Self-Contained Hydraulic Pumping Arrangement for Bobtail Trucks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bobtail trucks experience inefficiencies in propane delivery due to prolonged engine idling and maintenance requirements, which affect delivery times and profitability, as existing hydraulic pumping systems rely on the vehicle's engine for power, leading to increased downtime and maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained internal combustion engine powers a hydraulic motor for the product pump, allowing the engine to run independently of the truck's engine, reducing idle time and incorporating a preassembled unit with a heat exchanger, solenoid valve, and remote shut-off mechanism for convenient mounting and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the vehicle's engine is used to power the hydraulic pump via PTO, then the pumping system can be powered, but engine idle time increases and maintenance needs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two independent power sources: the vehicle engine for transportation and a separate self-contained engine (independent power source) for hydraulic pumping operations. This segmentation allows the vehicle engine to be turned off during pumping, eliminating idle time while the independent engine provides the necessary power for the hydraulic pump through a direct drive configuration.
2Power
If the vehicle's engine is used to power the hydraulic pump via PTO, then the pumping system can be powered, but maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the hydraulic power system from the vehicle engine, the independent engine and hydraulic pump form an isolated subsystem that can be maintained, repaired, or serviced independently without affecting the vehicle's transportation function. This reduces overall maintenance complexity and allows specialized service for the pumping system.
Solution Approach 2:
The independent engine is designed to be self-contained with its own fuel tank, oil reservoir, and cooling system, allowing it to operate autonomously without drawing resources from the vehicle's main systems. This self-sufficiency simplifies maintenance operations and reduces dependency on the vehicle's engine compartment and associated systems.
3Power
If a PTO system is used to transfer power from the vehicle engine to the hydraulic pump, then power can be transmitted, but the system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The PTO system and its associated complexity are completely removed from the design. Instead of using the vehicle engine's PTO to transmit power through shafts and couplings, the invention extracts the power transmission function and replaces it with a direct drive connection from the independent engine to the hydraulic pump, eliminating the need for PTO mechanisms, shafts, and related components.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical PTO transmission system is replaced with a direct mechanical coupling between the independent engine and hydraulic pump. This substitution eliminates complex mechanical power transmission components (PTO shafts, universal joints, couplings) and creates a simpler, more reliable direct drive arrangement where the independent engine's output shaft is directly connected to the pump's input shaft.
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 reduces engine idle time, decreases maintenance needs, and allows for more efficient propane delivery by eliminating the need for a power take-off system, thereby enhancing the reliability and longevity of bobtail trucks while maintaining delivery efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
incorporating a preassembled unit with a heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
A self-contained internal combustion engine powers a hydraulic motor
Data Source
AI summary
Separate from the vehicle's engine, a self-contained internal combustion engine supplies hydraulic power to drive a product pump on a bobtail. The self-contained engine, which can itself run on propane, is provided as part of a preassembly which includes the hydraulic pump, the hydraulic fluid tank, a heat exchanger, and a solenoid controlled start-up valve. The preassembly is mounted as a unit to the side of the bobtail in front of the rear wheels, powering the product pump at the rear of the bobtail while the vehicle's engine is off.