Reserve Vehicle Fleet Battery Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current battery management systems in facilities with continuous operations, such as warehouses, are inefficient and costly due to the need for frequent battery changes and rapid charging, which reduces battery life and wastes energy.
Innovation Solution
A system that maintains a reserve pool of vehicles instead of spare batteries, allowing vehicles to remain connected for charging and optimizing the selection of vehicles based on operational factors, eliminating the need for frequent battery changes and rapid charging, and utilizing a reserve fleet of vehicles to ensure continuous operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional battery changing method is used, then vehicle operation continuity is maintained, but multiple batteries and changing equipment are required increasing cost and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having multiple batteries and changing them, the system inverts the approach by having a single battery that remains permanently installed in the vehicle. The battery is charged in-place during vehicle downtime, eliminating the need for battery removal and swapping equipment while maintaining operational continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery serves itself by remaining permanently installed in the vehicle and being charged automatically during downtime. This eliminates the need for manual battery removal, handling, and reinstallation by operators, reducing labor requirements and simplifying the overall system.
2Productivity
If rapid charging is used, then battery changing is eliminated, but energy efficiency deteriorates with 25% energy wasted as heat
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs charging during vehicle downtime and operator breaks, utilizing periods when the vehicle is not in use. This preliminary charging action ensures the battery is fully recharged before the next operational period, eliminating the need for rapid charging during active use and thereby reducing energy waste.
3Productivity
If rapid charging is used, then battery changing is eliminated, but battery life is reduced from 7 years to 3 years
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs charging during vehicle downtime and operator breaks, utilizing periods when the vehicle is not in use. This preliminary charging action ensures the battery is fully recharged before the next operational period, eliminating the need for rapid charging during active use and thereby reducing energy waste.
4Quantity of substance
If optimized battery change scenario is used, then number of batteries is reduced, but labor time and equipment costs remain significant
Solution Approach 1:
The battery serves itself by remaining permanently installed in the vehicle and being charged automatically during downtime. This eliminates the need for manual battery removal, handling, and reinstallation by operators, reducing labor requirements and simplifying the overall system.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for the management of a fleet of battery powered vehicles using a paradigm of a reserve pool of vehicles as opposed to a reserve fleet of batteries. In this system, a reserve pool of vehicles is always maintained in a ready state such that vehicles being returned with depleted batteries may be replaced with a vehicle having a fully-charged battery. The system maintains a balance between reserve fleet size and charging time (and therefore the life of the batteries) to provide optimal performance and cost savings. The system has the added advantages of capital efficiency in that that the time and labor required to change batteries, and the need to maintain extra batteries is eliminated.