Battery Fleet Management System for Mining Operations in a Mine
First Claim
1. A battery fleet management system for mining operations in a mine, wherein the mine has a shaft extending downward from the earth'"'"'s surface to a chamber, and a deposit having an ore face positioned between the chamber and the earth'"'"'s surface, such that the chamber is disposed downwardly from the ore face, the system comprising:
- a battery fleet having a first battery and a second battery;
a ramp extending between the ore face and the chamber;
a first zero-emissions vehicle including a kinetic energy capture system, wherein the first battery is disposed on-board the first zero-emissions vehicle and is configured to power the first zero-emissions vehicle and to be charged by the kinetic energy capture system when the first zero-emissions vehicle travels down the ramp from the ore face to the chamber while the first zero-emissions vehicle carries a load; and
a discharging device disposed in the chamber, wherein the discharging device is configured to discharge energy out of the first battery and into the second battery.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for employing gravity to provide electrical power for mining operations in a mine includes a battery configured to power an electric vehicle. The vehicle includes a kinetic energy capture system that can charge the battery as the vehicle conveys a loaded vehicle down a ramp from an ore face to a chamber. Traveling down the ramp produces a surplus charge in the battery due to a weight differential between a loaded vehicle traveling down a ramp producing more energy via the kinetic energy capture system than energy used by the vehicle to convey the empty vehicle up the ramp to the ore face. A discharging device disposed in the chamber is configured to discharge the surplus energy out of the battery and into the mine'"'"'s power grid. One or multiple trips between the ore face and the chamber may fully charge the battery.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A battery fleet management system for mining operations in a mine, wherein the mine has a shaft extending downward from the earth'"'"'s surface to a chamber, and a deposit having an ore face positioned between the chamber and the earth'"'"'s surface, such that the chamber is disposed downwardly from the ore face, the system comprising:
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a battery fleet having a first battery and a second battery; a ramp extending between the ore face and the chamber; a first zero-emissions vehicle including a kinetic energy capture system, wherein the first battery is disposed on-board the first zero-emissions vehicle and is configured to power the first zero-emissions vehicle and to be charged by the kinetic energy capture system when the first zero-emissions vehicle travels down the ramp from the ore face to the chamber while the first zero-emissions vehicle carries a load; and a discharging device disposed in the chamber, wherein the discharging device is configured to discharge energy out of the first battery and into the second battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A battery fleet management system for mining operations in a mine, wherein the mine has a shaft extending downward from the earth'"'"'s surface to a chamber, and a deposit having an ore face positioned between the chamber and the earth'"'"'s surface, such that the chamber is disposed downwardly from the ore face, the system comprising:
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a battery fleet disposed within the chamber, where the battery fleet has a first battery and a second battery; a power grid for powering the mining operations, wherein the power grid is disposed within the chamber; a ramp extending between the ore face and the chamber; a first zero-emissions vehicle including a kinetic energy capture system, wherein the first battery is disposed on-board the first zero-emissions vehicle and is configured to power the first zero-emissions vehicle and to be charged by the kinetic energy capture system when the first zero-emissions vehicle travels down the ramp from the ore face to the chamber while the first zero-emissions vehicle carries a load; and a discharging device disposed in the chamber, wherein the discharging device is configured to discharge energy out of the first battery and into one of the second battery and the power grid. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A battery fleet management system for mining operations in a mine, wherein the mine has a shaft extending downward from the earth'"'"'s surface and a deposit having an ore face positioned below the earth'"'"'s surface, the system comprising:
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a chamber positioned at a bottom of the shaft, wherein the chamber is positioned further below the earth'"'"'s surface than the ore face is positioned; a ramp extending between the ore face and the chamber; a battery fleet disposed within the chamber, where the battery fleet has a first battery and a second battery; a first zero-emissions vehicle including a kinetic energy capture system, wherein the first battery is disposed on-board the first zero-emissions vehicle and is configured to power the first zero-emissions vehicle and to be charged by the kinetic energy capture system when the first zero-emissions vehicle travels down the ramp from the ore face to the chamber while the first zero-emissions vehicle carries a load; and a discharging device configured to discharge energy out of the first battery and into the second battery. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification