Patent Application
20220077441
The present disclosure relates generally to a battery system for use in industrial equipment, and, more particularly, to a battery system for an industrial vehicle.
Industrial operations, such as mining operations involve complex operations that require large industrial machines, and machine operators to undertake challenging tasks in often dangerous environments. Typical industrial machines used in mining include continuous miners, feeder breakers, roof bolters, utility vehicles for mining, load-haul-dump (LHD) vehicles, underground mining loaders and underground articulated trucks, and these machines are under significant stress during everyday mining operations. For example, such mining machines may be subject to rocks falling onto the machine or the complete collapse or cave-in of a mine wall or roof onto the machine. In the case where significant amounts rock or other material has fallen onto the machine, components of the machine are at high risk of damage. The potential for injury of a machine operator from component damage, engine difficulties, or component fires caused by damage from falling rocks is high, and damage to a mining machine or other engine difficulties may indefinitely immobilize the machine, preventing the removal of the machine from the dangerous mining environment. These risks are amplified when utilizing a battery powered industrial vehicle that requires high voltages to operate.
A vehicle or similar industrial machine is normally provided with a bucket, container or other type of work implement for carrying/transporting a load. Such industrial vehicles require substantially greater power than conventional cars or trucks. For example, in connection with transportation of heavy loads, e.g. in contracting work, industrial vehicles are frequently used. An industrial vehicle may be operated with large and heavy loads in areas where there are no roads, for example for transports in connection with road or tunnel building, sand pits, mines and similar environments, which often requires higher torque output to the wheels to navigate such environments.
Industrial vehicles for underground mining operations, such as haulers for room and pillar type mining, may be powered by large battery systems carried on the vehicles. Such a battery system may include a housing containing an array of electrochemical cells, allowing the vehicle to travel without cords throughout a mine for a limited period of time. Such battery systems require high voltages to power mining vehicles, and the high operating voltages of these battery systems create added risk to battery failures. Battery systems for industrial vehicles need to be stored within the vehicle to optimize safety, control, and serviceability, and account for the added risks associated with operating at high voltages.
The battery housing assembly and associated battery systems according to this disclosure address one or more of the challenges set forth above and/or other problems in the art. The scope of the current disclosure, however, is defined by the attached claims, and not by the ability to solve any specific problem.
This disclosure relates generally to the field of industrial vehicles. More specifically the present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and devices for housing, accessing, controlling, and monitoring a battery assembly for use with an industrial vehicle, such as a battery-powered, underground load-haul-dump machine.
In one example, a battery housing assembly may be provided in an industrial vehicle, and the battery housing assembly may include a battery housing having a top, bottom, and opposite sides, and a length, a width, and a height, the length and width extending between the opposite sides, and the height extending from the top to the bottom of the battery housing; a plate extending substantially the entire length and height of the battery housing; and a plurality of battery modules positioned within the housing, wherein at least two of the plurality of battery modules are connected in series and located on the opposite sides of the plate.
The battery housing assembly may include one or more of the following features. The plate may be a steel plate with a width between 4 mm and 12 mm. The plate may be centrally located about the width of the battery housing. The battery housing may be a completely enclosed housing. The height of the battery housing assembly may be at least six feet. The battery housing assembly may also include a first battery set including eighteen battery modules of the plurality of battery modules connected in series; a second battery set including eighteen battery modules of the plurality of battery connected in series; a third battery set including eighteen battery modules of the plurality of battery connected in series; a fourth battery set including eighteen battery modules of the plurality of battery connected in series; and a fifth battery set including eighteen battery modules of the plurality of battery connected in series. The vehicle may be configured to operate using only power generated from any one of the first battery set, the second battery set, the third battery set, the fourth battery set, and the fifth battery set. The first battery set, the second battery set, the third battery set, the fourth battery set, and the fifth battery set may be connected in parallel. The first battery set may be connected to a first disconnect switch; the second battery set may be connected to a second disconnect switch; the third battery set may be connected to a third disconnect switch; the fourth battery set may be connected to a fourth disconnect switch; and the fifth battery set may be connected to a fifth disconnect switch. Each of the first disconnect switch, the second disconnect switch, the third disconnect switch, the fourth disconnect switch, and the fifth disconnect switch may be positioned above the plurality of battery modules. The first battery set may be positioned entirely on a first side of the plate and the second battery set may be positioned entirely on a second side of the plate, and the second side may be opposite the first side. The battery housing assembly may also include a first tray and a second tray each positioned on a shelf within the battery housing, a first plurality of battery modules of the plurality of battery modules may be positioned within the first tray and a second plurality of battery modules of the plurality of battery modules may be positioned within the second tray, and each of the first tray and the second tray may be slidable relative to a shelf of the battery housing. The industrial vehicle may be a load-haul-dump (LHD) vehicle. The battery housing assembly may be positioned at a rear portion of the LHD vehicle. The battery housing assembly may be positioned within a rear portion of the vehicle rearward of each of vehicle's wheels.
In other examples, a battery housing assembly may be provided in an industrial vehicle, and the battery housing assembly may include a battery housing having a top, bottom, and opposite sides, and a length, a width, and a height, the length and width extending between opposite sides, and the height extending from the top to the bottom of the battery housing; a plate extending substantially the entire length and height of the battery housing; a plurality of battery modules positioned within the housing, wherein a first plurality of battery modules are connected in series and a second plurality of battery modules are connected in series; a first contactor positioned at the top of the battery housing and connected to a negative terminal of the first plurality of battery modules; and a second contactor positioned at the top of the battery housing and connected to a positive terminal of the first plurality of battery modules, wherein the plate extends between the first contactor and the second contactor.
The battery housing assembly may include one or more of the following features. The battery housing assembly may also include a third plurality of battery modules are connected in series; a third contactor positioned at the top of the battery housing and connected to a negative terminal of the second plurality of battery modules; a fourth contactor positioned at the top of the battery housing and connected to a positive terminal of the second plurality of battery modules; a fifth contactor positioned at the top of the battery housing and connected to a negative terminal of the third plurality of battery modules; a sixth contactor positioned at the top of the battery housing and connected to a positive terminal of the third plurality of battery modules. The first contactor, the third contactor, and the fifth contactor may be positioned on a first side of the plate; the second contactor, the fourth contactor, and the sixth contactor may be positioned on a second side of the plate; and the first side may oppose the second side. The battery housing assembly may include a first set of cables connected to the first plurality of battery modules, and a portion of the first set of cables may extend along a first end of the battery housing.
In other examples, a battery housing assembly may be provided in an industrial vehicle. The battery housing assembly may include a battery housing having a top, bottom, and opposing sides, and a length, a width, and a height, the length and width extending between opposing sides, and the height extending from the top to the bottom of the battery housing; a first battery set including a plurality of battery modules connected in series and positioned within the battery housing; a second battery set including a plurality of battery modules connected in series and positioned within the housing; a first disconnect switch positioned at the top of the battery housing and configured to disconnected the first battery set upon actuation of the first disconnect switch; and a second disconnect switch positioned at the top of the battery housing and configured to disconnected the second battery set upon actuation of the second disconnect switch. The first disconnect switch and the second disconnect switch may be grouped together at a middle of the length of the battery housing; the first disconnect switch may be connected to two battery modules of the first battery set; and the second disconnect switch may be connected to two battery modules of the second battery set.
Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the features, as claimed. As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “having,” including,” or other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. In addition, in this disclosure, relative terms, such as, for example, “about,” “generally, “substantially,” and “approximately” are used to indicate a possible variation of ±10% in the stated value.
Battery box 214 may divided into two sides by a central plate 771 (shown in
As shown in
Each battery box 214, 215 may include five battery strings. Each battery string may include eighteen battery modules connected in series with each other. Each string of battery modules 441, 442 may have the specifications of 712 nominal voltage, 30 Amp hours capacity, and 21.3 kilowatt hours capacity. Vehicle 100 may be configured to operate by utilizing the power generated by only one battery string of 18 battery modules 441, 442 connected in series. Each battery box 214, 215 may include five battery strings of eighteen battery modules 441, 442. Within battery box 214, each battery string may be connected to each other in parallel, and the power specification of the five battery strings connected in parallel may be 712 nominal voltage, 150 Amp hours capacity, and 106.5 kilowatt hours capacity. Each of the five strings of eighteen battery modules in battery box 214 may have an independent battery management unit and an independent control circuit connected to the string of eighteen battery modules. In some examples, each independent battery management unit may be a control unit configured to monitor one or more of the total voltage of the battery module, voltages of individual cells, minimum and maximum cell voltage, average temperature, coolant intake temperature, coolant output temperature, temperatures of individual cells, state of charge of the battery module or the individual cells, state of power of the battery module, current in or out of the battery module or the individual cells of the battery module, or any other parameter known in the art.
Contactors 446, 447 may be connected to each of the five battery strings in battery box 214. Contactors 446, 447 and other high-voltage components may be positioned at a top portion of battery box 214. By positioning high-voltage components at a top portion of battery box 214, the lower portion of battery box 214 may be accessed to conduct maintenance and repair on battery box 214 without a technician having to be close to the dangerous high voltage components of system 300. Each of the five battery strings in battery box 214 may be connected to a contactor 446, 447 at a negative terminal of the battery string and a separate contactor at a positive terminal of the battery string. In some examples, each contactor 446, 447 may be connected to two different battery modules 441, 442 of a battery string.
Wiring connecting the first set of contactors 447, 750-753 to positive terminals of each of the five battery strings of 18 battery modules 441, 442 may be physically separated or spaced by the plate 771 from wiring connecting the second set of contactors 446, 754-757 to negative terminals of battery modules 441, 442. In some examples, wiring connecting the first set of contactors 447, 750-753 to positive terminals of each of the five battery strings of 18 battery modules 441, 442 may extend along a first side 773 of battery box 214, and wiring connecting the second set of contactors 446, 754-757 to negative terminals of battery modules 441, 442 may extend along a second side 775 of battery box 214 opposite the first side. In other examples, wiring connecting the first set of contactors 447, 750-753 to positive terminals of each of the five battery strings of 18 battery modules 441, 442 may extend along a first side 773 of battery box 214, and wiring connecting the second set of contactors 446, 754-757 to negative terminals of battery modules 441, 442 may be positioned within an interior portion of battery box 214 spaced from the sides of battery box. The relative positions of wiring components is discussed below in relation to
Plate 771 extends through a central, longitudinal portion of battery box 214 to provide structural support to battery box 214. Plate 771 also provides safety for a technician accessing battery modules within a side 773, 775 of battery box 214 by separating the positive battery connections on side 773 from the negative battery connections on side 775. In some examples, plate 771 may be a steel plate and/or may be 8 mm thick. Plate 771 may prevent battery box 214 from crushing from the force exerted by falling rocks or other debris in a mining environment, and provides additional structural safety to address the hazards of a mining environment.
The battery system 300 of the present disclosure including two battery boxes 214, 215 is specifically designed to operate in an industrial environment, and includes features to address the unique hazards and accessibility issues associated with operating a battery-powered vehicle within an industrial environment. For example, industrial vehicles require significant amounts of power to operate, and thus very large battery assemblies are often required to operate the machine effectively. Battery system 300 is capable of outputting 213 kilowatt hours of power. Dividing the large battery system 300 into two separate, sealed containers increases the safety of operating the industrial vehicle and mitigates potential failures by not concentrating the entire battery assembly in a single housing. By positioning high voltage components of battery system 300 at a top portion of battery boxes 214, 215 a technician or other person may access the interior portion of each battery box 214, 215 without coming close to or into contact with dangerous high voltage components of the battery system 300. For example, by positioning the six groupings (e.g. rows 431, 432) of battery modules 441, 442 on removable trays 461-466 within shelves 451-456 at a lower portion of battery boxes 214, 215, a technician may easily remove one of trays 461-466 to access a row 431, 432 of battery modules 441, 442 without coming close to dangerous high voltage components positioned at the top of battery boxes 214, 215. Furthermore, incorporating central plate 771 extending through a central portion of each battery box 214, 215 provides structural support to the battery box and reduces the likelihood of damage to battery system 300 if rocks or other debris fall or otherwise come into contact with battery system 300 while vehicle 100 is operated within an industrial environment. In addition, plate 771 provides separation between positive connections of battery modules on a first side 773 of each battery box 214, 215 and negative connections of battery modules on a second side 775 of each battery box 214, 215 which prevents unwanted voltage connection between batteries and provides additional safety for a technician while accessing battery system 300.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed battery assembly without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Other embodiments of the battery assembly will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and the accompanying figures. It is intended that the specification, and, in particular, the examples provided herein be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope of the disclosure being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents.
