Crane, in particular mobile port crane, comprising a hybrid drive system

• US 9,056,752 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2011
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konecranes Global Corporation (Konecranes Terex Plc)
• Original Assignee: Terex MHPS GmbH (Konecranes Oyj)
• Inventors: Mller, Jrg, Rei, Johannes
• Primary Examiner(s): Luo, David S
• Application Number:
  US13/577,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20120305513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 318/140, 318/51, 318/53
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/28 utilising regenerative braking for controlling descent of heavy loads and having means for preventing rotation of motor in the hoisting direction when load is released

Abstract

A crane comprising a diesel-electric drive, the three-phase generator of which supplies an AC voltage circuit, further comprising a DC voltage circuit connected to the AC voltage circuit, electric motors which drive at least one rotating mechanism, a lifting mechanism and a luffing mechanism of the crane, at least one brake resistor, and a short-term energy store, which is connected to the AC voltage circuit or to the DC voltage circuit for the intermediate storage of excess energy. At least one of the electric motors is connected to the AC voltage circuit and at least one is connected to the DC voltage circuit, and the AC voltage circuit is connected to the DC voltage circuit via a rectifier such that an energy exchange is possible between the AC voltage circuit and the DC voltage circuit.

Claims

1. Crane, in particular a mobile wharf crane, having a diesel-electric drive, the three-phase generator of which supplies an AC voltage circuit, having a DC voltage circuit connected to the AC voltage circuit, having electric motors which drive at least a rotating mechanism, a lifting mechanism and a luffing mechanism of the crane, having at least one brake resistor and having a short-term energy store which is connected to the AC voltage circuit or to the DC voltage circuit for the intermediate storage of excess energy, wherein at least one of the electric motors is connected to the AC voltage circuit and at least one of the electric motors is connected to the DC voltage circuit and the AC voltage circuit is connected to the DC voltage circuit via a rectifier such that an energy exchange is possible between the AC voltage circuit and the DC voltage circuit.

2. Crane as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least the electric motors of the lifting mechanism and of the luffing mechanism can be operated in a generator-based manner for feeding electrical energy back into the AC voltage circuit or into the DC voltage circuit.

3. Crane as claimed in claim 2, wherein the electric motors are formed as three-phase motors.

4. Crane as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least the electric motor of the luffing mechanism is connected to the AC voltage circuit.

5. Crane as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rotating mechanism comprises a three-phase motor which is connected to the DC voltage circuit via an inverter, the lifting mechanism comprises a three-phase motor which is connected to the DC voltage circuit via an inverter, and the luffing mechanism comprises a three-phase motor which is connected directly to the AC voltage circuit.

6. Crane as claimed in claim 5, wherein a power controller which is adjusted via an operational strategy, is connected to the diesel-electric drive, the brake resistor or its rectifier, the short-term energy store and the DC converter of the short-term energy store and controls the short-term energy store and if required the brake resistor on the basis of the data of an active power meter allocated to the three-phase generator and of the charging state of the short-term energy store.

7. Crane as claimed in claim 6, wherein via the power controller the short-term energy store is adjusted to a constant discharge power during a regular boosting of the diesel-electric drive or is adjusted via the power controller such that during boosting of the diesel-electric drive in the event of a corresponding power demand a discharge power which is higher than the constant discharge power is made available when the charging state of the short-term energy store is close to the maximum value after a charging phase.

8. Crane as claimed in claim 7, wherein a lower charging state limit and an upper charging state limit are defined via the power controller for the short-term energy store.

9. Crane as claimed in claim 6, wherein via the power controller the power output of the short-term energy store is reduced close to the switching limit between boost operation and normal operation of the diesel-electric drive.

10. Crane as claimed in claim 1, wherein the short-term energy store is connected to the DC voltage circuit via a DC converter.

11. Crane as claimed in claim 10, wherein the short-term energy store is formed as a double-layer capacitor.

12. Crane as claimed in claim 1, wherein the brake resistor is connected to the AC voltage circuit via a rectifier.

13. Crane as claimed in claim 12, wherein a power controller which is adjusted via an operational strategy, is connected to the diesel-electric drive, the brake resistor or its rectifier, the short-term energy store and the DC converter of the short-term energy store and controls the short-term energy store and if required the brake resistor on the basis of the data of an active power meter allocated to the three-phase generator and of the charging state of the short-term energy store.

14. Crane as claimed in claim 13, wherein via the power controller the short-term energy store is adjusted to a constant discharge power during a regular boosting of the diesel-electric drive or is adjusted via the power controller such that during boosting of the diesel-electric drive in the event of a corresponding power demand a discharge power which is higher than the constant discharge power is made available when the charging state of the short-term energy store is close to the maximum value after a charging phase.

15. Crane as claimed in claim 13, wherein a lower charging state limit and an upper charging state limit are defined via the power controller for the short-term energy store.

16. Crane as claimed in claim 15, wherein the lower charging state limit is defined as 25% of the upper charging state limit.

17. Crane as claimed in claim 13, wherein via the power controller the power output of the short-term energy store is reduced close to the switching limit between boost operation and normal operation of the diesel-electric drive.

18. Crane as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least the electric motor of the luffing mechanism is connected to the AC voltage circuit.

19. Crane as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotating mechanism comprises a three-phase motor which is connected to the DC voltage circuit via an inverter, the lifting mechanism comprises a three-phase motor which is connected to the DC voltage circuit via an inverter, and the luffing mechanism comprises a three-phase motor which is connected directly to the AC voltage circuit.

20. Crane as claimed in claim 1, wherein the luffing mechanism includes a hydraulic cylinder and a hydraulic pump and the electric motor driving the hydraulic pump is capable of feeding back energy.

21. Crane as claimed in claim 1, wherein the short-term energy store is formed as a double-layer capacitor.

22. Crane as claimed in claim 21, wherein the brake resistor is connected to the AC voltage circuit via a rectifier.