Construction Machine Bypass Preheating Unit for Cold-Start Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing preheating methods for construction machines are inadequate in extremely cold regions, as they fail to sufficiently preheat the entire fluid circulation channel, leading to issues like frozen hydraulic oil and transmission breakdowns, and are inefficient in high-altitude regions or when the main electric motor is stopped.
Innovation Solution
A construction machine equipped with a bypass channel and preheating unit consisting of a heater and bypass pump, allowing fluid to be heated and circulated through the bypass channel even when the main circulation stops, forming a circulation loop between key components like the hydraulic oil tank and main pump, and controlling heating based on outside temperature and fluid temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a heater is provided in the suction piping to warm up hydraulic oil, then the starting performance of the engine is improved, but sufficient preheating is hard in extremely cold regions of −40° C. or below because the hydraulic oil is warmed only in a restricted area
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation channel is divided into a main channel and a bypass channel. The bypass channel includes a preheating unit with a heater and bypass pump that can independently circulate and heat fluid, separate from the main circulation system. This segmentation allows targeted preheating in critical areas while maintaining overall system functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The preheating unit operates before the main circulation system to advance-heat the fluid in the bypass channel. The bypass pump circulates fluid through the heater before it enters the main circulation channel, ensuring the fluid is already warmed when it reaches critical components like the suction piping and transmission.
2Use of energy by stationary object
If the main electric motor drives the vehicle body for heating, then the heating function is sufficient, but when the main electric motor is stopped because of maintenance and the like, the main electric motor does not function
Solution Approach 1:
The bypass pump is designed to be independently operable without requiring the main electric motor. It can function autonomously to circulate fluid through the preheating unit, enabling the heating system to operate even when the main motor is stopped for maintenance or other reasons.
Solution Approach 2:
The bypass circulation system serves multiple functions: it can operate independently for preheating, work in conjunction with the main circulation system, and provide heating functionality regardless of the main motor's operational status. This multi-functionality ensures system versatility under various conditions.
3Reliability
If transmission oil is circulated through narrow pipes to bearings and gears, then lubrication is provided, but when the viscosity of the transmission oil becomes high and the mission oil is frozen in the inside of these narrow pipes, there is a risk that defective lubrication occurs locally and the bearings and the gears are seized and broken
Solution Approach 1:
The bypass pump circulates transmission oil through the heater before it reaches the narrow pipes leading to bearings and gears. This preliminary heating action prevents the oil from freezing in these critical narrow passages, ensuring continuous lubrication even in extremely cold conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The preheating system provides advance protection against freezing by warming the transmission oil before it enters vulnerable areas. The bypass circulation system acts as a cushioning mechanism that prevents the harmful effect of freezing by maintaining oil temperature above freezing point in critical lubrication paths.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution efficiently preheats the entire circulation channel, preventing fluid freezing and reducing energy consumption by finely controlling heating according to temperature changes, and can be easily retrofitted to existing machines.
Implementation Method 1
a preheating unit that consists of a heater and a bypass pump in the middle of bypass channel
Implementation Method 2
a preheating unit that consists of a heater and a bypass pump in the middle of bypass channel
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a construction machine including a novel preheating unit that can efficiently preheat entire circulation channel where fluid flows, and a preheating method of the construction machine. A bypass channel is arranged in a circulation channel through which the fluid is circulated, this bypass channel is provided with the preheating unit that is formed of a heater and a bypass pump. According to such configuration, even in a state circulation of the fluid may stop in the circulation channel, the fluid can be heated while the fluid is circulated through the bypass channel, and therefore the entire circulation channel can be efficiently preheated. Moreover, since retrofitting to the existing circulation channel is possible, sound versatility can be exerted.