Trailer Power Pack Layout for Electric Truck Range Extension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerated transportation vehicles face challenges with high fuel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and limited space for batteries or hydrogen tanks, which compromises driver comfort and vehicle autonomy, especially for electric semi-trucks.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained power supply system for refrigeration units, featuring a modular road tractor design with a fuel cell, hydrogen tanks, or batteries integrated into a trailer power pack, allowing for spacious cabins and extended autonomy without affecting the weight and volume of the road tractor, and enabling various configurations such as day cab, living cab, or autonomous vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If additional space is allocated for batteries or hydrogen tanks in electric trucks, then energy autonomy is improved, but usable cab space and driver comfort are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply system is segmented into modular components (batteries, hydrogen tanks, fuel cell) that are relocated from the truck cab to the trailer. This allows the truck to maintain full driver space while the trailer independently houses the energy storage and generation systems, resolving the contradiction between autonomy and cab space.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention shifts the energy storage dimension from the horizontal cab space to the vertical trailer structure. By placing batteries and hydrogen tanks in the trailer's cargo area and undercarriage, the system gains energy capacity without encroaching on the driver's compartment volume.
2Reliability
If refrigerated trailers use traditional internal combustion engine power systems, then refrigeration functionality is maintained, but fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional mechanical internal combustion engine system is replaced with an electrochemical system comprising fuel cells and batteries. This substitution eliminates direct combustion emissions while maintaining refrigeration reliability through electrically-driven cooling units, directly addressing the contradiction between functionality and emissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The power generation method is changed from chemical combustion to electrochemical conversion. Fuel cells convert hydrogen to electricity through electrochemical reactions, producing only water vapor instead of CO2 and other harmful emissions, thereby resolving the contradiction while maintaining system reliability.
3Ease of operation
If electric semi-trucks are designed with spacious cabins for driver comfort, then driver safety and comfort are improved, but space for energy storage systems is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The energy storage systems (batteries and hydrogen tanks) are extracted from the truck cab and relocated to the trailer. This extraction allows the truck to maintain spacious, comfortable cabins for drivers while the trailer independently accommodates all energy storage components, resolving the contradiction between driver comfort and energy capacity.
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
The solution significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions, enhances driver comfort, and provides the necessary energy reserves for long-distance travel while maintaining a constant temperature, thus addressing the limitations of existing refrigerated transportation systems.
Implementation Method 1
The vehicle is equipped with a fuel cell with large capacity hydrogen tanks, natural gas, or batteries to power the trailer power pack
Implementation Method 2
a rechargeable battery; and a range extender; the controller, the rechargeable battery and the range extender being mounted on a vehicle trailer or a truck frame
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous power supply for a vehicle includes a controller, a rechargeable battery: and a range extender. The controller, the rechargeable battery and the range extender are mounted on a vehicle trailer or a truck frame in a self-contained unit, and connected to an electric semi-truck. The range extender is adapted to charge the battery or to supply energy directly to the electric semi-truck or to an EV truck. The controller is in communication with the rechargeable battery and the range extender, the battery being charged to capacity in a default, stationary charging configuration, the battery is continually charged in a dynamic charging configuration.