Hybrid Emergency Lighting Power Bus for Battery Life Extension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emergency lighting systems face limitations due to high costs, resource-intensive installation and maintenance, and limited battery capacity and lifetime, leading to premature battery replacement and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid emergency lighting system with a DC bus, drivers connected to local and central batteries, and a bus manager that manages energy distribution using a communication interface to optimize power supply from both sources, allowing bidirectional energy flow and intelligent battery management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If self-contained emergency lighting systems are used, then installation and maintenance resources are reduced, but battery capacity and lifetime are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines self-contained local batteries with a centralized battery system into a hybrid architecture. Each emergency lighting unit maintains its own local battery for autonomy, while also connecting to a centralized battery bank through a DC bus. This merging allows the system to benefit from both the simplicity of self-contained systems and the extended energy capacity of centralized systems, effectively resolving the contradiction between ease of installation and battery lifetime limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The local batteries in the hybrid system serve multiple functions: they can operate independently during emergencies, charge from the DC bus during normal operation, and potentially supply power back to the DC bus when charged. This multi-functionality allows the same battery component to address both the need for easy installation (independence) and extended operation (centralized support).
2Duration of action of moving object
If centralized emergency lighting systems are used, then battery lifetime is extended, but system cost and cabling complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a DC bus as an intermediary component that simplifies the connection between centralized and distributed elements. Instead of complex point-to-point cabling from the centralized battery to each emergency lighting unit, the DC bus provides a common electrical backbone that all units can connect to. This intermediary structure significantly reduces cabling complexity while maintaining the benefits of centralized energy storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the centralized battery system into multiple connection points along the DC bus, allowing emergency lighting units to be distributed throughout the system without requiring long cable runs. Each unit connects locally to the DC bus, breaking down the complex cabling problem into manageable local connections rather than one complex centralized connection to each device.
3Reliability
If batteries are replaced when capacity drops below threshold, then system reliability is maintained, but battery resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The hybrid system implements feedback mechanisms where the bus manager continuously monitors the state of charge and health of both local and centralized batteries. This real-time feedback allows the system to dynamically manage battery resources, charging local batteries when the DC bus has excess capacity and discharging them when needed. The feedback loop ensures that batteries are used down to their true capacity limits rather than being replaced prematurely, maintaining reliability while minimizing waste.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding batteries when they reach a certain capacity threshold, the system recovers energy from them by charging them from the DC bus when other batteries have excess capacity. The bidirectional energy flow allows depleted batteries to be recovered and reused, extending their productive life and preventing waste of remaining battery capacity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If local batteries are used in each emergency lighting unit, then system autonomy is improved, but total energy capacity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the energy capacity of multiple local batteries with a centralized battery bank through the DC bus architecture. Each local battery maintains the autonomy to operate its associated emergency lighting unit independently, while the combination of all local and centralized batteries provides a much larger total energy capacity than any single battery could provide alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a single-dimension energy storage approach (one battery per unit or one centralized battery) to a multi-dimensional energy architecture where local and centralized batteries operate in parallel. This dimensional expansion allows the system to simultaneously maintain local autonomy and accumulate large total energy capacity across the distributed network.
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
Extends battery life, reduces replacement costs, and enhances system flexibility and scalability by utilizing batteries beyond their initial capacity, ensuring continuous operation until all batteries are depleted.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one driver comprises bidirectional chargers configured to be charged from the DC bus and to supply power from the local battery to the DC bus
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an emergency lighting system (100), comprising a DC bus (103), at least one driver (101) for emergency lighting means that is connected to the DC bus (103), wherein the at least one driver (101) is further connected to a local battery (102), at least one central battery (105), a bus manager (104) connected to the at least one central battery (105), wherein the bus manager (104) further comprises output terminals for connecting the bus manager (104) to the DC bus (103). The bus manager (104) comprises a communication interface (104a) for communicating with the at least one driver (101), wherein the bus manager (104) is configured to receive an energy supply information from the at least one driver (101) and/or from the central battery (105), wherein the bus manager (104) is configured to control the at least one driver (101) to receive a power supply from the local battery (102) or from the central battery (105) based on the energy supply information.