power source 18 and / or the generator 20 can be operated to produce a corresponding amount of power, and the motor inverter 34 can be operated to convert the produced power appropriately if necessary. Consideration is being given to providing manual mounting devices or screw lugs instead of, or in addition to, the power outputs 26a-d, if desired.

[0026] A power monitoring and conditioning unit 44 can, if desired, be arranged between the transfer switch 24 and the external power interface 26. The unit 44 can ensure that the power delivered to a location outside the machine 10 substantially corresponds to a demand and / or selection made by an operator of the machine 10. Industrial applicability

[0027] While the drive system of the present disclosure has potential application in any mobile machine, the disclosed power system is particularly applicable in crawler tractors and other heavy construction and mining machines that have a working tool. By combining several functions in a single machine, the operating costs of an associated workplace can be reduced. Furthermore, if one of the tasks required of the machine involves stationary power generation, the machines can be used efficiently even when in a stationary state with or without an operator. The operation of machine 10 will now be described.

[0028] To power the machine 10, power from the generator 20 can be selectively directed to the motor 22 via the generator and the motor inverters 32 and 34. When the motor 22 is set in motion, the connected traction devices 14 can rotate accordingly. The amount of power directed to the motor 22 can determine the direction, travel speed, and / or pushrod power of the machine 10.

[0029] When mobile operation of machine 10 is no longer necessary, such as during the night, between shifts, or when another process is underway, the power from generator 20 can be diverted to a location outside of machine 10. Specifically, the transfer switch 24 can be used to divert all the power available from generator 20 away from motor 22 to the external power interface 26. Depending on the selected power output or power demand, generator 20 can be controlled to generate power in the range of, for example, 100–2600 kW at 120–480 V and 50–400 Hz.

[0030] An exemplary application of Machine 10 might involve a pipe-laying operation. Specifically, in a pipe-laying operation, a tracked tractor is used to lay pipes in a previously excavated trench. In a typical operation, after laying the pipe in the trench, the tractor would normally remain idling while it waits for the pipe to be welded to the previously laid pipe. To weld the pipes together, a separate, stand-alone generator would typically be brought to the site, started, and used to generate power that is supplied to a welding machine. Requiring three separate machines to complete the pipe-laying process makes the process inefficiently expensive. Instead, while the tracked tractor waits for the welding process to complete, power can be diverted from the onboard Generator 20 to the welding machine.In this way, the additional individually operable generator can be omitted from the process, thereby greatly reducing the costs of the pipe laying operation.

[0031] Another exemplary application might involve a grading operation, such as the construction of a runway, where access to the work site is difficult. In this scenario, a dozer transported to the remote location could perform the typical earthmoving function during the day. At night, while the operator rests, the dozer could then serve as the main power generator at the work site. Since only a single machine needs to be transported to the remote site, the associated costs can be minimized. Furthermore, because the machine has a working tool, it can be particularly advantageous at such a work site.

[0032] Furthermore, because the power output and variability of machine 10 are so high, its applicability is very broad. In other words, since almost all of the power from machine 10 (i.e., 100–2600 kW, depending on the model and size of machine 10) can be used outside of machine 10, machine 10 can essentially replace a typical power generator set found at construction, mining, or agricultural sites. Moreover, because the power from machine 10 flows through the motor inverter 34, the power characteristics can be varied to serve most applications related to any workplace.

[0033] It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed multi-purpose machine without deviating from the scope of the disclosure. Other embodiments of the disclosed multi-purpose machine will become apparent to those skilled in the art from considering the description and the practical implementation disclosed herein. It is intended that the description and the examples be regarded as merely exemplary, with the true scope of the disclosure being described by the following claims and their equivalent embodiments.

Claims

[1] Mobile machine (10) which features the following: a power source (16) configured to drive the mobile machine (10) and to generate electrical power for use outside the mobile machine (10); and a working tool (12) that is powered by the power source (16); wherein the power source (16) has the following features: an internal combustion engine (18); a generator (20) which is driven by the internal combustion engine (18); a traction device (14); a motor (22) which is electrically coupled to the generator (20) and mechanically coupled to the traction device (14); and a transfer switch (24) which is arranged and operable between the generator (20) and the motor (22) to divert all the electrical power generated by the generator (20) away from the motor (22); wherein the electrical power from the generator (20) is directed only to either the motor (22) or to a location outside the mobile machine (10). [2] Mobile machine (10) according to claim 1, further comprising a power converter (34) arranged between the generator (20) and the transfer switch (24), wherein the power converter (34) is configured to modify the electrical power generated by the generator (20), and wherein the power converter (34) is configured to output alternating current or alternating power with different voltages and frequencies. [3] Mobile machine according to claim 1, further comprising: an interface (26) that is electrically coupled to the transfer switch (24), wherein the interface (26) has at least one power output; and a power conditioner (44) which is arranged between the transfer switch (24) and the interface (26). [4] Mobile machine (10) according to claim 1, wherein the rotational speed of the power source (16) is regulated in response to the electrical power requirement outside the mobile machine (10). [5] Mobile machine (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the generator is configured to generate electrical power in the range of 100 to 2600 kW. [6] Mobile machine (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the motor (22) has multiple motors (22) in the machine (10) in a series configuration or parallel configuration. [7] A performance management method on board a mobile machine (10) comprising: Generating an electrical power output; Receiving an operating mode input; and Directing the entire electrical power output through either an onboard power flow path (22) or an external one. off-board power flow path (26), responding to the operating mode input by means of a transfer switch (24) located between a generator (20) and a motor (22) and operable to divert all the electrical power generated by the generator (20) away from the motor (22). [8] The method of claim 7, further Receiving a power demand from outside the mobile machine; and Modifying the power routed through off-board power flow paths in response to power demand. [9] Method according to claim 8, wherein the modification comprises changing the quantity of a fuel combustion. [10] Method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, further comprising generating electrical power in the range of 100 to 2600 kW.

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