Vehicle energy management system

• US 20030205360A1
• Filed: 05/01/2003
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Larson, Gerald L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,231,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/43
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/02 Intercooler
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/04 Lubricant cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/045 for transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/14 Condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 3/20 Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine F01P3/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/08 by cutting in or out of pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0431 Details or means to guide the ambient air to the heat exchanger, e.g. having a fan, flaps, a bypass or a special location in the engine compartment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 388/908 Frequency to voltage converter

Abstract

A vehicle energy management system relying on the principle of reallocation of existing resources provided by the vehicle manufacture. Engine belt or engine direct driven components are replaced with electrical motors. Since replacement of the main fan unit would involve a prohibitively large fan due to starting currents, the larger component that would have multiple cooling purposes is replaced with smaller single function electrical components. The larger multipurpose heat exchangers such as the vehicle radiator are replaced with smaller single function heat exchangers associated with the smaller electric fans. The energy management system may involve a main vehicle engine crankshaft mounted generator. This simple generator creates high voltage DC electricity that may be converted to household level AC for the operation of customer application equipment. In one embodiment, the converter is a closed loop converter that makes the conversion of DC to AC alternatively turning on and off at a varying frequency in order to produce a time averaged AC output.

Claims

1. An energy management system in combination with a mobile vehicle, comprising:

a chassis and a cab engaged to said chassis;

an engine engaged to said chassis and said engine engaged to a transmission for providing motive force on said vehicle;

a generator engaged to said engine for providing electricity to an electric system of said vehicle;

an engine oil heat exchanger engaged to said chassis for providing cooling to oil circulated to said engine within an engine oil system;

said engine oil heat exchanger having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle;

a separate engine coolant system heat exchanger engaged to said chassis for providing cooling to liquid coolant circulated to said engine within an engine coolant system;

said engine coolant system heat exchanger having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle; and

said capacity of oil and liquid in said respective engine oil system and said engine coolant system balanced to allow electric power needs of said electric fan for said engine oil heat exchanger to approximate electric power needs of said electric fan for said engine coolant system.

2. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 1, comprising:

an HVAC system for providing comfort to said cab;

a separate HVAC heat exchanger within said HVAC system to cool air for circulation to said cab; and

said HVAC heat exchanger having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle.

3. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 2, comprising:

a turbocharger engaged to said engine;

a separate turbocharger heat exchanger engaged to said chassis to cool said turbocharger; and

said turbocharger heat exchanger having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle.

4. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 3, comprising:

a separate transmission heat exchanger engaged to cool said transmission; and

said transmission having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle.

5. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 4, comprising:

said engine oil heat exchanger, said engine coolant heat exchanger, said HVAC heat exchanger, said turbocharger heat exchanger and said transmission heat exchanger each having a flow stabilizing area near an input prior to a heat exchange area; and

an outlet of each said heat exchange area tapers to a downstream fan driven by an electric motor.

6. An energy management system in combination with a mobile vehicle, comprising:

a chassis and a cab engaged to said chassis;

an engine engaged to said chassis and said engine engaged to a transmission for providing motive force on said vehicle;

a generator engaged to said engine for providing electricity to an electric system of said vehicle;

an engine oil heat exchanger engaged to said chassis for providing cooling to oil circulated to said engine within an engine oil system;

said engine oil heat exchanger having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle;

a separate engine coolant system heat exchanger engaged to said chassis for providing cooling to liquid coolant circulated to said engine within an engine coolant system;

said engine coolant system heat exchanger having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle;

an HVAC system for providing comfort to said cab;

a separate HVAC heat exchanger within said HVAC system to cool air for circulation to said cab;

said HVAC heat exchanger having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle;

a turbocharger engaged to said engine;

a separate turbocharger heat exchanger engaged to said chassis to cool said turbocharger;

said turbocharger heat exchanger having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle; and

said fans on each of said heat exchanger controlled to energize only when heat load rises to predetermined levels in components cooled by said heat exchangers and said fans on each said heat exchanger controlled to de-energize when heat load decreases to a predetermined levels in components cooled by said heat exchangers.

7. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 6, comprising:

an electric oil pump for providing circulation within said engine oil system; and

said electric oil pump powered from electric system of said vehicle.

8. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 7, comprising:

an electric coolant pump for providing circulation of coolant with said engine coolant system; and

said electric coolant pump powered from said electric system of said vehicle.

9. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 6, comprising:

said HVAC heat exchanger being physically located rearward of said cab of said vehicle.

10. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 9, comprising:

said HVAC heat exchanger having an air deflector at an outlet of said HVAC heat exchanger, said air deflector for causing a disruption slipstream airflow around said vehicle upon vehicle movement, and a resulting a low-pressure zone at said heat exchanger outlet for facilitating the inlet air flow entry into an inlet of said HVAC heat exchanger.

11. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 10, comprising:

a separate transmission heat exchanger engaged to cool said transmission;

said transmission having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle; and

said transmission heat exchanger being physically located rearward of said cab of said vehicle.

12. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 11, comprising:

said transmission heat exchanger having an air deflector at an outlet of said transmission heat exchanger, said air deflector for causing a disruption slipstream airflow around said vehicle upon vehicle movement, and a resulting a low-pressure zone at said heat exchanger outlet for facilitating the inlet air flow entry into an inlet of said transmission heat exchanger.

14. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 6, comprising:

an electric air compressor for providing air for a vehicle braking system; and

electric air compressor powered from said electric system of said vehicle.

13. A heat exchanger for a mobile vehicle, wherein said improvement comprises said heat exchanger having an air deflector at an outlet of said heat exchanger, said air deflector for causing a disruption slipstream airflow around said heat exchanger outlet upon vehicle movement, and a resulting a low-pressure zone at said heat exchanger outlet for facilitating the inlet air flow entry into an inlet of said heat exchanger:

15. An energy management system in combination with a mobile vehicle, comprising:

a chassis and a cab engaged to said chassis;

an engine engaged to said chassis and said engine engaged to a transmission for providing motive force on said vehicle;

an engine crankshaft mounted generator engaged to said engine for providing electricity to an electric system of said vehicle;

said generator for creating DC electricity and said generator electrically engaged to a switch mode converter for converting DC electricity to AC electricity by alternatively turning input from said generator ON and OFF at a varying frequency in order to produce a time averaged AC output; and

output of said switch mode converter being electrically engaged to electrical loads on said cab and said chassis of said vehicle.

16. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 15, comprising:

said generator being mounted directly to a forward portion of said crankshaft of said engine; and

said generator providing a crankshaft dampening function to said engine.

17. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 15, comprising:

a transformer electrically engaged to an output of said switch mode converter for converting AC electricity to lower voltage DC electricity for vehicle indication and controls.

18. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 15, comprising:

an engine oil heat exchanger engaged to said chassis for providing cooling to oil circulated to said engine within an engine oil system;

said engine oil heat exchanger having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle;

a separate engine coolant system heat exchanger engaged to said chassis for providing cooling to liquid coolant circulated to said engine within an engine coolant system;

said engine coolant system heat exchanger having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle;

an HVAC system for providing comfort to said cab;

a separate HVAC heat exchanger within said HVAC system to cool air for circulation to said cab;

said HVAC heat exchanger having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle;

a turbocharger engaged to said engine;

a separate turbocharger heat exchanger engaged to said chassis to cool said turbocharger;

said turbocharger heat exchanger having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle; and

said fans on each of said heat exchanger controlled to energize only when heat load rises to predetermined levels in components cooled by said heat exchangers and said fans on each said heat exchanger controlled to de-energize when heat load decreases to a predetermined levels in components cooled by said heat exchangers.

19. An energy management system in combination with a mobile vehicle, comprising:

a chassis and a cab engaged to said chassis;

an engine engaged to said chassis and said engine engaged to a transmission for providing motive force on said vehicle;

a generator engaged to said engine for providing electricity to an electric system of said vehicle;

said generator for creating DC electricity and said generator electrically engaged to a switch mode converter for converting DC electricity to AC electricity by alternatively turning input from said generator ON and OFF at a varying frequency in order to produce a time averaged AC output; and

output of said switch mode converter being electrically engaged to electrical loads on said cab and said chassis of said vehicle.

20. An energy management system in combination with a mobile vehicle, comprising:

a chassis and a cab engaged to said chassis;

an engine engaged to said chassis and said engine engaged to a transmission for providing motive force on said vehicle;

an exhaust system engaged to the exhaust output of said engine;

a generator engaged to said engine for providing electricity to an electric system of said vehicle; and

said generator having an unregulated DC electricity output and said generator electrically engaged to energize heaters of a catalyst within an engine emission control exhaust after treatment system with said unregulated DC output.

21. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 20, wherein:

vehicle controls energize said catalyst heaters upon vehicle startup and de-energize said catalyst heaters upon catalyst warming.

22. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 20, comprising:

vehicle controls energize said catalyst heaters when said catalyst is cold and de-energize said catalyst heaters upon catalyst warming.

23. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 20, comprising:

an electronic control module in communication with said vehicle electric system monitors vehicle parameters to determine a need for a periodic recycle heating of said catalyst; and

said electronic control module programmed to automatically initiate periodic catalyst recycle heating upon sensing pre-determined parameters indicating a need for recycle heating.

24. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 23, wherein:

said parameters for determining a need for periodic recycle heating includes fuel consumption.

25. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 23, wherein:

said parameters for determining a need for periodic recycle heating includes vehicle mileage.

26. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 20, comprising:

an electronic control module in communication with said vehicle electric system monitors vehicle parameters to determine a need for a periodic recycle heating of said catalyst; and

said electronic control module programmed to provide a visual indication in said cab of said vehicle indicating a need for a manually initiated recycle heating of said catalyst.

27. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 26, wherein:

said parameters for determining a need for periodic recycle heating includes fuel consumption.

28. The vehicle and energy management system combination of claim 26, wherein:

said parameters for determining a need for periodic recycle heating includes vehicle mileage.

29. An energy management system in combination with a mobile vehicle, comprising:

a chassis and a cab engaged to said chassis;

an engine engaged to said chassis and said engine engaged to a transmission for providing motive force on said vehicle;

a generator engaged to said engine for providing electricity to an electric system of said vehicle;

an engine oil heat exchanger engaged to said chassis for providing cooling to oil circulated to said engine within an engine oil system;

said engine oil heat exchanger having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle;

a separate engine coolant system heat exchanger engaged to said chassis for providing cooling to liquid coolant circulated to said engine within an engine coolant system;

said engine coolant system heat exchanger having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle;

an HVAC system for providing comfort to said cab;

a separate HVAC heat exchanger within said HVAC system to cool air for circulation to said cab;

said HVAC heat exchanger having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle;

a turbocharger engaged to said engine;

a separate turbocharger heat exchanger engaged to said chassis to cool said turbocharger;

said turbocharger heat exchanger having an electric fan powered from said electric system of said vehicle; and

said fans on each of said heat exchanger controlled to energize only when heat load rises to predetermined levels and said fans controlled to sequentially energize to avoid overloading of said generator.

30. An energy management system in combination with a mobile vehicle, comprising:

a chassis and a cab engaged to said chassis;

an engine engaged to said chassis and said engine engaged to a transmission for providing motive force on said vehicle;

a generator engaged to said engine for providing electricity to an electric system of said vehicle;

separate heat exchangers with separate electric fans powered from said electric system; and

said fans on each of said heat exchanger controlled to sequentially energize to avoid overloading of said generator.