System and Method for Optimized Fuel Efficiency and Emission Output of a Diesel Powered System

• US 20070219683A1
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Dillen, Eric, Daum, Wolfgang, Kumar, Ajith, Primus, Roy, Shaffer, Glenn Robert, Ducharme, David, Hall, Ed, Gray, Steven James
• Granted Patent: US 9,266,542 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 1/00 Steam locomotives or railcars engines F01; characterised by power transmissions B61C9/00; boilers F22B
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 5/00 Locomotives or motor railcars with IC engines or gas turbines characterised by power transmission B61C9/00; engines F02
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0058 On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/00 Communication or navigation systems for railway traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 3/006 On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation track-side optimisation of operation B61L27/16
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A method for determining the configuration of a diesel powered system having at least one diesel-fueled power generating unit, the method including a step for determining a minimum power required from the diesel powered system in order to accomplish a specified mission, and a step for determining an operating condition of the diesel-fueled power generating unit such that the minimum power requirement is satisfied while yielding at least one of lower fuel consumption and lower emissions for the diesel powered system.

Claims

1. A method for determining the configuration of a diesel powered system having at least one diesel-fueled power generating unit, the method comprising:

(a) determining a minimum power required from the diesel powered system in order to accomplish a specified mission; and

(b) determining an operating condition of the diesel-fueled power generating unit such that the minimum power requirement is satisfied while yielding at least one of lower fuel consumption and lower emissions for the diesel powered system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of determining an operating condition of the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises determining an operating condition of an exhaust after treatment device of the diesel-fueled power generating unit.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the diesel powered system comprises a railway transportation system, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one locomotive powered by at least one diesel internal combustion engine.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the diesel powered system comprises a marine vessel, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the diesel powered system comprises an off-highway vehicle, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the diesel powered system comprises a stationary power generating station, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the diesel powered system comprises a network of stationary power generating stations, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine.

8. A method for configuring a diesel powered system having at least one diesel-fueled power generating unit, the method comprising:

(a) defining a time period during which the diesel powered system is expected to accomplish a specified mission;

(b) determining a load requirement for the diesel powered system during the time period;

(c) determining a minimum required power based on the load requirement; and

(d) selecting the at least one diesel-fueled power generating unit to satisfy the minimum required power while yielding at least one of improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions output for the system.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the diesel powered system comprises a railway transportation system, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one locomotives powered by at least one diesel internal combustion engine.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the diesel powered system comprises a marine vessel, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the diesel powered system comprises an off-highway vehicle, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the diesel powered system comprises a stationary power generating station, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the diesel powered system comprises a network of stationary power generating stations, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein the selecting step comprises identifying at least one of a type of engine needed and a number of engines needed.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the engine configuration is part of at least one locomotive asset.

16. The method according to claim 8, wherein the selecting step further comprises segmenting the mission into a plurality of mission segments and selecting the engine configuration for each mission segment.

17. The method according to claim 8, wherein the selecting step further comprises considering information from at least one of a dispatch system, a wayside system, an operator, an off-line real time system, an external setup, a distributed network, a local network, and a centralized network to select the engine configuration.

18. The method according to claim 8, wherein the determining a load step further comprises at least one of determining the load based on information contained in a load makeup docket, historical data, rule of thumb estimation, and table data.

19. The method according to claim 8, wherein the selecting step further comprises determining the engine configuration requirements based on emission limits.

20. The method according to claim 8, wherein the selecting step further comprises determining at least one of a desired fuel efficiency and a desired emission output.

21. A computer software code for determining an engine configuration for at least one of a train with at least one locomotive asset and a computer, an off-highway vehicle with a computer, a marine vehicle with a computer, and a stationary unit with a computer, the computer software code comprising:

(a) a computer software module for defining a time during which the engine configuration is expected to accomplish a specified mission;

(b) a computer software module for determining an operating condition of an exhaust after treatment device; and

(c) a computer software module for selecting the engine configuration to satisfy the minimum required power while yielding at least one of improved fuel efficiency and minimized emission output.

22. A method for determining an engine configuration for at least one of a train with at least one locomotive asset, an off-highway vehicle, a marine vehicle, and a stationary unit, the method comprising:

(a) defining a time during which the engine configuration is expected to accomplish a specified mission;

(b) determining an operating condition of an exhaust after treatment device; and

(c) selecting the engine configuration to satisfy the minimum required power while yielding at least one of improved fuel efficiency and minimized emission output.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the selecting step comprises determining at least one of a type of diesel engine needed and a number of diesel engines needed.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the engine configuration is part of at least one locomotive asset.

25. A computer software code for configuring a diesel powered system for at least one of a train with at least one locomotive asset with a computer, an off-highway vehicle with a computer, a marine vehicle with a computer, and a stationary unit with a computer, the computer software code comprising:

(a) a computer software module for defining a time during which the diesel powered system is expected to accomplish a specified mission;

(b) a computer software module for determining a load requirement for the diesel powered system during the time period;

(c) a computer software module for determining a minimum required power based on the load requirement; and

(d) a computer software module for selecting the at least one diesel-fueled power generating unit to satisfy the minimum required power while yielding at least one of improved fuel efficiency and minimized emission output.

26. The computer software code according to claim 25, wherein the computer software module for selecting further comprises identifying at least one of a type of engine needed and a number of engines needed.

27. The computer software code according to claim 25, wherein the engine configuration is part of at least on locomotive asset.

28. The computer software code according to claim 25, wherein the computer software module for selecting further comprises a computer software module for segmenting the mission into a plurality of mission segments and selecting the engine configuration for each mission segment.

29. The computer software code according to claim 25, wherein the computer software module for selecting further comprises a computer software module for considering information from at least one of a dispatch system, a wayside system, an operator, an off-line real time system, an external setup, a distributed network, a local network, and a centralized network to select the engine configuration.

30. The computer software code according to claim 25, wherein the computer software module for determining a load further comprises a computer software module for at least one of determining the load based on information contained in a load makeup docket, historical data, rule of thumb estimation, and table data.

31. The computer software code according to claim 25, wherein the computer software module for selecting further comprises a computer software module for determining the engine configuration requirements based on emission limits.

32. The computer software code according to claim 25, wherein the computer software module for selecting further comprises a computer software module for determining at least one of a desired fuel efficiency and a desired emission output.

33. A system for determining a diesel engine configuration for at least one of a train with at least one locomotive asset, an off-highway vehicle, a marine vehicle, and a stationary unit, the system comprising:

(a) a load estimator;

(b) a mission time determinator;

(c) a processor for calculating a minimum required power from the engine configuration based on a load determined by the load estimator and a mission time determined by the mission time determinator; and

(d) wherein the processor further determines the engine configuration to satisfy the minimum required power while yielding at least one of improved fuel efficiency and minimized emission output.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein the mission time determinator segments the mission into a plurality of mission segments and the processor calculates the minimum required power and the engine configuration for each mission segment.

35. The system according to claim 33, wherein the load estimator estimates the load based on at least one of information contained in a load makeup docket, historical data, rule of thumb estimation, and table data.

36. The system according to claim 33, wherein the processor determines a trade-off between emission output and vehicle power settings to maximize higher operation settings where the emissions from the exhaust after-treatment devices are optimized.

37. A system for determining the configuration of a diesel powered system having at least one diesel-fueled power generating unit, the system comprising:

(a) at least one sensor for determining an operating condition of the diesel-fueled power generating unit;

(b) a processor receiving information from the at least one sensor for determining a minimum power required from the diesel powered system in order to accomplish a specified mission; and

(c) wherein a minimum power requirement is satisfied while yielding at least one of lower fuel consumption and lower emissions for the diesel powered system.

38. The system according to claim 37, wherein the processor further determines an operating condition of an exhaust after treatment device of the diesel-fueled power generating unit.

39. The system according to claim 37, wherein the diesel powered system comprises a railway transportation system, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one locomotive powered by at least one diesel internal combustion engine.

40. The system according to claim 37, wherein the diesel powered system comprises a marine vessel, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine.

41. The system according to claim 37, wherein the diesel powered system comprises an off-highway vehicle, and wherein the diesel-powered generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine.

42. The system according to claim 37, wherein the diesel powered system comprises a stationary power generating station, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine.

43. The system according to claim 37, wherein the diesel powered system comprises a network of stationary power generating stations, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine.

44. A computer software code for determining the configuration of a diesel powered system having at least one diesel-fueled power generating unit, the computer software code comprising:

(a) a computer software module for determining a minimum power required from the diesel powered system in order to accomplish a specified mission; and

(b) a computer software module for determining an operating condition of the diesel-fueled power generating unit such that the minimum power requirement is satisfied while yielding at least one of lower fuel consumption and lower emissions for the diesel powered system.