Real-time efficiency monitoring for marine vessel

• US 20100106350A1
• Filed: 10/27/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Glacier Bay Incorporated (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Glacier Bay Incorporated (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Alston, Gerald Allen
• Application Number:
  US12/588,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20100106350A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/21
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 79/10 using sensors, e.g. pressure sensors, strain gauges or accelerometers
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 79/30 for diagnosing, testing or predicting the integrity or performance of vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 23/24 electric dynamo-electric machines H02K
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/203 Specially adapted for sailing ships
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/008 where the other variable is the flight or running time
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/023 with electric, electro-mechanic or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 70/00 Maritime or waterways transport
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 70/10 Measures concerning design or construction of watercraft hulls

Abstract

A propulsion system for a marine vessel comprising an engine driving a generator for supplying electrical power to a propulsion motor, an operator display, a fuel consumption sensor, a vessel position sensor, a vessel speed sensor, and a controller configured to receive inputs from the fuel consumption, vessel position and vessel speed sensors and calculate the vessel'"'"'s efficiency through water and efficiency over land, wherein both efficiency values are displayed on the operator display as volume of fuel consumed per distance traveled (over land or through the water).

Claims

1. A propulsion system for a marine vessel comprising:

an engine driving a generator for supplying electrical power to a propulsion motor;

an operator display;

a fuel consumption sensor;

a vessel position sensor;

a vessel speed sensor; and

a controller configured to receive inputs from the fuel consumption, vessel position and vessel speed sensors and calculate the vessel'"'"'s efficiency through water and efficiency over land, wherein both efficiency values are displayed on the operator display as volume of fuel consumed per distance traveled (over land or through the water).

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a generator electrical load sensor and wherein the controller is configured to calculate the fuel consumption per unit of electrical power generated by the generator, wherein the calculated fuel consumption value is displayed on the operator display.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the fuel consumption per hour, wherein the fuel consumption value is displayed on the operator display.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fuel tank level sensor.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the distance over land remaining before the fuel tank is empty, wherein the distance remaining is displayed on the operator display.

6. The system of claim 4, further comprising a GPS based navigation system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the fuel required to destination and wherein the required fuel is displayed on the operator display.