Self-Powered Generator for Rotating Metallurgical Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Metallurgical installations face challenges in energy supply for sensor equipment due to adverse environments, leading to high maintenance costs, susceptibility to faults, and operational inefficiencies, particularly with battery-based solutions requiring frequent replacement and charging.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a self-contained axial or radial-flow generator within the rotating machine part, utilizing rotational movement to generate energy with no external mechanical connection, featuring eccentric masses and multi-pole magnetic plates to optimize power output and reduce external influence risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If battery operation or storage-battery operation is used to supply energy to sensors on rotating components, then energy supply is achieved, but batteries have to be regularly exchanged or charged, leading to high maintenance costs and operational disruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The generator enables the sensor system to be self-sufficient by generating its own energy from the rotational movement of the machine part. The generator is integrated into the rotating component and automatically generates electrical energy during operation, eliminating the need for external battery replacement or charging interventions.
2Use of energy by moving object
If energy is introduced into the rotating system by auxiliary technical means such as sliding contacts or inductive means, then energy supply to rotating components is achieved, but the adverse polluted environment leads to high susceptibility to faults and high maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The generator is completely integrated into the rotating component, extracting the energy generation function from the stationary part of the system. This eliminates the need for sliding contacts or inductive energy transmission across boundaries, thereby removing the vulnerable interface points that are susceptible to pollution and faults.
Solution Approach 2:
The generator is merged with the rotating machine part itself, forming an integrated energy-generating component. This combination eliminates separate energy transmission systems and their associated vulnerability to environmental pollution, as the energy is generated within the rotating system rather than being transmitted from outside.
3Ease of repair
If the rotating system is switched off for maintenance of energy transmission elements, then maintenance can be performed, but high operating costs result due to loss of productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The generator, being an integral part of the rotating component, performs maintenance-free operation during the entire service life of the component. The self-contained design eliminates the need to switch off the rotating system for maintenance of energy transmission elements, thereby maintaining continuous productivity.
4Ease of operation
If batteries are fitted to be externally accessible for replacement, then battery exchange is simplified, but the adverse polluted environment makes this process burdensome
Solution Approach 1:
The battery replacement issue is completely eliminated by extracting the external energy supply requirement and replacing it with an internally integrated generator. This removes the need for any external accessibility for battery maintenance, and consequently eliminates the burden of working in polluted environments for battery replacement.
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
Provides sustained energy supply to sensors within metallurgical devices, eliminating the need for external power sources and maintenance disruptions, as the generator generates power continuously during operation and is integrated without additional assembly costs.
Implementation Method 1
the energy source is designed as a generator, which is in connection with the rotating machine part for rotation therewith
Implementation Method 2
the generator has a housing element, on which at least one eccentric mass is arranged at a location that is at a distance radially from the axis
Data Source
AI summary
A metallurgical device, in particular a casting installation, rolling mill or strip processing installation, including at least one machine part rotating about an axis, wherein an energy consumer that is in electrical connection with an energy source is arranged in the machine part. To supply the energy consumer with energy on a sustained basis in spite of adverse ambient conditions, the energy source is designed as a generator which is in connection with the rotating machine part for rotation therewith, wherein the generator is otherwise free of any mechanical connection with the metallurgical device and wherein the generator has a housing element, on which at least one eccentric mass arranged at a location that is at a distance radially from the axis.