Crane Power Monitoring for Auxiliary Energy Waste Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crane systems consume excessive electrical power due to unnecessary operation of auxiliary equipment, leading to inefficient energy use, which is not addressed by current monitoring methods that focus only on specific maneuvers.
Innovation Solution
A monitoring method that tracks the electrical power consumption of all crane equipment over time, distinguishing between actuation and accessory equipment, using a control system with power consumption models to determine and optimize energy efficiency by switching equipment states and calculating cumulative power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If auxiliary equipment is powered continuously to ensure operator comfort, then operator comfort is improved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The heating equipment operates periodically rather than continuously - activating only during specific time periods when the operator is present or approaching (e.g., before scheduled work hours), and deactivating during periods when the operator is absent. This periodic operation maintains operator comfort while dramatically reducing energy consumption compared to continuous operation.
2Measurement precision
If all electrical equipment is monitored in detail, then energy efficiency accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system segments electrical equipment into two distinct categories: actuation equipment (motors, drives, moving components) and auxiliary equipment (heating, cooling, lighting). Each category is monitored using appropriate methods - actuation equipment uses existing drive system data, while auxiliary equipment uses simplified presence-based detection. This segmentation enables accurate overall energy efficiency measurement without requiring complex monitoring of every individual component.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system performs multiple functions using the same infrastructure: it monitors both actuation and auxiliary equipment, tracks energy consumption, determines operator presence, and calculates overall energy efficiency. This multi-functional approach achieves comprehensive monitoring accuracy without proportionally increasing system complexity, as the same control platform handles diverse monitoring tasks.
3Measurement precision
If existing monitoring methods are used for specific maneuvers, then maneuver efficiency is measured, but overall crane energy efficiency remains undetermined
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges previously separate monitoring approaches into a unified energy efficiency determination method. It combines data from actuation equipment monitoring (existing drive systems) with auxiliary equipment monitoring (newly integrated), then integrates both datasets to calculate overall crane energy efficiency. This merging provides complete energy efficiency information that neither maneuver-specific nor isolated auxiliary monitoring could provide alone.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4(a)~4(c)
AI summary
The invention relates to a monitoring method initially configured for monitoring and evaluating the electrical power consumption of the electrical equipment of a crane (1) over a given time period. The electrical equipment includes: actuation equipment contributing to at least one movement of the crane, and auxiliary equipment not participating in a movement of the crane but responsible for power-consuming functions. Once the time period has ended, the monitoring method is configured to determine whether, during the time period, the crane consumed excessive power. This excessive consumption is deduced by comparing the power supplied (PI) to the crane by at least one power source (2) with the electrical power consumed by the actuation equipment and the auxiliary equipment.