Modular Power Supply Enclosure Design for Compact Footprint
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional three-phase power supply enclosures require a large footprint due to their multi-cabinet design, making them cumbersome for transportation and installation in remote or space-limited areas, such as offshore oil drilling platforms.
Innovation Solution
A single-cabinet enclosure design is implemented, reorganizing and rearranging components to fit within a standard shipping container, with a vertical configuration of the transformer and power cell compartments to minimize voltage differences between adjacent power cells and optimize airflow for cooling, allowing for a more compact and efficient power supply system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a multi-cabinet enclosure design is used for the power supply, then the system can accommodate multiple power cells and components, but the overall footprint becomes large making transportation and installation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple power cells and components into a single integrated cabinet enclosure, merging what would traditionally be separate multi-cabinet systems into one unified structure. This allows the power supply system to maintain the quantity of power cells needed while dramatically reducing the overall footprint and simplifying transportation and installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent rearranges components vertically within the single cabinet enclosure, utilizing the vertical dimension to accommodate multiple power cells and components. This vertical configuration allows the system to house the same number of power cells in a compact horizontal footprint, effectively transitioning from a horizontal multi-cabinet layout to a vertical single-cabinet layout.
2Area of stationary object
If power cells are arranged in a compact configuration, then the footprint is reduced, but voltage differences between adjacent power cells may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by providing individual cooling channels for each power cell and arranging power cells with similar voltage characteristics together. This localized approach ensures that each power cell operates within optimal parameters despite the compact configuration, maintaining voltage balance and preventing overheating in specific areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent arranges power cells in groups with similar voltage output levels and provides balanced cooling to maintain equipotential conditions. By grouping power cells with matching characteristics and ensuring uniform thermal management, the system minimizes voltage differences between adjacent cells while maintaining a compact footprint.
3Ease of operation
If a single-cabinet design is used, then transportation and installation are easier, but cooling efficiency may be compromised due to reduced airflow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cooling system into individual cooling channels for each power cell, with dedicated airflow paths and cooling elements. This segmented approach ensures that each power cell receives adequate cooling despite the compact single-cabinet configuration, maintaining thermal management efficiency while enabling easier transportation and installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate cooling elements and airflow channels between adjacent power cells to facilitate heat dissipation. These intermediary cooling structures ensure that heat generated by power cells in the compact configuration can be effectively removed, maintaining cooling efficiency while preserving the transportation and installation advantages of a single-cabinet design.
Data Source
AI summary
An enclosure for a power supply is disclosed. The enclosure may include a control compartment configured to receive one or more control components, a transformer compartment positioned adjacent to the control compartment and configured to receive a transformer, and a power cell compartment positioned adjacent to the control compartment and the transformer compartment. The power cell compartment may be configured to receive a plurality of power cells arranged into a plurality of pods. The power cells may be received in the power cell compartment such that each power cell in a first pod is adjacent to at least two other power cells in the first pod. A voltage difference between adjacent power cells in a pod may be less than an acceptable voltage tolerance.