Shovel Battery Cell Voltage Equalization Without Energy Waste
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shovels with electrical energy storage units do not effectively monitor variations in cell voltage, leading to wasteful discharging of cells without actual voltage differences, which can increase disparities among cells.
Innovation Solution
A shovel and method for controlling it that includes a controller to monitor and equalize cell voltages by determining the necessity of equalization based on voltage variations, using equalizer circuits and switches to manage the discharge of cells, ensuring all cells remain within a balanced voltage range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If equalizer circuits continuously discharge cells to maintain voltage equality, then cell voltage balance is improved, but energy waste increases due to unnecessary discharging
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors cell voltages and dynamically adjusts equalization operations based on actual voltage differences. When voltage differences exceed a threshold, equalization is activated; when within threshold, it is deactivated, creating a feedback-based adaptive system that prevents unnecessary energy discharge while maintaining voltage balance.
Solution Approach 2:
The equalization strategy transitions from static continuous discharge to dynamic conditional discharge. The system adapts its behavior based on real-time voltage measurements, activating equalization only when voltage imbalances are detected, thereby optimizing energy utilization while maintaining cell voltage stability.
2Measurement precision
If equalizer circuits are provided for each cell, then cell voltage monitoring capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple equalizer circuits are controlled by a single centralized control unit that integrates voltage monitoring and control logic. This merging of control functions reduces the number of independent control units needed, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining precise monitoring capabilities through the integrated control unit.
Data Source
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AI summary
A shovel includes a lower-part movable body (1), an upper-part turnable body (3) turnably mounted on the lower-part movable body (1), a boom (4) including a first end rotatably attached onto the upper-part turnable body (3), an arm (5) including a first end rotatably attached to a second end of the boom (4), a work element (6) rotatably attached to a second end of the arm (5), an electrical energy storage device (19) including multiple electrical energy storage cells (19-n), and mounted on the upper-part turnable body (3), a controller (30) configured to control the charge and discharge of the electrical energy storage device (19), and multiple voltage measurement parts (149-n) configured to measure the respective cell voltages of the electrical energy storage cells (19-n). Information on the cell voltages is transmitted to the controller (30).