HYDROGEN POWER PLANT

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a hydraulic power unit, in particular a hydraulic power unit for a self-propelled vehicle, preferably a self-propelled vehicle for street sweeping and cleaning.

[0002] Such hydraulic power plants provide hydraulic power to different types of hydraulic machines for different applications, including applications requiring lifting or steering, on a self-propelled vehicle of any kind.

[0003] The self-propelled vehicle is preferably a street sweeper / cleaner. Other examples of the type of self-propelled vehicle that can be equipped with such a hydraulic power unit may be a snowplow with a snowplow powered by the hydraulic power unit, a handling vehicle such as forklift trucks powered by the hydraulic power unit, or a person transport vehicle such as an ambulance for disabled persons equipped with a lift and / or a person swivel device powered by the hydraulic power unit.

[0004] The hydraulic power unit can also be called a hydraulic group and generally includes a hydraulic circuit and at least one motor-pump group comprising a motor and a hydraulic pump driven by the motor.

[0005] As is known, a hydraulic circuit can include one or more valves and / or one or more distribution blocks and / or one or more hydraulic fluid filters, each of these components potentially connected by hydraulic fluid lines. The hydraulic circuit transmits hydraulic power to one or more hydraulic machines.

[0006] Motor-pump units equipped with an electric motor are also known from prior art. A hydraulic power unit incorporating such an electric motor is typically called an electro-hydraulic power unit. Generally, the operation of such an electro-hydraulic power unit requires a complex and bulky cooling system. In such a known electro-hydraulic power unit, it is known to include a liquid cooling system with a radiator dedicated to cooling the electric motor and coupled to it.

[0007] In addition, it is known to cool the engine by connecting the hydraulic circuit to the engine of the pump unit via connections from the engine to the hydraulic circuit, thus connecting the engine to the reservoir containing the hydraulic fluid.

[0008] This connection to the reservoir is very often bulky because it must be sufficiently sized to be able to provide suction for the hydraulic pump.

[0009] Finally, the combined operation of an electric motor and hydraulic pump causes vibrations with high frequencies that are very often unpleasant to the user's ear.

[0010] Thus, the present invention proposes a compact hydraulic power unit with a reduced level of vibration.

[0011] To this end, the present invention relates to a hydraulic power unit comprising a hydraulic circuit equipped with a reservoir containing a hydraulic fluid and at least one pump unit comprising a first part, a second part, a motor, and a hydraulic pump driven by the motor. The pump unit is positioned in the reservoir such that the first part of the pump unit is immersed in the hydraulic fluid.

[0012] Such a design derives from US documents 6 290 474 B1 and WO 2021 / 118607 A1, which describe configurations in which the engines are immersed.

[0013] According to the invention, the hydraulic power unit further comprises a temperature probe positioned in the reservoir so as to be able to measure the temperature of the hydraulic fluid, and the motor pump unit(s) each comprise a temperature sensor positioned in the respective motor pump unit so as to be able to measure the temperature of the motor of the respective motor pump unit.

[0014] These features allow, on the one hand, the regulation of the temperature of the hydraulic fluid present in the reservoir by modifying the cooling power of the radiator, and on the other hand, the independent regulation of the currents passing through the motors in order to protect the motors independently in the event of excessive heating of the respective motor.

[0015] According to one possibility, the hydraulic pump is included in the first part of the motor-pump unit.

[0016] These features allow the hydraulic pump to be easily cooled by the hydraulic fluid present in the reservoir.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment, the motor is an electric motor, preferably a three-phase permanent magnet electric motor. Thus, the hydraulic power unit constitutes an electro-hydraulic power unit.

[0018] The hydraulic pump can be a gear hydraulic pump.

[0019] According to a possible additional feature, the motor comprises a rotating machine and an electronic control device capable of controlling the rotating machine, the rotating machine preferably being part of the first part of the motor-pump group and / or the electronic control device preferably being part of the second part of the motor-pump group.

[0020] These features allow the rotating machine to be easily cooled by the hydraulic fluid present in the reservoir.

[0021] According to one possibility, the second part of the motor-pump unit emerges from the hydraulic fluid.

[0022] According to one possibility, the hydraulic pump has an inlet orifice immersed in the hydraulic fluid contained in the reservoir.

[0023] These features make it easier to mount the motor-pump unit in the tank.

[0024] According to a possible additional feature, the hydraulic pump includes an outlet conduit, the outlet conduit preferably emerging from the reservoir.

[0025] These features make it easier to connect the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic circuit.

[0026] According to one possibility, the reservoir has an inlet port, the hydraulic circuit also including a radiator through which the hydraulic fluid flows and which is positioned in the hydraulic circuit upstream of the inlet port of the reservoir.

[0027] These features improve the cooling of the pump unit and its components.

[0028] According to a possible additional feature, the tank includes elastic mounting studs allowing the tank to be attached to a vehicle chassis.

[0029] These features help to reduce the transmission of vibrations from the hydraulic power unit and / or the motor-pump unit to the vehicle.

[0030] According to one possibility, the temperature probe of the hydraulic power unit is positioned in the reservoir preferably so as to be able to measure the temperature of the hydraulic fluid arriving from the radiator into the reservoir.

[0031] The invention will be better understood from the following description, which relates to a preferred embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example, and explained with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which: [ Fig.1 ] is a schematic representation of a hydroelectric power plant according to one embodiment; [ Fig.2 ] is another schematic representation of the hydroelectric power plant according to the embodiment; [ Fig.3 ] is a schematic representation of a motor-pump unit of the hydraulic power plant according to the embodiment; [ Fig.4 ] is another schematic representation of the hydroelectric power plant according to the embodiment; [ Fig.5 ] is a side view of the hydraulic power plant according to the embodiment; [ Fig.6 ] is a cross-sectional view of the hydroelectric power plant according to the embodiment; and [ Fig.7 ] is a perspective view of the hydroelectric power station depicted in the figure 6 .

[0032] The purpose of this application is a hydroelectric power plant 10 which is represented in the figures 1 à 7 The hydraulic power unit 10 is preferably a hydraulic power unit 10 for a self-propelled vehicle, such as a self-propelled street sweeper. Such a vehicle is generally equipped with a combustion or electric engine and one or more rotating brushes in contact with the ground, as well as suction and waste collection systems, and includes a cab for the driver. Such vehicles are typically used in urban or industrial environments for cleaning large areas. The driver sits in the cab, where they have access to the vehicle's steering controls as well as the controls for the cleaning equipment. The vehicle is preferably a four-wheeled vehicle but can generally have at least three wheels.

[0033] Classically, such a hydraulic power plant 10 is a set of hydraulic components allowing a hydraulic network or system to be supplied with hydraulic fluid at a chosen flow rate.

[0034] The hydraulic power unit 10 comprises a hydraulic circuit equipped with a reservoir 40 containing a hydraulic fluid and at least one motor-pump unit 20. In the figures 1 And 4 à 7 , the hydraulic power plant 10 according to the embodiment including the reservoir 40 is shown, whereas in the figure 2 The hydraulic power unit 10, according to the embodiment, is shown without the reservoir 40. figure 3 is a detailed representation of the motor pump group 20 according to the embodiment.

[0035] The motor-pump unit 20 comprises a first part 22, a second part 24, a motor 26 and a hydraulic pump 30 driven by the motor 26. The motor-pump unit 20 is positioned in the reservoir 40 so that the first part 22 of the motor-pump unit 20 is immersed in the hydraulic fluid contained in the reservoir 40.

[0036] According to one possibility, the second part 24 of the pump unit 20 can emerge from the hydraulic fluid. The pump unit can therefore be arranged so that the first part 22 is immersed in the hydraulic fluid and the second part 24 emerges from the hydraulic fluid.

[0037] The motor-pump unit 20 may include a casing 21, in which the motor 26 and / or the hydraulic pump 30 is / are incorporated. The hydraulic pump 30 may be included in the first part 22 of the motor-pump unit 20.

[0038] As revealed in particular by the figure 3The pump unit 20 and / or the casing 21 may have an essentially cylindrical shape. The casing 21 may have an opening in the first part 22 of the pump unit 20, from which the first part 22 partially emerges. In particular, the hydraulic pump 30 may emerge from the opening in the casing 21.

[0039] The hydraulic power unit 10 according to the preferred embodiment may comprise a plurality of motor-pump units 20, each of the motor-pump units 20 being arranged in the reservoir 40 so that the first part 22 of each motor-pump unit 20 is immersed in the hydraulic fluid contained in the reservoir 40. By way of example, the hydraulic power unit 10 according to the preferred embodiment comprises four motor-pump units 20.

[0040] The reservoir 40 of the hydraulic power unit 10, according to the preferred embodiment, is essentially rectangular in shape. The pump units 20 can be arranged in a line and / or in the same orientation within the reservoir 40. The pump units 20 can be arranged in a line that is horizontal when the hydraulic power unit 10 is installed in the vehicle. The hydraulic power unit 10 can, for example, have one, two, three, or four pump units 20.

[0041] The reservoir 40 can be provided with a cover 42, from which emerges the second part 24 of each motor-pump unit 20. The first part 22 of each motor-pump unit 20 is positioned below the cover 42. The cover can have an essentially flat shape.

[0042] The tank 40 can be positioned in the vehicle so that the motor-pump units 30 are oriented horizontally in the vehicle and / or so that the cover 42 forms a top face of the tank 40.

[0043] The hydraulic fluid can preferably consist of an incompressible mineral oil.

[0044] As is known, a hydraulic circuit can include one or more valves and / or one or more distribution blocks and / or one or more hydraulic fluid filters, each of these components being connected by hydraulic fluid lines. The hydraulic circuit transmits hydraulic power to one or more hydraulic machines. The hydraulic power unit 10 is capable of supplying hydraulic power to various types of hydraulic machines for different applications, such as a street sweeper.

[0045] According to a preferred embodiment, the motor 26 is an electric motor, preferably an alternating current electric motor, in particular a three-phase motor. The motor 26 may also be a three-phase permanent magnet electric motor. The speed of the motor 26 can be controlled by a frequency converter connected to the motor 26. Thus, the hydraulic power unit 10 constitutes an electro-hydraulic power unit.

[0046] The rotating machine 28 of the motor 26 of each motor-pump group 20 can be provided with a winding.

[0047] The motor 26 may include a rotating machine 28 and an electronic control device capable of controlling the rotating machine 28, the rotating machine 28 preferably being part of the first part 22 of the motor-pump unit 20 and / or the electronic control device preferably being positioned outside the casing 21 of the motor-pump unit 20. The electronic control device may be in the form of a frequency inverter located away from the casing 21 and centralized to control the motor 26 of each motor-pump unit 30.

[0048] The hydraulic pump 30 may have an inlet port 32 immersed in the hydraulic fluid contained in the reservoir 40. The inlet port 32 may be disposed at one end of an inlet conduit 31 of the hydraulic pump 30.

[0049] The motor-pump unit 20 is arranged in the reservoir 40 so that the inlet port 32 is immersed in the hydraulic fluid. The immersed inlet port 32 is positioned below a hydraulic fluid level N in the reservoir 40.

[0050] The hydraulic pump 30 may include an outlet conduit 34, the outlet conduit 34 preferably emerging from the reservoir 40. For this purpose, the reservoir cover 42 may be provided with an opening through which the outlet conduit 34 can pass. The outlet conduit may emerge from the cover 42, preferably perpendicular to the cover 42. The cover may be provided with such an opening for each outlet conduit 34 and / or for each pump unit 20.

[0051] The outlet conduit 34 can be connected to the hydraulic circuit to supply the hydraulic circuit with hydraulic power.

[0052] The reservoir 40 may have an inlet port 48. The inlet port may be connected to the hydraulic circuit. The hydraulic circuit may also be provided with a supply manifold 52 and a radiator 50 through which the hydraulic fluid flows and which is positioned in the hydraulic circuit upstream of the inlet port 48 of the reservoir 40. The radiator 50 cools the hydraulic fluid before it reaches the manifold 52 and then the reservoir 40.

[0053] The reservoir 40 may also include elastic mounting blocks 44, 46 for attaching the reservoir 40 to a vehicle chassis. These elastic mounting blocks 44, 46 may include lateral elastic mounting blocks 44 and lower elastic mounting blocks 46. These elastic mounting blocks 44, 46 help reduce the transmission of vibrations from the hydraulic power unit 10 to the vehicle, particularly to the vehicle chassis.

[0054] The hydraulic power unit 10 may also include a temperature probe positioned in the reservoir 40 so as to measure the temperature of the hydraulic fluid. Alternatively, the temperature probe may be positioned in the reservoir 40 so as to measure the temperature of the hydraulic fluid flowing from the radiator 50 to the reservoir 40. The temperature probe may be placed on a hydraulic fluid collection manifold at the outlet of the radiator 50.

[0055] Depending on one possibility, each pump unit(s) 20 may include a temperature sensor 27 positioned within the respective pump unit(s) so as to be capable of measuring the temperature of the motor 26 of the respective pump unit(s), preferably the winding of the rotating machine 28 of the motor 26 of each respective pump unit(s). The temperature sensor 27 may be directly connected to the core of the respective motor 26 to measure the internal temperature of the motor 26. The temperature sensor 27 may preferably be part of the second part 22 of the respective pump unit(s).

[0056] The temperature sensor 27 allows us to know not the average temperature of the hydraulic fluid in the reservoir 40, but the exact temperature of each motor 26 at its core. Knowing these temperatures makes it possible to select the currents flowing through the motors 26 independently, thus protecting each motor 26 individually in case of overheating.

[0057] The hydraulic power unit 10 described in this application eliminates the need for a dedicated cooling system. This hydraulic power unit 10 is particularly compact. Integrating the pump unit 20 into the reservoir and immersing it in the hydraulic fluid allows the fluid to cool the motor 26. This submerged integration ensures optimal operation of the pump unit 20, preventing cavitation and freeing up space for other functions. Finally, immersing the pump unit 20, and especially the motor 26, in the hydraulic fluid reduces the noise generated by the pump unit 20 during operation.

[0058] In the hydraulic power unit 10 of this application, the fluid previously cooled in the radiator 50 can return to the reservoir 40. In the reservoir 50, the hydraulic fluid will recover heat from the motor 26 and / or the hydraulic pump 30 and thus cool it.

[0059] This active engine cooling can be controlled according to the engine temperature 26 recorded through the temperature sensor 27. Thus, the hydraulic power unit 10 will be able to present a higher service factor to cope with the most severe applications.

Claims

1. A hydraulic control unit comprising a hydraulic circuit equipped with a tank (40) containing a hydraulic fluid and at least one motor-pump assembly (20) including a first part (22), a second part (24), a motor (26) and a hydraulic pump (30) driven by the motor (26), the motor-pump assembly (20) being positioned in the tank (40) such that the first part (22) of the motor-pump assembly (20) is submerged in the hydraulic fluid, characterised in that it further includes a temperature sensor positioned in the tank (40) so as to be capable of measuring the temperature of the hydraulic fluid, and in that the motor-pump assembly / assemblies (20) each include a temperature sensor positioned in the respective motor-pump assembly (20) so as to be capable of measuring the temperature of the motor (26) of the respective motor-pump assembly (20).

2. The hydraulic control unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the hydraulic pump (30) is comprised in the first part (22) of the motor-pump assembly (20).

3. The hydraulic control unit according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the motor (26) is an electric motor.

4. The hydraulic control unit according to claim 3, characterised in that the motor (26) includes a rotating machine (28) and an electronic control device (27) capable of controlling the rotating machine (28), the rotating machine (28) preferably being part of the first part (22) of the motor-pump assembly (20) and / or the electronic control device (27) preferably being part of the second part (24) of the motor-pump assembly (20).

5. The hydraulic control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the second part (24) of the motor-pump assembly (20) emerges from the hydraulic fluid.

6. The hydraulic control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the hydraulic pump (30) includes an inlet port (32) submerged in the hydraulic fluid contained in the tank (40).

7. The hydraulic control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the hydraulic pump (30) includes an outlet duct (34), the outlet duct (34) preferably emerging from the tank (40).

8. The hydraulic control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the tank (40) includes an inlet port (48), the hydraulic circuit further comprising a radiator (50) through which the hydraulic fluid flows and positioned in the hydraulic circuit upstream of the inlet port (48) of the tank (40).

9. The hydraulic control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the tank (40) includes elastic fastening studs (44, 46) allowing fastening of the tank (40) to a vehicle chassis.

10. The hydraulic control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the temperature sensor is positioned in the tank (40) so as to be capable of measuring the temperature of the hydraulic fluid arriving from the radiator (50) to the tank (40).