Method of Controlling Engine Stop-Start Operation for Heavy-Duty Hybrid-Electric and Hybrid- Hydraulic Vehicles

• US 20080147260A1
• Filed: 02/28/2008
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
• Original Assignee: ISE Incorporated (ISE Group of Companies)
• Inventors: Moran, Brian D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,657,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/12 by means of a chargeable fluidic accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/44 Series-parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/24 Coasting mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/30 using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 : including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 : for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 : Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/15 : Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/24 : Energy storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 : Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 : of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/06 : Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0616 : Position of fuel or air injector
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/192 : Mitigating problems related to power-up or power-down of the driveline, e.g. start-up of a cold engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/14 : Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/112 : Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• 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 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/914 : Actuated, e.g. engaged or disengaged by electrical, hydraulic or mechanical means

Abstract

A start-stop or idle-stop method for a heavy-duty hybrid vehicle that turns off the fuel supply while maintaining the crankshaft rotation of the internal combustion engine when the vehicle stops or, optionally, when the vehicle travels downhill, travels in a noise sensitive location, travels in an exhaust emissions sensitive location, or operates in an emergency situation. The stop-start or idle-stop method automatically turns on the engine fuel supply to restart combustion when the vehicle starts accelerating, is no longer traveling downhill, is no longer traveling in a noise sensitive or exhaust sensitive location, is no longer in an emergency situation, or has dropped below the minimum energy storage restart level.

Claims

1. A method for efficiently controlling an engine of a heavy-duty hybrid-electric vehicle of at least 10,000 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), the heavy-duty hybrid-electric vehicle having a generator, an inverter a propulsion motor, a first energy storage, and a control computer, the method comprising:

enabling a function comprising at least one of a Stop-Start and an Idle-Stop function;

determining a first vehicle propulsion power requirement associated with the speed of the heavy-duty hybrid-electric vehicle;

determining a first energy storage first State Of Charge;

determining whether an override is on;

when the energy storage first State Of Charge is above an energy storage first State Of Charge minimum threshold, turning off the engine if the first vehicle propulsion requirement is below a first vehicle propulsion requirement minimum threshold; and

,

when the energy storage first State Of Charge is below an energy storage first State Of Charge minimum threshold, turning off the engine if the first vehicle propulsion requirement is below a first vehicle propulsion requirement minimum threshold, and the override is on.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating a Warning Indicator if the energy storage first State Of Charge is below an energy storage first State Of Charge minimum threshold, and the override is on.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the turning off the engine comprises turning off a fuel supply to the engine.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the turning off the engine further comprises turning off an ignition to the engine.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the turning off the engine comprises turning off an emission control system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

switching the generator to operate as a motor; and

,

spinning the engine with the generator.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the spinning the engine with the generator comprises driving at least one Power Take-Off accessory.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the spinning the engine with the generator comprises electrically coupling the generator with a high voltage bus.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the electrically coupling the generator with the high voltage bus comprises electrically supplying power from at least one of the energy storage and a braking regeneration energy source.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the first vehicle propulsion power requirement comprises at least one of:

determining whether the heavy-duty hybrid-electric vehicle is decelerating,

determining whether the heavy-duty hybrid-electric vehicle is coming to a stop; and

,

wherein the first vehicle propulsion requirement is below the first vehicle propulsion requirement minimum threshold if at least one of;

the heavy-duty hybrid-electric vehicle is decelerating, and

the heavy-duty hybrid-electric vehicle is coming to a stop.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining the first vehicle propulsion power requirement comprises determining the first vehicle propulsion power requirement from at least one of:

a position location system,

a time history information, and

a route identification system.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a second vehicle propulsion power requirement;

determining an energy storage second State Of Charge;

restarting the engine if the second vehicle propulsion requirement is above a second vehicle propulsion requirement minimum threshold; and

,

restarting the engine if the energy storage second State Of Charge is below an energy storage second State Of Charge minimum threshold, and the override is off.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, to limit oscillations, at least one of:

the first vehicle propulsion requirement minimum threshold is significantly below the second vehicle propulsion requirement minimum threshold, and,

the energy storage second State Of Charge minimum threshold is significantly below the energy storage first State Of Charge minimum threshold.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the energy storage second State Of Charge is below the energy storage second State Of Charge minimum threshold if the energy storage second State Of Charge is less than a minimum operating threshold to sustain an accessory power requirement during at least one of a Stop-Start cycle and a Idle-Stop cycle.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the restarting the engine comprises:

switching the generator to operate as a motor; and

,

spinning the engine with the generator.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy storage comprises a high voltage energy storage.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the high voltage energy storage comprises one or more ultracapacitors.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the control computer is configured to communicate over a control area network (CAN).

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the generator is nominally rated at 650 V with at least 20 kW of power.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the propulsion motor is nominally rated at 650 V with at least 15 kW of power.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the inverter comprises an IGBT high power switching device nominally rated at 650 V with multiple phase.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the heavy-duty hybrid-electric vehicle is a configured as a series hybrid drive.