Electric Excavator Cooling Layout for Higher Battery Capacity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric construction machines face challenges in maximizing battery capacity within limited machine body space while efficiently cooling devices, including the battery unit.
Innovation Solution
The configuration includes a battery unit, an electric motor, a hydraulic pump, an oil cooler, and a fan, with specific openings in the machine body to facilitate airflow for efficient cooling, allowing the battery unit to occupy maximum space while maintaining efficient cooling of devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If a large battery unit is installed in the machine body to increase battery capacity, then the operating time is extended, but the space for cooling devices is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the fan and oil cooler to face opposite lateral sides of the machine body, utilizing the left-right dimension for airflow path. This spatial arrangement allows the cooling system to operate efficiently without requiring additional front-to-back or top-to-bottom space, thereby accommodating larger battery units while maintaining adequate cooling capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is segmented into separate functional components: a fan for air intake positioned at one lateral side and an oil cooler for heat dissipation positioned at the opposite lateral side. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component's position and size, enabling efficient cooling with minimized overall space requirements.
2Quantity of substance
If devices are densely arranged in the machine body to maximize space utilization, then the battery capacity is increased, but the cooling efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The airflow path is configured to move air laterally across the machine body from one side to the other, utilizing the left-right dimension for cooling. This allows dense arrangement of devices in the front-to-back and top-to-bottom dimensions while maintaining effective cooling through the lateral airflow path.
Solution Approach 2:
The fan acts as an intermediary that draws air into the machine body, and the oil cooler acts as an intermediary that dissipates heat to the incoming air. These intermediary components are positioned to face opposite lateral sides, creating an efficient heat exchange pathway that does not interfere with dense device arrangement elsewhere in the machine body.
3Ease of manufacture
If the fan and oil cooler are positioned to face the same side, then the installation is simplified, but the cooling airflow path is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The fan and oil cooler are positioned asymmetrically to face opposite lateral sides of the machine body rather than the same side. This asymmetric arrangement creates a balanced airflow path that enters from one side and exits from the other, improving cooling efficiency while maintaining relatively simple installation procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of positioning both components on the same side (utilizing only local space), the system utilizes the lateral dimension by placing components on opposite sides. This creates an extended airflow path through the machine body, improving cooling efficiency without significantly complicating the installation.
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 configuration enables a higher battery capacity within the limited space of the machine body while ensuring effective cooling of devices, enhancing operational duration and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a fan that draws air into the machine body
Implementation Method 2
an oil cooler that cools hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump
Data Source
AI summary
A hydraulic excavator as an electric work machine includes, in a machine body, a battery unit that stores electric power, an electric motor that is driven by the electric power supplied from the battery unit, a hydraulic pump that is driven by the electric motor, an oil cooler that cools hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump, and a fan that draws air into the machine body. The machine body has a first opening and a second opening, and the first opening is provided on a first lateral side of the machine body, and the second opening is provided on a second lateral side of the machine body. The fan is placed to face the first opening in the machine body, and the oil cooler is placed to face the second opening in the machine body.