Mining Machine Power Prioritization for Peak Load Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mining machines face unpredictable power demands, leading to potential power overloads, interruptions, reduced productivity, safety risks, and reduced energy source lifespan due to inefficiencies and limited mine power supplies.

Innovation Solution

A method for power control in mining machines that assigns priorities to electric power units, controls electric power distribution based on these priorities, and manages charge and discharge levels to optimize power usage, ensuring critical units always have power and avoiding overloads.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If high power is supplied to meet peak demands, then productivity is improved, but energy source lifespan deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveproductivityVSAvoidenergy source lifespan
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The control system performs preliminary assessment of power demands by predicting future power requirements based on the operational cycle phase. This allows the energy management system to proactively allocate power from multiple sources (battery, supercapacitor, fuel cell) in advance, preventing overload conditions that would otherwise shorten energy source lifespan while maintaining high productivity during peak demands.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If power is allocated to high-priority units, then safety is improved, but power availability for other units deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidpower availability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts power allocation based on real-time monitoring of operational cycle phase and priority levels. During critical phases where safety is paramount, power is preferentially allocated to high-priority units (steering, control systems). During less critical phases, power is redistributed to maintain productivity. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making power allocation flexible rather than fixed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Power

If multiple energy sources are used, then power demand is met, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower demandVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The power system is segmented into distinct functional modules: battery module for baseline power, supercapacitor module for peak power bursts, and fuel cell module for sustained power. Each module operates semi-independently with dedicated control logic, simplifying the overall management of multiple energy sources while meeting diverse power demands through coordinated operation of these segmented components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3818249B2Methods and devices for power control in mining machines
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 EPIROC ROCK DRILLS AB
  • EP3818249B2 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3818249B2 patent drawingFigure 4
  • EP3818249B2 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a method and control circuitry/arrangement/device for power control of a mining machine. The mining machine comprises one or more energy sources. The method comprises assigning priorities to electric power units of a plurality of electric power units of the mining machine. Each electric power unit has an assigned priority. The method further comprises controlling electric power distribution for the plurality of electric power units based on the assigned priorities. The present disclosure further relates to corresponding computer programs and mining machines comprising power control circuitry/arrangement.