Storage Handling Drive Control for Power-Failure Shutdown
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing warehouse operating devices face high costs and mechanical wear due to abrupt braking during power failures, which can lead to damage, and existing solutions like supercapacitors are costly.
Innovation Solution
A control device that monitors intermediate circuit voltage to detect power failures, allowing for a controlled shutdown through regenerative operation of the drive, preventing intermediate circuit emptying and eliminating the need for costly energy storage devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a power failure is detected and the machine is stopped using conventional methods, then the machine comes to a complete stop ensuring safety, but the abrupt braking causes increased wear on mechanical components and potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit detects the power failure by monitoring the intermediate circuit voltage and initiates a guided shutdown sequence before the machine comes to a complete stop. This preliminary detection and controlled deceleration process allows the machine to slow down gradually using the drive's generator operation, avoiding abrupt braking and reducing mechanical wear while still ensuring safety.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If energy storage devices like supercapacitors are used to enable controlled shutdown, then the machine can be decelerated smoothly without abrupt braking, but the cost of the system increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The drive system itself serves as the energy source for the guided shutdown by operating in generator mode. The kinetic energy of the moving machine is converted to electrical energy by the drive's generator operation, which feeds back to the intermediate circuit and allows controlled deceleration. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external energy storage devices like supercapacitors, reducing system cost and complexity while still enabling smooth deceleration.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the drive continues to operate in motor mode during power failure, then energy is available for control systems, but the intermediate circuit voltage drops rapidly causing loss of control
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of operating the drive in motor mode during power failure, the control unit switches the drive to generator mode. This inversion of the drive's operating mode allows the machine's kinetic energy to be converted to electrical energy, which maintains the intermediate circuit voltage and provides power to control systems while enabling controlled deceleration.
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
Enables a guided shutdown of warehouse operating devices at lower costs and reduces mechanical wear by using regenerative operation to manage power failures, maintaining control and energy supply without expensive energy storage devices.
Implementation Method 1
the warehouse operating device is switched into a generator-like operating mode of the drive
Data Source
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AI summary
Such a storage and retrieval machine is equipped with a drive that is supplied with electrical energy from a power supply network via a converter, the converter having an electrical DC link, and the storage and retrieval machine having a control unit designed to detect and react to a power supply failure. In order to create a storage and retrieval machine and a method for controlling a storage and retrieval machine that enables a controlled shutdown of the storage and retrieval machine in the event of a power supply failure at a lower cost than is possible in the prior art, the control unit for detecting a power supply failure includes means for monitoring the DC link voltage in the DC link.