Refuse Vehicle Accessory Control for Battery Range Extension
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Refuse vehicles face limitations in extending their transportation range due to limited battery energy capacity, leading to inefficient operation and potential inability to complete collection routes without frequent recharging.
Innovation Solution
A range extension system for refuse vehicles that includes a battery and a controller to monitor the battery's state of charge, limiting accessory operations or activating a supplemental energy source when energy is low, ensuring the vehicle can complete its route without running out of power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If accessories operate continuously to perform waste collection functions, then service quality is improved, but battery energy is depleted faster, reducing transportation range
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts accessory operation based on real-time battery state of charge levels. When battery charge is sufficient, accessories operate normally to maintain service quality. When battery charge drops below thresholds, the controller automatically limits accessory operation to conserve energy, creating a dynamic balance between productivity and energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The controller changes operational parameters of accessories based on battery state of charge. It monitors battery charge levels and adjusts accessory power consumption accordingly, transitioning from full operation to limited operation as battery charge decreases, thereby extending transportation range while maintaining essential waste collection functions
2Productivity
If the vehicle completes full collection routes without interruption, then operational efficiency is improved, but battery energy capacity must be sufficiently large, increasing vehicle weight and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the vehicle to self-manage its energy resources by continuously monitoring battery state of charge and autonomously adjusting accessory operation. This self-service capability allows the vehicle to extend its effective range through intelligent energy management rather than requiring additional battery capacity, avoiding increased vehicle weight while maintaining route completion capability
Solution Approach 2:
The controller proactively limits accessory operation before battery depletion occurs by monitoring state of charge thresholds in advance. This preliminary action prevents complete battery exhaustion, ensuring the vehicle can complete its route and return to base for recharging, thereby maintaining operational efficiency without requiring oversized batteries
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
This solution effectively extends the transportation range of refuse vehicles by conserving energy through controlled accessory operation and supplemental charging, allowing them to complete collection routes without interruption.
Implementation Method 1
The battery is configured to provide electrical energy for the accessories
Implementation Method 2
The controller is configured to obtain a state of charge of the battery
Data Source
AI summary
A range extension system for a refuse vehicle includes a battery, and a controller. The battery is configured to provide electrical energy for accessories of the refuse vehicle. The controller is configured to obtain a state of charge of the battery and limit operation of at least one of the accessories in response to the state of charge of the battery to extend a transportation range of the refuse vehicle.