Flywheel-Coupled Hydraulic Powertrain for Stable Generator Output
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hydraulically powered power systems experience electrical output instabilities due to rapid changes in supply and demand, leading to undesirable fluctuations in voltage, current, and frequency, which can affect devices like welding torches, and hydraulic motors with low inertial mass provide insufficient instantaneous torque, complicating operations such as striking a welding arc.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a flywheel drivingly coupled to the drive shaft of a drive assembly that stabilizes motor power by absorbing and providing energy based on load fluctuations, increasing inertia and reducing torque fluctuations, thereby enhancing the system's responsiveness to transient loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a hydraulic motor with low inertial mass is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the instantaneous torque is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into multiple functional components: hydraulic motor, generator, flywheel, and control system. The flywheel acts as a separate energy storage element that can be independently sized and tuned to provide the necessary instantaneous torque without increasing the complexity of the motor itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The flywheel serves as an intermediary energy storage device between the hydraulic motor and the generator. It absorbs torque fluctuations from the motor and provides smooth energy delivery to the generator, enabling the use of a simpler, lower-inertia motor while maintaining system performance.
2Device complexity
If the hydraulic system operates without a flywheel, then the device complexity is reduced, but the electrical output becomes unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The flywheel performs preliminary energy storage and smoothing of power fluctuations before the energy reaches the generator. By pre-storing kinetic energy and absorbing torque variations, it ensures stable electrical output without requiring complex control systems or additional stabilization components.
3Force
If a flywheel is added to the drive assembly, then the instantaneous torque and output stability are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flywheel is a passive, self-regulating component that automatically absorbs and releases energy based on system conditions without requiring active control. It self-adjusts to torque fluctuations and load changes, providing stabilization and instantaneous torque enhancement without complex control systems, sensors, or actuators.
4Device complexity
If the hydraulic system operates without a flywheel, then the device complexity is reduced, but the response time to transient loads increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flywheel pre-stores kinetic energy that can be immediately deployed during transient load conditions. This preliminary energy storage enables instant response to sudden load changes without requiring complex control systems or additional energy storage devices.
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
The flywheel stabilizes the electrical output, reduces fluctuations, and provides greater instantaneous torque, improving the performance of devices like welding torches by making it easier to strike a welding arc and reducing the time to respond to fast transient loads.
Implementation Method 1
a flywheel drivingly coupled to a drive shaft of a drive assembly drivingly coupling a generator to a hydraulic motor. The flywheel is configured to resist changes in a rotational speed of the drive assembly by absorbing and providing energy based on load fluctuations
Implementation Method 2
The flywheel is configured to resist changes in a rotational speed of the drive assembly by absorbing and providing energy based on load fluctuations, increasing inertia and reducing torque fluctuations
Implementation Method 3
a hydraulic motor configured to convert an input hydraulic flow to motor power
Implementation Method 4
a generator drivingly coupled to the drive assembly and configured to convert the motor power to an electrical output
Data Source
AI summary
A hydraulically powered power system comprises: a hydraulic motor configured to convert an input hydraulic flow to motor power; a drive assembly drivingly coupled to the hydraulic motor to receive the motor power, the drive assembly comprising one or more drive shafts; a generator drivingly coupled to the drive assembly and configured to convert the motor power to an electrical output; and a flywheel drivingly coupled to at least one of the one or more drive shafts of the drive assembly, wherein the flywheel is configured to resist changes in a rotational speed of the drive assembly.