Conveyor Drive Electrodynamic Braking for Material Accumulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor systems experience material accumulation and damage during power failures due to longer braking times of longer conveyor devices, leading to damage on shorter conveyor systems.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a first drive device that can operate as a generator, specifically an electrodynamic brake, to feed electrical energy back into the system, with a control/regulation device synchronizing the conveying speeds of both conveyor devices to prevent material accumulation during power outages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the first conveyor device (LDC) is braked during power failure, then the conveying speed decreases, but the braking time is significantly longer than the second conveyor, leading to material accumulation and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful effect of the first conveyor's long braking time (which causes material accumulation) into a beneficial energy source. The drive device of the first conveyor operates as a generator during braking, producing electrical energy that is fed to the second conveyor's drive device, enabling it to maintain operation or brake more effectively and prevent damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the braking function of the first conveyor with the power supply function for the second conveyor. The drive device serves dual purposes: as a motor during normal operation and as a generator during braking, combining energy generation with the braking process to simultaneously address both conveyors' needs.
2Reliability
If the first drive device operates as a generator during braking, then electrical energy is generated to power the second conveyor, but the system complexity increases due to the need for control/regulation device and electrical connections
Solution Approach 1:
The drive device is designed with multi-functionality, serving as both a motor during normal operation and a generator during braking. This universal design eliminates the need for separate braking mechanisms and power generation systems, reducing overall system complexity despite the dual functionality requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The first conveyor's drive device serves itself by generating its own braking energy and simultaneously providing power to the second conveyor. The system uses its own operational energy to prevent damage during failure conditions, reducing external intervention needs.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the second conveyor has much shorter length than the first conveyor, then the braking time is significantly shorter, but this causes material accumulation on the second conveyor during power failure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful effect of the second conveyor's short braking time (which causes material accumulation) into a beneficial receiving condition for generated energy. The second conveyor's drive device receives electrical energy from the first conveyor's generator operation, enabling it to maintain speed or brake controlledly, preventing material accumulation despite its inherently shorter braking time.
Solution Approach 2:
The control/regulation device monitors the operational status of both conveyors and adjusts the power transfer from the first drive device to the second drive device accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures the second conveyor receives appropriate power to maintain synchronization and prevent material accumulation during the first conveyor's braking process.
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 ensures that the shorter conveyor device is stationary or moving at a low speed during power failures, preventing material accumulation and damage by using the generated energy to maintain synchronization with the longer conveyor's speed, thus protecting the conveyor system.
Implementation Method 1
the first drive device (14) is designed in this way is that it can be operated as a generator, in particular as an electrodynamic brake for braking the first conveyor (12)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a conveyor system (10) for transporting material (24), having a first conveyor device (12), a first drive device (14) for driving the first conveyor device (12), a second conveyor device (16) which is arranged downstream of the first conveyor device in the transport direction of the material, and a second drive device (18) for driving the second conveyor device (16). The first drive device (14) is designed such that the drive device can be operated as a generator, in particular as an electrodynamic brake, for braking the first conveyor device (12). The invention also relates to a method for operating a conveyor system (10) for transporting material, having the following steps: conveying the material using a first conveyor device (12) which is driven by a first drive device (14) and conveying the material using a second conveyor device (16) which is arranged downstream of the first conveyor device (12) in the transport direction of the material and which is driven by a second drive device (18), wherein the first drive device (14) is operated as a generator, in particular as an electrodynamic brake, for braking the first conveyor device (12).