Modular electric generator assembly for a vehicle

Abstract

The present invention patent relates to a modular electric generator assembly for an electric and / or hybrid agricultural vehicle, comprising at least one generator module (B) with a housing provided with flanges (D and E) at its ends, wherein the flange (D) can be attached to a support (A) and to the housing of a generator module (C), which is also provided with flanges (D, E) at its ends for connecting other identical generator modules.

Description

[0001] MODULAR ELECTRIC GENERATOR SET FOR AGRICULTURAL VEHICLE

[0002] Field of Invention

[0003]

[0001] This invention patent is in the fields of engineering and agriculture. More specifically, the present invention relates to a modular electric generator set designed to generate electricity in hybrid agricultural vehicles, i.e., heavy-duty vehicles that use combustion engines to generate electricity corresponding to their high demand. Modular electric generator sets can be used individually or in conjunction with several modules, combined to capture all of the energy from the combustion engine and supply the vehicle's demand.

[0004] Background of the Invention

[0005]

[0002] The high energy demands of heavy vehicles such as agricultural tractors are a significant obstacle to the electrification of their propulsion systems. Although the use of electric drive systems offers advantages for traction and vehicle control, their use presupposes the availability of large amounts of onboard energy.

[0006]

[0003] To meet this demand, purely electric vehicles are commonly equipped with large batteries, with high production and maintenance costs that, in addition to being a heavy component, require specialized infrastructure for recharging.

[0007]

[0004] Despite this characteristic, electric drive systems have advantageous features over traditional, purely mechanical systems. One of them is regenerative braking.

[0008]

[0005] In this process, the electric motor is used as a generator through an inverter with this capacity, to produce energy resulting from the movement of the vehicle, reducing its speed and recovering part of the energy expended to start its movement.

[0009]

[0006] Although it does not recover expended energy, engine braking is a technique similar to regenerative braking, in which the combustion engine is used as a compressor to resist the vehicle's movement, also reducing its speed. This functionality is often used by large vehicles, reducing wear and tear and dependence on braking systems.

[0010]

[0007] In an electric vehicle, however, the regenerative braking process typically requires capacity to store the energy produced, and cannot be used when the batteries are fully charged.

[0011]

[0008] Electrified hybrid vehicles reduce or eliminate the need for a large battery by having a generator set capable of fully or partially supplying the energy demand. This generator set is typically composed of an electric generator and a combustion engine, such as a diesel engine.

[0012]

[0009] Combustion engines have a rotation range where the efficiency of the conversion of thermal energy into mechanical energy is ideal, making it necessary for the coupled electric generator to reach its maximum efficiency also in this rotation range.

[0013]

[0010] However, although the rotation range with maximum efficiency is similar between the diesel engine and the electric generator, the total energy to be extracted depends on the energy transformation capacity of both also being similar. Thus, for each combustion engine, an electric generator of equal or equivalent power is necessary for the generator set to be efficient in extracting all the energy from the fuel source.

[0014]

[0011] With the immense variability of combustion engines, an equivalent variety of generators must be designed to offer efficient generator sets with different powers.

[0015]

[0012] Document CN113497521 A teaches a combined electric generator, the technical scheme of which comprises a storage battery combined with a motor, which is combined with a plurality of generators to generate power as a group. The rotor shaft of the combustion engine and the rotor shafts of the electric generators are connected together to form a coaxial shaft, so that the combustion engines are electrified to operate and simultaneously drive the electric generators to operate and generate electricity through the coaxial shaft. The combined electric generator can be applied to electric automobiles, electric aircraft, and electric underwater navigation vehicles, and can also be generated automatically in a parking lot and connected to the power grid in connection mode.

[0016]

[0013] Document CN110341469A teaches a multi-machine parallel power take-off power generation system, which includes: a main shaft connected to the power take-off of an automobile; multiple branched drive shafts, in which the main shaft is separately connected to the drive shafts through gearboxes; multiple generators connected to each branch of the drive shaft, respectively; multiple inverters electrically connected to the generators. With the invention, the traditional power generation mode with a single high-power generator using multiple parallel operation modes of small power generators is abandoned, and a method of paralleling a plurality of small-power generators to supply power is adopted, solving the problem of large power generation in a narrow space of a chassis.

[0017]

[0014] However, there are no generator / inverter sets in the state of the art, in which each individual set is autonomous, and can be directly used in lower power applications or can be associated to act in a bidirectional, intelligent manner and with communication between them, so as to be controlled as a single generator / inverter unit of greater power in both directions of current flow (generator mode / motor mode) to be used in heavy agricultural machinery.

[0018] Summary of the Invention Patent

[0019]

[0015] The objective of the present invention is to present an electric generator module, which solves the difficulties presented in the state of the art, and can be easily combined with other modules and controlled by the platform of a vehicle, supplying the energy demand.

[0020]

[0016] Its modular construction allows several units to be easily combined to cover a wide range of power, eliminating the need to develop different generators for each application.

[0021]

[0017] The invention relates to a modular electric generator set, comprising an electric generator and an individual inverter (rectifier or controller) appropriately sized for each other.

[0022]

[0018] The generator module arrangement is compact and allows a multitude of other identical modules to be combined on the same axis, with the subsequent module attached to the previous module in sequence.

[0023]

[0019] Each generator module is composed of a generator and an inverter capable of operating the electrical machine as a generator or motor.

[0024]

[0020] Each generator module is electrically connected to the tractor platform individually, directly or through a junction box, which controls and coordinates the operation of the generators.

[0025]

[0021] The improvements described below make the electrification of propulsion systems for agricultural tractors and other heavy vehicles more compact, efficient and economical in production and maintenance, as described below.

[0026] Brief Description of the Figures

[0027]

[0022] For better understanding and by way of example, the modular generator set of the invention is schematically shown in the attached figures.

[0028]

[0023] Figure 1 is a diagram of a generator set that utilizes an internal combustion engine and two generator modules of the present invention, each with its own inverter / rectifier, powering a shared electrical power system.

[0029]

[0024] Figure 2 is a view of two generator modules of the present invention, attached to each other by boltable flanges and splined shafts.

[0030]

[0025] Figure 3 is a side sectional view of two generator modules of the present invention, affixed to a support containing the shaft from an internal combustion engine. This figure highlights the shaft connection between the modules and between the first module and the shaft from an internal combustion engine.

[0031]

[0026] Figure 4 is a view of the combustion engine and the adapter, which allows the passage of the generator's splined shaft and has fittings corresponding to the screwable flanges of both.

[0032] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0033]

[0027] The present generator module comprises a typical electric generator composed of rotor and stator, and an appropriately sized inverter.

[0034]

[0028] Figure 1 shows a diagram of a generator set using an internal combustion engine (M) and two generator modules of the present invention, in which each of the generator modules comprises an electric generator (1, 2) with its respective inverter / rectifier (10, 20), feeding a shared electric power system.

[0035]

[0029] This shared electrical system is part of the tractor platform, and is responsible for electrically interconnecting consumer components of the vehicle, such as electric motors, electrified implements or storage devices such as batteries.

[0036]

[0030] As shown in figure 1, each generator module has its own inverter / rectifier or controller (10, 20), respectively, which is responsible for controlling the electrical machine in its generator function, rectifying the energy produced so that it complies with the requirements of the shared electrical energy system.

[0037]

[0031] The inverter (10, 20) of each generator module is capable of controlling the electrical machine also in the motor function, performing the inverse function, transforming the energy provided by the electrical energy system to consume it and produce movement.

[0038]

[0032] The movement performed by the generator module in the engine function has the purpose of consuming electrical energy by transforming it into mechanical energy that opposes the movement of the combustion engine (M), operating in a similar way to an engine brake.

[0039]

[0033] In a typical hybrid system as described, in which an internal combustion engine (M) is combined with at least one unit of the present generator module, the latter is positioned coaxially to the shaft coming from one of the motors / generators (1, 2).

[0040]

[0034] Figure 2 illustrates the generators (B, C), which have a fairing equipped with flanges (D, E) at their ends with holes for screws around the circumference, where the flange (E) of the generator (B) is fixed by screwing to the flange (D) of a second generator (C), and so on, until the number of generator modules is sufficient to meet the power demand of the agricultural machine to be used.

[0041]

[0035] A third generator may be positioned in sequence, attached in the same manner as the second generator (C) to the first generator (B).

[0042]

[0036] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the electric generator set shown in Figure 2, which comprises two generator modules (B, C) fixed to a support (A) containing a shaft from an internal combustion engine. Figure 3, being a side cross-sectional view, allows viewing of the internal rotor shafts (H, I) and their connection through grooved ends (F), where (I) seen from the flange side (D) of the generator (C) has a male grooved end and (H) seen from the flange side (E) of the generator (B) with a female grooved end.

[0043]

[0037] The use of grooved ends on the shafts (H, I) allows both the connection of the generators (B, C) and the extension of the shaft in a similar way to a telescopic shaft, with identical modules and capable of being combined infinitely.

[0044]

[0038] Figure 4 illustrates the engine (M) and adapter (A) assembly, where the first generator (B) in the sequence is attached. This adapter (A) is an annular disc with a hollow center and connects to the engine shaft (M). The circular ring has holes distributed in the plane, corresponding to the fixing screws of the generator (B) fairing (D) to the engine fairing (M).

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Modular electric generator set for an electric and / or hybrid agricultural vehicle, CHARACTERIZED by comprising at least one generator module (B) with a fairing that has flanges (D and E) at the ends, in which the flange (D) can be attached to a support (A) and to the fairing of a generator module (C) that also has flanges (D, E) at the ends for connecting other identical generator modules.

2. Modular electric generator assembly according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED by at least the generator modules (B, C) comprising an internal rotor shaft (H, I) having double splined ends, in which one splined end is male and the opposite end is a female splined end, such that the male splined end of an internal rotor shaft (I) of a generator (2) of the generator module (C) can be fitted into the female splined end of an internal rotor shaft (H) of a generator (1) of the generator module (B).

3. Modular electric generator set according to any one of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED by a combustion engine (M) coupled to at least one generator module (B) through an adapter support (A) with a through shaft coming from the combustion engine and with subsequent modules (C) and coaxial modules that can be attached to the previous module (B).

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