Limiting peak electrical power drawn by mining excavators
First Claim
1. A method for supplying electrical power to at least one mining excavator, each mining excavator comprising at least one electrical motor, the at least one mining excavator comprising a cyclic load, the method comprising:
- receiving alternating-current electrical power from an electrical power grid;
converting the alternating-current electrical power to direct-current electrical power;
feeding a direct-current link with the direct-current electrical power;
charging an electrical energy storage unit with electrical power drawn from the direct-current link;
supplying electrical power to the cyclic load from only the direct-current link when the electrical power drawn by the cyclic load is less than or equal to an upper limit; and
supplying first electrical power to the cyclic load from the direct-current link and second electrical power to the cyclic load from the electrical energy storage unit when the electrical power drawn by the cyclic load is greater than the upper limit, wherein the first electrical power is less than or equal to the upper limit.
10 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
The maximum electrical power drawn from an electrical power source by a mining excavator comprising electric motors is reduced by supplying supplementary electrical power from an electrical energy storage unit. The input electrical power drawn by the mining excavator is cyclic. An upper limit is set for the electrical power drawn from the electrical power source. When the input electrical power drawn by the mining excavator exceeds the upper limit, electrical power is supplied by the electrical energy storage unit, such as an ultracapacitor bank. The ultracapacitor bank may be charged by the electrical power source during off-peak intervals. Electrical power generated by electrical motors operating in a regeneration interval may also be recaptured and stored in the electrical energy storage unit.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for supplying electrical power to at least one mining excavator, each mining excavator comprising at least one electrical motor, the at least one mining excavator comprising a cyclic load, the method comprising:
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receiving alternating-current electrical power from an electrical power grid; converting the alternating-current electrical power to direct-current electrical power; feeding a direct-current link with the direct-current electrical power; charging an electrical energy storage unit with electrical power drawn from the direct-current link; supplying electrical power to the cyclic load from only the direct-current link when the electrical power drawn by the cyclic load is less than or equal to an upper limit; and supplying first electrical power to the cyclic load from the direct-current link and second electrical power to the cyclic load from the electrical energy storage unit when the electrical power drawn by the cyclic load is greater than the upper limit, wherein the first electrical power is less than or equal to the upper limit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An electrical power system for supplying electrical power to at least one mining excavator, each mining excavator comprising at least one electrical motor, the at least one mining excavator comprising a cyclic load drawing electrical power from the electrical power system, the electrical power system comprising:
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an electrical power conversion system configured to receive alternating-current electrical power from an electrical power grid and convert the alternating-current electrical power to direct-current electrical power; a direct-current link configured to receive the direct-current electrical power; an electrical energy storage unit; and a controller configured to; supply electrical power to the electrical energy storage unit from the direct-current link; supply electrical power to the cyclic load from only the direct-current link when the electrical power drawn from the electrical power system by the cyclic load is less than or equal to an upper limit; and supply first electrical power to the cyclic load from the direct-current link and second electrical power to the cyclic load from the electrical energy storage unit when the electrical power drawn from the electrical system by the cyclic load is greater than the upper limit, wherein the first electrical power is less than or equal to the upper limit. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for supplying electrical power to at least one mining excavator, each mining excavator comprising at least one electrical motor, the at least one mining excavator comprising a cyclic load drawing electrical power during at least one motoring interval and generating electrical power during at least one regeneration interval, the method comprising:
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receiving alternating-current electrical power from an electrical power grid; converting the alternating-current electrical power to direct-current electrical power; feeding a direct-current link with the direct-current electrical power; charging an electrical energy storage unit with the electrical power generated by the cyclic load during the at least one regeneration interval; supplying electrical power to the cyclic load from only the direct-current link when the electrical power drawn by the cyclic load is less than or equal to an upper limit; and supplying first electrical power to the cyclic load from the direct-current link and second electrical power to the cyclic load from the electrical energy storage unit when the electrical power drawn by the cyclic load is greater than the upper limit, wherein the first electrical power is less than or equal to the upper limit. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An electrical power system for supplying electrical power to at least one mining excavator, each mining excavator comprising at least one electrical motor, the at least one mining excavator comprising a cyclic load drawing electrical power from the electrical power system during at least one motoring interval and generating electrical power during at least one regeneration interval, the electrical power system comprising:
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an electrical power conversion system configured to receive alternating-current electrical power from an electrical power grid and convert the alternating-current electrical power to direct-current electrical power; a direct-current link configured to receive the direct-current electrical power; an electrical energy storage unit configured to receive the electrical power generated by the cyclic load during the at least one regeneration interval; and a controller configured to; supply electrical power to the cyclic load from only the the direct-current link when the electrical power drawn from the electrical power system by the cyclic load is less than or equal to an upper limit; and supply first electrical power to the cyclic load from the direct-current link and second electrical power to the cyclic load from the electrical energy storage unit when the electrical power drawn from the electrical system by the cyclic load is greater than the upper limit, wherein the first electrical power is less than or equal to the upper limit. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification