System and method for improving a battery management and accumulator system

• US 10,379,143 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2015
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Books, Martin T., Calmer, Craig M., Dziuba, Robert, Madurai-Kumar, Mahesh, Muralidhar, Praveen Chitradurga, O'Brien, John P., Paquette, Joseph E., Parker, Gary L., Perfetto, Anthony K., Rauch, Jeffrey S., Schwab, Zachary, Wardlow, Jon S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Melton, Todd M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roberson, Jason R
• Application Number:
  US14/806,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20160023621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0092 measuring current only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Various systems, methods, and apparatuses disclosed herein provide for receiving pressure data for an accumulator system, the pressure data providing an indication of a pressure in an accumulator tank of the accumulator system; receiving energy data, the energy data indicating an availability of free energy for use to charge the accumulator tank; and activating a charging source of the accumulator tank to charge the accumulator tank based on at least one of the pressure data and the energy data.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

monitoring, by a controller of a vehicle, an alternator current of a battery system of the vehicle;

comparing, by the controller, the monitored alternator current to a current limit of the alternator;

receiving, by the controller, energy data, energy storage data, and current data regarding each engine subsystem in a group of engine subsystems;

reducing, by the controller, an energy output of the battery system based on the alternator current, current limit, and the received energy data, energy storage data, and current data;

categorizing, by the controller, each engine subsystem in the group as either a primary load or as a load having an energy storage capability; and

managing, by the controller, the reduced energy output from the battery system to each engine subsystem based on the categorization of the engine subsystem as either a primary load or as a load having an energy storage capability, wherein the managing includes;

maintaining the energy output of the battery system to each primary load engine subsystem; and

reducing at least a portion of the energy output of the battery system to each engine subsystem having the energy storage capability.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is executed as a backup control strategy for the battery system of the vehicle, in response to determining that a second control strategy for the battery system is unable to detect an overloaded supply event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the current limit is a limit at which voltage of an electrical power system of the vehicle falters and drops.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy data includes an indication of an amount of regenerative braking energy available and an amount of energy available from at least one of an engine system and the battery system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the energy data includes at least one of an accelerator pedal position, a vehicle speed, a brake pedal position, an engine fueling rate, and an amount of electrical energy generated.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy storage data includes an indication of the amount of energy stored within the battery system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the current data includes an indication of the current output of the battery system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the controller, energy generation by an engine subsystem having an energy generation capability; and

increasing, by the controller, an energy output of the battery system to at least a portion of the engine subsystems having the energy storage capability in response to detecting the energy generation.

9. A system, comprising:

a power system including a battery system structured to store energy to be used to power one or more engine subsystems of a vehicle and an energy recovery system structured to harvest energy from one or more engine subsystems of the vehicle and to provide the energy to the one or more engine subsystems; and

a controller operatively and communicably coupled to the power system, the controller structured to;

monitor an alternator current of the battery system;

compare the monitored alternator current to a current limit of the alternator;

receive energy data, energy storage data, and current data regarding each engine subsystem in a group of engine subsystems;

reduce an energy output of the battery system based on the alternator current, current limit, and the received energy data, energy storage data, and current data;

categorize each engine subsystem in the one or more engine subsystems as either a primary load or as a load having an energy storage capability; and

manage the reduced energy output from the battery system to each engine subsystem based on whether the engine subsystem is categorized as either a primary load or as a load having the energy storage capability in order to;

maintain the energy output of the battery system to each primary load engine subsystem; and

reduce at least a portion of the energy output of the battery system to each engine subsystem having the energy storage capability.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the management is used as a backup control strategy for the battery system, wherein a main second control strategy for the battery system is unable to detect an overloaded supply event.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the current limit is a limit at which voltage of an electrical power system of the vehicle falters and drops.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the energy data includes an indication of an amount of regenerative braking energy available and an amount of energy available from at least one of an engine system and the battery system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the energy data includes at least one of an accelerator pedal position, a vehicle speed, a brake pedal position, an engine fueling rate, and an amount of electrical energy generated.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the energy storage data includes an indication of the amount of energy stored within the battery system.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the current data includes an indication of the current output of the battery system.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further structured to:

detect energy generation by an engine subsystem having an energy generation capability; and

increase an energy output of the battery system to at least a portion of the engine subsystem having the energy storage capability in response to the detected energy generation.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a battery circuit structured to manage energy to power one or more engine subsystems of a vehicle;

an energy circuit structured to manage harvesting energy from one or more engine subsystems of the vehicle and to provide the energy to one or more engine subsystems;

a comparator circuit communicably coupled to the battery circuit and the energy circuit, the comparator circuit structured to;

monitor an alternator current of the battery system;

compare the monitored alternator current to a current limit of the alternator;

receive energy data, energy storage data, and current data regarding each engine subsystem in a group of engine subsystems;

reduce an energy output of the battery system based on the alternator current, current limit, and the received energy data, energy storage data, and current data; and

a management circuit structured to;

categorize each engine subsystem in the one or more engine subsystems as either a primary load or as a load having an energy storage capability;

manage the reduced energy output from the battery system to each engine subsystem based on whether the engine subsystem is categorized as either a primary load or as a load having the energy storage capability in order to;

maintain the energy output of the battery system to each primary load engine subsystem; and

reduce at least a portion of the energy output of the battery system to each engine subsystem having the energy storage capability.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the management circuit is used for a backup control strategy for the battery system, wherein a main second control strategy for the battery system is unable to detect an overloaded supply event.