Autonomous Fluid Refill Station Control for Precise Truck Refueling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for refilling fluid in autonomous trucks at worksites are inefficient, leading to issues such as overfilling, underfilling, spillage, and increased human intervention, which affect productivity and economic sustainability.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for autonomously controlling a fluid refill station using sensors and a central controller to monitor fluid levels, align tanks with outlets, and manage refilling processes to prevent overfilling and underfilling, while minimizing human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If personnel manually monitor the refilling process, then human control is maintained, but multiple trucks crowd at the overhead tank and refilling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous truck performs self-monitoring of fluid levels using onboard sensors and autonomously navigates to the refilling station when fluid levels drop below thresholds, eliminating the need for manual monitoring and reducing crowd management issues at refilling points
Solution Approach 2:
Manual monitoring and decision-making by personnel is replaced with automated sensor systems and control algorithms that continuously track fluid levels and autonomously initiate refilling operations, improving efficiency while maintaining control
2Reliability
If refilling is stopped early by personnel to prevent overfilling, then spillage is avoided, but the truck is underfilled and requires frequent refilling
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously receives feedback from fluid level sensors during the refilling process and dynamically adjusts the refilling operation, stopping precisely when the optimal fill level is reached. This prevents both overfilling/spillage and underfilling, ensuring maximum tank utilization without waste
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous truck monitors fluid levels continuously and initiates refilling operations before complete depletion occurs, optimizing the timing to maximize tank utilization while preventing overfilling through real-time feedback control
3Extent of automation
If autonomous refilling is implemented, then human intervention is minimized, but precise alignment and control systems are required
Solution Approach 1:
Manual alignment and coupling operations are replaced with automated sensor systems that detect the refilling station location and guide the truck's positioning. The system uses sensors to detect alignment status and autonomously adjusts position, reducing mechanical complexity through intelligent control
Solution Approach 2:
Sensor systems act as intermediaries between the autonomous truck and the refilling station, detecting alignment status and fluid levels, and translating this information into control commands that simplify the overall system architecture while enabling autonomous operation
Data Source
AI summary
A system for autonomously controlling a fluid refill station (FRS) includes a sensor that generates an input signal indicative of an amount of fluid in a tank of an autonomous truck and a central controller. The central controller monitors the amount of fluid in the tank and assigns the autonomous truck to the FRS if the amount of fluid has reached a minimum threshold value. The central controller determines an alignment of the tank of the autonomous truck with a fluid outlet of the FRS, directs the FRS to refill the tank with fluid if the tank is in alignment with the fluid outlet of the FRS, and directs the FRS to stop refilling the tank when the amount of fluid in the tank has reached a maximum threshold value. The central controller marks the FRS as non-functional based on a determination of an anomaly with the FRS.