Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5552/crojfe.2022.1303
Exploring the Design of Highly Energy Efficient Forestry Cranes using Gravity Compensation
Omar Mendoza-Trejo
; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Forests Biomaterials and Technology Skogsmarksgränd 17 90183, Umeå SWEDEN
Arturo D. López Rojas
; Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV) Electrical Engineering Department Mechatronics Section Av. IPN, 2508, San Pedro Zacatenco 07360, Mexico City MEXICO
Daniel Ortiz Morales
; CRANAB AB Karlsgårdsvägen 56 92232, Vindeln SWEDEN
Ola Lindroos
; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Forests Biomaterials and Technology Skogsmarksgränd 17 90183, Umeå SWEDEN
Carlos A. Cruz-Villar
; Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV) Electrical Engineering Department Mechatronics Section Av. IPN, 2508, San Pedro Zacatenco 07360, Mexico City MEXICO
Pedro La Hera
; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Department of Forests Biomaterials and Technology Skogsmarksgränd 17 90183, Umeå SWEDEN
Abstract
Although most mechanized forestry work relies heavily on cranes for handling logs along the
supply chain, there has been little research on how to improve cranes design. In addition, the
available research has mainly focused on improving current designs, so there is a lack of application
of modern methods for designing cranes with improved efficiency.
This paper analyzes how a mechanical engineering design method, known as gravity compensation,
can be used to make a new generation of highly energy efficient forestry cranes. To
introduce this design approach, a standard forwarder crane with two booms is used as a
model system on which to apply gravity compensation concepts. The design methodology
follows a procedure based on physics and mathematical optimization, with the objective of
minimizing the energy needed to move the crane by using gravity compensation via counterweights.
To this end, we considered to minimize mechanical power, because this quantity relates
to how fuel and hydraulic fluid are converted into mechanical motion.
This analysis suggests that using gravity compensation could reduce energy consumption
due to crane work by 27%, at the cost of increasing the crane total mass by 57%. Thus, the
original crane mass of 559 kg increases to 879 kg after applying gravity compensation with
counterweights. However, overall reductions in energy consumption would depend on both
the crane work and the extraction distance. The greater the extraction distance, the lower the
total savings. However, energy consumption savings of around 2% could be achieved even
with an extraction distance of 1 km.
From a design perspective, this study emphasized the need to consider gravity compensation
in the design philosophy of forestry cranes, not only for its ability to minimize energy consumption,
but also due to all the inherited properties it provides. This initial study concludes that
designing cranes with a combination of gravity compensation concepts could yield a new
generation of highly energy efficient cranes with energy savings exceeding those reported here.
Keywords
ranes design, forwarder crane, energy consumption, gravity compensation, counterweights
Hrčak ID:
290849
URI
Publication date:
30.6.2022.
Visits: 386 *