Power Cube Modularity
Working Doc
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1hhSz3GBHTnVjVkQk0P2SmMeB98T46O1Mp-FiBJO7Xqc/edit
Examples
Power cube swap with existing power cube on tractor, coupler of hours time using hoist to lift broken power cube off the tractor, and to hoist the new one on. Replacement should be streamlined to 5 minutes in the future.
Notes
To further modularity of Power Cubes exploration of breaking them into an engine cube and hydraulic cube is desirable. The previous yet unbuilt design of Power Cube v17.11 includes a large cube frame with both an engine module and tank. The auxiliary cube to this is Power Cube v18.01, which includes an engine module and cooler.
Good design goals for splitting the hydraulics and engine-pump modules into separate cubes can be simplifying plumbing, cooling, reducing weight for ease of handling and more efficient use of sheet metal/frame materials. It might be more efficient if the frames can be the same size and possibly design.
The hydraulic cube will need to include:
- A lightweight, but sturdy frame with easy grab/hook points
- Fluid Tank with cap
- Fluid ports and valves
- Filter
- Cooler(s)
- Routing attached hoses
- Fan(s)
- Batteries
- Electrical wiring and connections
The engine cube will need space for:
- A lightweight, but sturdy frame with easy grab/hook points
- Engine
- Pump with check valve and quick coupler on power port, and a suction hose with 1" shutoff valve on the inlet
- Access for maintenance
- Routing attached hoses
Solutions are needed for active cooling being in the hydraulic cube as well as electrical for powering the fan(s). Each engine without electric start can provide ~2A max to charge a battery.
- Is a larger cooling area more cost-effective than a fan?
- Can coolers be stacked with a fan?
- Is it viable to connect two coolers at right angles via elbows?
- Are multiple smaller coolers more effective than one or two large coolers?
- Viability of attaching a mechanically driven fan to engine output shaft coupler? - Interesting idea - it would cool the pump and the cooler if cooler is below engine. But this breaks the deeper modularity of power cubes
New versions of the power cube to be created based on these changes will depend on current priorities, but they can be based on the previous versions PC v17.11 and PC v18.01. The CAD for PC v18.01 is smaller, simpler, and easy to dynamically adjust quickly for both new cubes, but parts of 17.11 can be combined into PC v18.01.
Power Cube v19.02
Power Cube v19.03?
