Drive System and Machine

• US 20130038249A1
• Filed: 02/18/2011
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liebherr-Components Biberach Gmbh (Liebherr-International AG)
• Original Assignee: Liebherr-Components Biberach Gmbh (Liebherr-International AG)
• Inventors: Tabatabaei, Nejat Mahdavi
• Granted Patent: US 8,836,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/3
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/20 Energy regeneration from auxiliary equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/30 for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/003 of fuel cells with other electrochemical devices, e.g. capacitors, electrolysers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/00 Fuel cells for particular applications; Specific features of fuel cell system
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04865 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0612 from carbon-containing material
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1423 with multiple batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/40 Fuel cell technologies in production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

The present invention relates to a drive system with energy recovery for driving a machine, in particular for driving a crane, wherein the drive system includes at least one fuel cell unit, at least one capacitive energy storage unit and at least one drive motor, and wherein the fuel cell unit and the energy storage unit are connected in parallel and feed at least one drive motor. According to the invention, the capacitive energy storage unit is dimensioned such that the differential voltage occurring during operation between the fuel cell unit and the capacitive energy storage unit is minimized to such an extent that the current caused by the voltage within the parallel connection of fuel cell unit and energy storage unit does not exceed a defined safe limit value, wherein the fuel cell unit and the energy storage unit are directly coupled with each other and with the remaining drive components without DC/DC converter. The invention furthermore relates to a machine which includes the drive system according to the invention.

Claims

1. A drive system (100) with energy recovery for driving a machine, in particular for driving a crane, wherein the drive system (100) includes at least one fuel cell unit (20), at least one capacitive energy storage unit (50) and at least one drive motor (30, 31, 32), and wherein the fuel cell unit (20) and the energy storage unit (50) are connected in parallel and feed at least one drive motor (30, 31, 32), wherein

the capacitive energy storage unit (50) is dimensioned such that the differential voltage occurring during operation between the fuel cell unit (20) and the capacitive energy storage unit (50) is minimized to such an extent that the current caused by the voltage within the parallel connection of fuel cell unit (20) and energy storage unit (50) does not exceed a defined safe limit value, wherein the fuel cell unit (20) and the energy storage unit (50) are directly coupled with each other and with the remaining drive components without DC/DC converter.

2. The drive system according to claim 1, wherein the capacitive energy storage unit (50) is a supercapacitor unit whose capacitance is adapted correspondingly.

3. The drive system according to claim 1, wherein a diode module (60) is connected in series with the fuel cell unit (20).

4. The drive system according to claim 1, wherein at least one further separate electric energy accumulator (120) is provided, which via a charger (110) is supplied with the intermediate circuit voltage U_ZK.

5. The drive system according to claim 1, wherein a switchable braking resistor (70) is provided for destroying generated electric energy.

6. The drive system according to claim any of claim 1, wherein a control unit (80) is provided for controlling the intermediate circuit voltage U_ZK.

7. The drive system according to claim 6, wherein the control unit (80) is configured such that the control is effected in dependence on the load profile and/or the maximum admissible load of the fuel cell unit (20) and/or the charging condition of the supercapacitor unit (50).

8. The drive system according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell unit (20) includes a reformer (130).

9. A machine with a drive system (100) for operation of the machine, wherein the drive system (100) includes at least one drive motor (30, 31, 32), wherein the drive system (100) is configured according to claim 1.

10. The machine according to claim 9, wherein the fuel cell unit (20) and/or the energy storage unit (50) represent the primary energy source of the machine.

11. The machine according to claim 9, wherein the machine is a crane, in particular a container or deck crane.

12. The drive system according to claim 2, wherein a diode module (60) is connected in series with the fuel cell unit (20).

13. The drive system according to claim 12, wherein at least one further separate electric energy accumulator (120) is provided, which via a charger (110) is supplied with the intermediate circuit voltage U_ZK.

14. The drive system according to claim 3, wherein at least one further separate electric energy accumulator (120) is provided, which via a charger (110) is supplied with the intermediate circuit voltage U_ZK.

15. The drive system according to claim 2, wherein at least one further separate electric energy accumulator (120) is provided, which via a charger (110) is supplied with the intermediate circuit voltage U_ZK.

16. The drive system according to claim 15, wherein a switchable braking resistor (70) is provided for destroying generated electric energy.

17. The drive system according to claim 14, wherein a switchable braking resistor (70) is provided for destroying generated electric energy.

18. The drive system according to claim 13, wherein a switchable braking resistor (70) is provided for destroying generated electric energy.

19. The drive system according to claim 12, wherein a switchable braking resistor (70) is provided for destroying generated electric energy.

20. The drive system according to claim 4, wherein a switchable braking resistor (70) is provided for destroying generated electric energy.