Refuse Vehicle Thermal Monitoring for Early Fire Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refuse vehicles lack effective monitoring systems to detect thermal events such as fires or overheating components, which can lead to safety risks and equipment damage, and existing solutions do not provide timely alerts or adequate responses.
Innovation Solution
A thermal event monitoring system for refuse vehicles that includes sampling elements like air sampling lines, aspirating smoke detectors, and temperature sensors, coupled with a processing circuit to detect thermal events and alert operators or emergency services, and can transmit notifications to fleet management systems or fire suppression systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If no thermal monitoring system is installed, then the vehicle structure remains simple and cost-effective, but safety risks arise from undetected fires or overheating components
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system is divided into separate functional modules: sampling elements (air sampling lines, smoke detectors, temperature sensors) distributed throughout the vehicle, a central processing circuit, and notification systems. This segmentation allows the complex monitoring function to be implemented through multiple simple, independent components rather than one complex integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
Air sampling lines act as intermediaries that transport air from remote or hazardous locations (refuse compartments, engine compartments) to safe detection locations. This allows the system to monitor thermal events in difficult-to-reach areas without placing sensitive detectors in harsh environments, simplifying the overall system design.
2Loss of time
If thermal events are not detected timely, then the monitoring system remains simple, but equipment damage and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
Air sampling lines continuously transport air from monitoring locations to detectors before thermal events occur. Temperature sensors continuously measure temperatures and transmit data to the processing circuit. This preliminary, continuous monitoring ensures thermal events are detected at their earliest stages, enabling timely response before significant damage occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing circuit continuously receives data from sampling elements, analyzes thermal conditions, and provides immediate feedback through notifications to the operator when thermal events are detected. This closed-loop feedback system ensures rapid detection and response to developing thermal issues.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sampling elements are installed throughout the vehicle, then detection coverage is improved, but the device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The processing circuit is designed to accept inputs from multiple different types of sampling elements (air sampling lines, smoke detectors, temperature sensors) through a unified interface. This multi-functional design allows comprehensive thermal monitoring throughout the vehicle using a single centralized processing unit, reducing overall system complexity despite multiple sensing points.
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
The system effectively detects thermal events, alerts operators and emergency services, and can initiate fire suppression actions, thereby enhancing safety and reducing damage to vehicles and equipment.
Implementation Method 1
an air sampling line configured to capture air from the portion of the refuse vehicle and transport the air to a different portion of the refuse vehicle
Implementation Method 2
an aspirating smoke detector positioned at the different portion of the refuse vehicle and configured to analyze the air to detect the thermal event
Implementation Method 3
a temperature sensor configured to measure at least one of an air temperature or a temperature of a surface the temperature sensor is coupled to
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a chassis, a body coupled to the chassis, and a thermal event monitoring system including a sampling element configured to sample an environmental condition associated with the vehicle, at least one processor, and at least one memory. The memory includes instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processing circuit to receive one or more samples from the sampling element, determine, based on the one or more samples, a presence of a fire onboard the vehicle, and generate a navigational route for the vehicle to direct the vehicle to an alternate destination in response to determining the presence of the fire.