Overhead Pantograph Rail Charging for Narrow Electric Bus Depots
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to develop a charging station that can efficiently charge electric buses parked in narrow spaces without the need for extensive ground-based charging infrastructure, as current plug-in type charging methods face difficulties in narrow parking spaces.
Innovation Solution
A charging station with a pantograph that moves along a power rail above the buses, expanding downward to contact a contact bar on the bus for charging, utilizing a controller to calculate and manage the charging sequence based on bus positions, and including sensors for precise positioning and communication to optimize the charging process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a plug-in type charging method with ground-based chargers and thick long cables is used, then charging can be provided to electric buses, but it becomes difficult to install sufficiently in narrow parking spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The charging infrastructure is moved from the ground level to the overhead space by installing a power rail above the parking area. The pantograph extends upward to contact the power rail, utilizing the vertical dimension to resolve the space constraint on the ground level.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of bringing the charging connection to the ground level as with traditional plug-in chargers, the system inverts the approach by having the power supply come from above through an overhead power rail, with the bus making upward contact via the pantograph.
2Quantity of substance
If multiple electric buses are parked densely in a narrow place, then space utilization is improved, but charging becomes difficult without moving the buses
Solution Approach 1:
The pantograph moves along the power rail in the horizontal direction and extends vertically to contact the contact bar on the bus roof, enabling charging of densely parked buses without requiring bus movement by utilizing both horizontal and vertical dimensions.
3Weight of moving object
If a pantograph is used to charge buses from above, then equipment cost and weight on the bus are reduced, but the charging station requires overhead infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The heavy charging equipment is extracted from the bus and relocated to the overhead power rail system. The bus only carries the lightweight pantograph mechanism, while the main charging infrastructure is supported by the building structure above.
Data Source
AI summary
A charging station for charging an electric bus is provided which includes a power rail extending along an axial direction above a plurality of electric buses parked in a parking space, a pantograph disposed in a lower portion of the power rail to be movable horizontally along the axial direction and expandable in a gravitational direction from above the electric bus to electrically contact the electric bus, and a controller configured to calculate a charging sequence of the plurality of electric buses based on position information of the plurality of electric buses, wherein the controller is configured to control horizontal movement of the pantograph and electrical contact with the electric bus according to the charging sequence so as to supply the power applied from an external power network through the power rail to the electric bus through the pantograph.