Hybrid Energy Power Management System and Method

• US 20070142985A1
• Filed: 02/06/2007
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kumar, Ajith
• Granted Patent: US 9,193,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0455 Removal or replacement of the energy storages
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03118 Multiple tanks, i.e. two or more separate tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03157 for supply different types of fuel to the motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03217 Fuel level sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/64 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/642 Slope of road
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/53 in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/209 Fuel quantity remaining in tank
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 : Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/40 : Altitude
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 : Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 : of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/02 : related to ambient conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0634 : Determining a density, viscosity, composition or concentration F02D19/087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0665 : Tanks, e.g. multiple tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0697 : Arrangement of fuel supply systems on engines or vehicle bodies; Components of the fuel supply system being combined with another device
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0611 : Fuel type, fuel composition or fuel quality
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/701 : Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0025 : Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 : Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 : Data processing systems or methods, management, administration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An energy management system is provided for use with a hybrid energy off-highway vehicle traveling on a predetermined course. The energy management system includes an energy management processor to determine a power storage parameter, a power transfer parameter, and an engine transfer parameter for each location along the predetermined course to minimize the total fuel consumed of all fuel types during the predetermined course subject to at least one fuel parameter constraint. An energy storage system selectively stores electrical energy available from the traction bus as a function of the power storage parameter and selectively supplies secondary electric power from the stored electrical energy to the traction bus as a function of the power transfer parameter. The engine selectively supplies primary electric power to the traction bus at each location along said predetermined course through selectively using at least one fuel type in response to said engine transfer parameter.

Claims

1. An energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle traveling on a predetermined course, said vehicle including an engine operating on a plurality of fuel types within at least one fuel tank, a power converter driven by the engine providing primary electric power, a traction bus coupled to the power converter and carrying the primary electric power, a traction drive connected to the traction bus, the energy management system comprising:

an energy management processor determining an engine transfer parameter for each location along said predetermined course for minimizing the total fuel consumed of each fuel type during the predetermined course subject to at least one fuel parameter constraint;

the engine being responsive to said engine management processor for selectively supplying said primary electric power to the traction bus at each location along said predetermined course through selectively using at least one of said plurality of fuel types in response to said engine transfer parameter.

2. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle traveling on a predetermined course according to claim 1, wherein said traction drive has a motoring mode in which the traction drive is responsive to the primary electric power for propelling the hybrid energy off-highway vehicle on said predetermined course, said traction drive has a dynamic braking mode of operation wherein said traction drive generates dynamic braking electrical energy, said energy management system further comprises:

an energy storage system connected to the traction bus and being responsive to the energy management processor, said energy storage system selectively storing electrical energy available from the traction bus as a function of the power storage parameter and selectively supplying secondary electric power from the stored electrical energy to the traction bus as a function of the power transfer parameter, wherein the traction drive is responsive to the secondary electric power;

wherein said energy management processor further determines a power storage parameter and a power transfer parameter for each location along said predetermined course for minimizing the total fuel consumed of each fuel type during the predetermined course subject to at least one fuel parameter constraint.

3. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle traveling on a predetermined course according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle comprises one of an off-highway vehicle, a locomotive and a marine vehicle, and wherein the predetermined course comprises one of a track and a predetermined marine trip.

4. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of fuel types within at least one fuel tank comprises each of said plurality of fuel types held within a respective fuel tank.

5. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of fuel types comprises at least one fuel type in at least one respective fuel tank and at least one fuel type mix in at least one respective fuel tank.

6. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said energy management processor determines said engine transfer parameter and said power transfer parameter at each location along said trip based upon said plurality of fuel types, and wherein said engine transfer parameter selectively identifies at least one fuel type of said plurality of fuel types to supply said engine at each location along said trip.

7. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle according to claim 6, wherein said energy management processor determines said engine transfer parameter and said power transfer parameter for each location along said trip based upon at least one fuel parameter for each of said plurality of fuel types at each location along said track.

8. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle according to claim 7, wherein each fuel parameter for each of said plurality of fuels at each location along said trip is based upon at least one operating characteristic of said locomotive at each location along said trip.

9. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle according to claim 8, further comprising:

a position determining device providing each location along said trip to said energy management processor;

a database including a track situation parameter for each location along said trip, said track situation parameter being indicative of a topographic characteristic of the track;

said database further including each fuel parameter for each of said plurality of fuels for pre-stored values of each of said at least one operating characteristic of said locomotive;

wherein said energy management processor retrieves said track situation parameter from said database for each location along said trip, determines at least one operating characteristic of said locomotive at each location based upon said track situation parameter; and

wherein said energy management processor retrieves each fuel parameter for said plurality of fuels from said database corresponding to said determined operating characteristic of said locomotive at each location.

10. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle according to claim 8, wherein said at least one operating characteristic includes the total power demand at each location along said trip to propel the locomotive.

11. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle according to claim 7, wherein each fuel parameter for each of said plurality of fuel types at each location along said trip is based upon said location along said trip.

12. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle according to claim 11, further comprising:

a position determining device providing each location along said trip to said energy management processor;

a database including at least one fuel parameter restriction for each of said plurality of fuel types for each location along said trip;

wherein said energy management processor retrieves said fuel parameter restriction for each of said plurality of fuel types for each location along said trip.

13. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle according to claim 12, wherein said fuel parameter restriction is indicative of one of an emission restriction, mileage restriction, and an availability restriction for each of said plurality of fuel types at each location along said trip.

14. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle according to claim 11, wherein each fuel parameter for each of said plurality of fuel types at each location along said trip is based upon ambient conditions at said location along said trip.

15. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle according to claim 7, wherein each engine transfer parameter for each of said plurality of fuel types at each location along said trip is based upon the respective volume of each fuel type in said respective fuel tank.

16. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle according to claim 7, wherein said fuel parameter is fuel efficiency and said fuel parameter constraint includes an emission output constraint over said trip.

17. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle according to claim 16, wherein said energy management processor selectively determines at least one fuel type of said plurality of fuel types to supply said engine for causing said engine to supply said primary electric power to said traction bus for minimizing said total fuel consumed of each fuel type over said trip.

18. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle according to claim 3 wherein the energy management processor determines the power storage parameter as a function of a track situation parameter.

19. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle according to claim 18 further comprising a database supplying the track situation parameter and wherein the track situation parameter is indicative of a topographic characteristic of the track.

20. The energy management system for use with a hybrid energy vehicle according to 19 wherein the topographic characteristic is a track grade, a track curvature, a track elevation, a speed limit associated with the track, or a tunnel associated with the track.

21. An energy management system for use with a locomotive, said locomotive having an engine operating on a plurality of fuel types within respective fuel tanks, a power converter driven by the engine providing primary electric power, a traction bus coupled to the power converter and carrying the primary electric power, at least one traction drive connected to the traction bus, said at least one traction drive having a motoring mode in which the traction drive is responsive to the primary electric power for propelling the locomotive on a track, said at least one traction drive having a dynamic braking mode of operation wherein said traction drive generates dynamic braking electrical energy, the energy management system comprising:

an energy management processor determining a power storage parameter, a power transfer parameter, and an engine transfer parameter for fulfilling a total power demand to propel the locomotive along a track; and

an energy storage system connected to the traction bus and being responsive to the energy management processor, said energy storage system selectively storing electrical energy available from the traction bus as a function of the power storage parameter and selectively supplying secondary electric power from the stored electrical energy to the traction bus as a function of the power transfer parameter, wherein said at least one traction motor is responsive to the secondary electric power;

the engine for selectively supplying said primary electric power to the traction bus through selectively using at least one of said plurality of fuel types in response to said engine transfer parameter.

22. The energy management system for use with a locomotive according to claim 21, wherein said energy management processor determines said engine transfer parameter based upon said plurality of fuel types.

23. The energy management system for use with a locomotive according to claim 22, wherein said engine transfer parameter is based upon at least one fuel parameter for each of said plurality of fuels, and wherein said fuel parameter for each fuel type is based upon at least one operating characteristic of said locomotive.

24. The energy management system for use with a locomotive according to claim 23, wherein said at least one operating characteristic includes one of said total power demanded to propel the locomotive, ambient conditions of the locomotive including external temperature and locomotive speed.

26. The method for energy management for use with a hybrid energy vehicle traveling on a predetermined course according to claim 24, wherein the vehicle comprises one of an off-highway vehicle, a locomotive and a marine vehicle, and wherein the predetermined course comprises one of a track and a predetermined marine trip.

28. The computer readable media containing program instructions for a method for energy management for use with a hybrid energy vehicle traveling on a predetermined course according to claim 26, wherein the vehicle comprises one of an off-highway vehicle, a locomotive and a marine vehicle, and wherein the predetermined course comprises one of a track and a predetermined marine trip.

25. A method for energy management for use with a hybrid energy vehicle traveling on a predetermined course, said vehicle including an engine operating on a plurality of fuel types within at least one fuel tank, a power converter driven by the engine providing primary electric power, a traction bus coupled to the power converter and carrying the primary electric power, a traction drive connected to the traction bus, the method for energy management comprising:

connecting an energy storage system to the traction bus and an energy management processor;

causing said energy management processor to determine a power storage parameter, a power transfer parameter, and an engine transfer parameter for each location along said predetermined course to minimize the total fuel consumed of all fuel types during the predetermined course subject to at least one fuel parameter constraint;

selectively storing electrical energy within said energy storage system available from the traction bus as a function of the power storage parameter;

selectively supplying secondary electric power from the energy storage system to the traction bus as a function of the power transfer parameter; and

selectively supplying said primary electric power from the engine to the traction bus at each location along said predetermined course through selectively using at least one of said plurality of fuel types in response to said engine transfer parameter.

27. Computer readable media containing program instructions for a method for energy management for use with a hybrid energy vehicle traveling on a predetermined course, said vehicle including an engine operating on a plurality of fuel types within at least one fuel tank, a power converter driven by the engine providing primary electric power, a traction bus coupled to the power converter and carrying the primary electric power, a traction drive connected to the traction bus, said traction drive having a motoring mode in which the traction drive is responsive to the primary electric power for propelling the hybrid energy vehicle on said predetermined course, said traction drive having a dynamic braking mode of operation wherein said traction drive generates dynamic braking electrical energy, said method for energy management comprising connecting an energy storage system to the traction bus and an energy management processor;

the computer readable media comprising;

a computer program code for causing said energy management processor to determine a power storage parameter, a power transfer parameter, and an engine transfer parameter for each location along said predetermined course to minimize the total fuel consumed of each fuel type during the predetermined course subject to at least one fuel parameter constraint;

a computer program code for selectively storing electrical energy within said energy storage system available from the traction bus as a function of the power storage parameter;

a computer program code for selectively supplying secondary electric power from the energy storage system to the traction bus as a function of the power transfer parameter; and

a computer program code for selectively supplying said primary electric power from the engine to the traction bus at each location along said predetermined course through selectively using at least one of said plurality of fuel types in response to said engine transfer parameter.