Flywheel-less Electric Buffer Drive for Load Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Movable machine elements driven by electric motors experience high current spikes during acceleration and braking, leading to increased load on the supply system and the need for oversized infrastructure, and the use of flywheels complicates safety and requires precise counterbalancing.
Innovation Solution
A machine design that omits a flywheel from the buffer drive, using an electric buffer drive with a converter system coordinated with the working converter to manage total load on the supply system, allowing the buffer converter to act inversely to the working converter to keep the combined load below the maximum load of the working converter alone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a flywheel is connected to the buffer drive to manage current spikes, then the load on the supply system is reduced, but the device complexity and safety requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the flywheel from the buffer drive system, eliminating the need for mechanical energy storage while maintaining the ability to manage current spikes through electronic control of the converter system
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical flywheel-based energy storage system with an electronic converter-based system that uses controlled power flow management to achieve the same current spike mitigation effect without mechanical moving parts
2Power
If a flywheel is used in the buffer drive, then current spikes are managed, but safety precautions and counterbalancing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical flywheel system with an electronic buffer drive system that manages current spikes through controlled power conversion and storage in an electric field, eliminating mechanical safety hazards associated with rotating flywheels
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a converter system as an intermediary between the buffer drive and the supply system, which actively manages power flow and current spikes through electronic control, replacing the passive mechanical energy storage of a flywheel
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 design reduces the need for oversized infrastructure, eliminates the complexity and safety concerns associated with flywheels, and results in a compact, reliable machine operation with reduced bearing wear and no requirement for special safety measures.
Implementation Method 1
an electric working drive for movement of the machine element relative to the basic body
Implementation Method 2
a working converter connecting the electric working drive to the electric supply system; a buffer converter connecting the electric buffer drive to the electric supply system
Data Source
AI summary
A machine has a basic body and a machine element. The machine element can be moved relative to the basic body by an electric working drive which is connected to an electric supply system via a working converter. An electric buffer drive is connected to the electric supply system via a buffer converter. The working converter and the buffer converter are controlled by a control device in line with a predetermined travel movement of the machine element in a coordinated manner. The coordination is such that a total load on the supply system by both converters together during the total travel movement of the machine element remains below a maximum load prompted by the working converter alone. The buffer drive has a drive shaft which has no flywheel connected to it.