Method & Apparatus for Improving Fuel Efficiency of Mass-Transit Vehicles
First Claim
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1. A control system to partially bypass a regulator/rectifier of an internal-combustion vehicle, comprising:
- means for altering a normal rate of conversion of mechanical to electrical energy in the vehicle; and
control logic to increase the rate of conversion in a first situation and to decrease the rate of conversion in a second situation.
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Abstract
Vehicles (and particularly mass-transit vehicles) that are powered by internal-combustion engines can realize fuel savings and reduce greenhouse gas and waste heat emissions by moving some of the load of generating electricity for the vehicle'"'"'s systems to different times in the vehicle'"'"'s operation. During periods of heavy engine load (e.g., acceleration and hill-climbing) electrical generation may be reduced. During periods of light load, braking, hill-descending and other conversions of kinetic energy to heat, electrical generation may be increased.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A control system to partially bypass a regulator/rectifier of an internal-combustion vehicle, comprising:
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means for altering a normal rate of conversion of mechanical to electrical energy in the vehicle; and control logic to increase the rate of conversion in a first situation and to decrease the rate of conversion in a second situation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A charging control system to replace a voltage regulator in an internal-combustion vehicle, comprising:
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a sensor to sense a condition on the vehicle; and control logic to set a rate of charging of batteries in the vehicle according to data from the sensor, wherein the rate of charging is increased when the sensor indicates that the vehicle is slowing or descending without accelerating; and the rate of charging is decreased when the sensor indicates that the vehicle is accelerating or ascending. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for improving fuel efficiency of a mass-transit vehicle, comprising:
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a lithium-chemistry battery pack to replace a lead-acid battery pack of the vehicle; a control unit to receive information from at least one legacy sensor of the vehicle and at least one add-on sensor of the system; and an indicator to be installed within a field of view of an operator of the vehicle, wherein the control unit is to increase a rate of conversion of mechanical energy to electrical energy by increasing a current supplied to a field coil of an alternator of the vehicle when the control unit receives information that the vehicle is slowing clown; the control unit is to decrease the rate of conversion by decreasing the current supplied to the field coil of the alternator when the control unit receives information that the vehicle is accelerating; and the control unit is to display an estimated fuel savings on the indicator. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification