METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AN OPTIMIZED UTILIZATION OF ENERGY RESOURCES OF AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

• US 20110190963A1
• Filed: 01/25/2011
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Helicopters Deutschland Gmbh (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: Koenemann, Thorsten, Glassl, Matthias, Ennaji, Mustapha, Kreitmair-Steck, Wolfgang
• Granted Patent: US 8,694,180 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2221/00 Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/40 The network being an on-board power network, i.e. within a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/44 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A method for optimized utilization of available energy resources/sources (3) of an electrical system such as for a vehicle generator system. The steps include: determining performance parameters L_Ist (e.g. current I, voltage U, temperature T, power P_D (P_verlust), P_E (P_wirk), efficiency, etc.) of a preferred energy resource (3); entering performance parameters L_Ist (current I, voltage U, temperature T, altitude of the vehicle, etc.) of the energy resource (3) into a thermal model (7); comparing a performance parameter L_Ist of the energy resource (3) with a specified performance limit parameter L_Soll at a specified threshold level; determining a value for an energy reservoir E_Rest of a preferred energy resource (3); and to calculate a remaining time T_Max depending on the energy reservoir E_Rest of a preferred energy resource (3) and using the one or more identified performance parameters L_Ist to maintain an operational state of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for the optimized utilization of available energy resources/sources of an electrical system for a vehicle, in particular of a generator system, which includes the following steps:

determining performance parameters L_Ist (e.g. current I, voltage U, temperature T, power P_D (P_verlust), P_E (P_wirk), efficiency, etc.) of a preferred energy resource of the electrical system;

entering performance parameters L_Ist (current I, voltage U, temperature T, altitude of the vehicle, etc.) of the energy resource into a thermal model;

comparing at least one performance parameter L_Ist of the energy resource with a specified performance limit parameter L_Soll at a specified threshold level of the energy resource;

determining a value for an energy reservoir E_Rest of a preferred energy resource—

using the one or more identified performance parameters L_Ist at the threshold level of the energy resource—

to maintain an operational state of the vehicle or maintain the current utilization by means of additional energy resources;

and to calculate a remaining time T_Max depending on the energy reservoir E_Rest of a preferred energy resource and using the one or more identified performance parameters L_Ist to maintain an operational state of the vehicle;

2. A method for the optimized utilization of available energy resources of an electrical system according to claim 1, wherein at least one further energy resource can additionally be connected to help maintain an operational state of a vehicle if the preferred energy resource either reaches a critical operational state or has already done so for a specific time or fails.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein performance parameters (e.g. current I, voltage U, temperature T, power P_D (P_verlust), P_E (P_wirk), efficiency, etc.) of the connected energy resources are queried from the preferred energy resource to determine its energy reservoir in order to identify the complete capacity utilization of the preferred energy resource.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the calculation of the remaining time T_Max for maintaining an operational state of the vehicle is carried out depending on the utilization by loads of highest priority.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the calculation of the remaining time T_Max for maintaining an operational state of the vehicle is carried out depending on the maximum possible capacity utilization by loads.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein when the performance parameter L_Ist (actual value) exceeds a specified upper limit L_Soll (reference value) of a preferred energy resource and once a critical operational state has been maintained for a specified time period, the prioritized disconnection of devices from the preferred energy resource is carried out.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the threshold levels of the energy reservoir of the connected loads are determined in order to carry out a prioritized disconnection of the loads from the energy resource, depending on a critical or normal operational state of the preferred energy resource.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the thermal model is based on an RC element.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the priority of a load depends on its safety relevance.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the priority of a load depends on its power consumption.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the calculation of a remaining time T_Max for maintaining an operational state of the vehicle is carried out by means of the thermal model, depending on application-specific parameters.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one generator and/or at least one battery is/are used for the preferred energy resource/source.

13. A system for a vehicle for the implementation of a method according to claim 1, wherein the system includes:

at least one energy resource which includes at least one generator and/or one battery,

at least one load as a connected vehicle component,

a measuring device to determine performance parameters L_Ist,

a thermal model to compare and utilize the performance parameters L_Ist,

a display unit to display at least one remaining time T_Max,

a module or memory unit to store the priorities of the loads,

a measuring device to measure the temperature of the energy resource/source and/or the loads,

a switch and control unit as an output survey to connect and disconnect loads,

an energy source control unit to regulate a terminal voltage U of the energy resources and to connect optionally at least one battery to support the generator(s) or for a system-related/electrical adjustment of energy resources that differ from one another,

and at least one calculating device (8) for calculating;

the energy reservoir E_Rest of the energy resources/sources

and the remaining time T_Max.

14. An aircraft and/or a spacecraft equipped with an electrical system according to claim 13.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft or a spacecraft.