ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT

• US 20120089280A1
• Filed: 10/06/2010
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bucyrus International Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Onsager, Michael Gordon, Helfrich, Joseph, Perugini, Dave L., Chmiel, Wayne George, Miller, Peter James
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,845 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/00 Methods, circuits, or devices for controlling the traction-motor speed of electrically-propelled vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00

Abstract

Heavy equipment includes a body, an electrical bus, and working components coupled to the body and powered by electricity conveyed via the electrical bus. The heavy equipment further includes a generator set providing an electrical output to the electrical bus, an energy storage element configured to be coupled to the electrical bus, and a computerized controller coupled to the energy storage element. The computerized controller includes a logic module for coupling the energy storage element to the electrical bus in advance of a predicted increase in demand upon the electrical bus, where the increase in demand is anticipated by the computerized controller as forthcoming based upon extrapolation, at least in part, from data related to a previous operation of the heavy equipment.

Claims

1. Heavy equipment, comprising:

a body;

an electrical bus;

working components coupled to the body and powered by electricity conveyed via the electrical bus;

a generator set providing an electrical output to the electrical bus;

an energy storage element configured to be coupled to the electrical bus; and

a computerized controller coupled to the energy storage element,

wherein the computerized controller comprises a logic module for coupling the energy storage element to the electrical bus in advance of a predicted increase in demand upon the electrical bus, and

wherein the increase in demand is anticipated by the computerized controller as forthcoming based upon extrapolation, at least in part, from data related to a previous operation of the heavy equipment.

2. The heavy equipment of claim 1, wherein the energy storage element supplements the generator set, to maintain a substantially constant voltage on the electrical bus during the increase in demand.

3. The heavy equipment of claim 1, wherein the energy storage element receives energy from the generator set to charge the energy storage element when demand upon the electrical bus is less than the electrical output of the generator set.

4. The heavy equipment of claim 3, wherein the computerized controller decouples the energy storage element from the electrical bus when the energy storage element is fully charged.

5. The heavy equipment of claim 1, wherein the energy storage element comprises an ultra-capacitor.

6. The heavy equipment of claim 1, wherein the data used by the computerized controller for anticipation of the predicted increase in demand comprises data associated with an immediately preceding operation of the heavy equipment.

7. The heavy equipment of claim 1, wherein the heavy equipment is designed to operate in a substantially repetitive cycle, and wherein the data used by the computerized controller for anticipation of the predicted increase in demand comprises data associated with a previous iteration of the substantially repetitive cycle.

8. The heavy equipment of claim 7, wherein the data used by the computerized controller for anticipation of the predicted increase in demand comprises data associated with immediately preceding iterations of the substantially repetitive cycle.

9. Heavy equipment designed to operate in a substantially repetitive cycle, comprising:

a work implement;

a pump;

a linear actuator for operating the work implement and at least partially powered by fluid pressurized by the pump;

a generator set for providing electrical energy as an output for powering the pump;

an electrical bus coupling the generator set and the pump;

a supplemental power source configured to be electrically connected to the electrical bus;

a computerized controller controlling the connection of the supplemental power source to the electrical bus,

wherein the computerized controller comprises a logic module for connecting the supplemental power source to the electrical bus in advance of a predicted heightened loading during the substantially repetitive cycle requiring an increased supply of pressurized fluid from the pump, and

wherein the predicted heightened loading is anticipated by the computerized controller as forthcoming based upon extrapolation, at least in part, from data associated with a previous iteration of the substantially repetitive cycle.

10. The heavy equipment of claim 9, wherein the generator set provides power to the electrical bus at a substantially constant rate regardless of a present loading of the work implement.

11. The heavy equipment of claim 10, wherein the generator set is operated such that the substantially constant rate of power provided by the generator set is insufficient to power the pump for the predicted heightened loading during the substantially repetitive cycle.

12. The heavy equipment of claim 11, wherein the supplemental power source is an energy storage element.

13. The heavy equipment of claim 12, wherein the energy storage element includes an ultra-capacitor.

14. The heavy equipment of claim 12, wherein the energy storage element is electrically decoupled from the electrical bus during at least a portion of the substantially repetitive cycle.

15. The heavy equipment of claim 12, wherein the energy storage element supplements the generator set, to maintain a substantially constant voltage on the electrical bus during the heightened loading.

16. Heavy equipment designed to operate in a substantially repetitive cycle, comprising:

a work implement;

an actuator for operating the work implement;

an electrical bus;

a power source connected to the electrical bus for powering the actuator;

a capacitor configured to be connected to the electrical bus for receiving power from the power source during a portion of the substantially repetitive cycle and for augmenting the power source during another portion of the substantially repetitive cycle;

a computerized controller comprising a logic module for connecting the capacitor to the electrical bus in advance of a predicted demand on the electrical bus, wherein the predicted demand is anticipated by the computerized controller as forthcoming based upon extrapolation, at least in part, from data related to a past operation of the heavy equipment.

17. The heavy equipment of claim 16, wherein the data used by the computerized controller for anticipation of the predicted demand comprises data corresponding a previous iteration of the substantially repetitive cycle.

18. The heavy equipment of claim 16, wherein the data used by the computerized controller for anticipation of the predicted demand comprises data corresponding to an immediately preceding operation of the heavy equipment.

19. The heavy equipment of claim 18, wherein the data used by the computerized controller for anticipation of the predicted demand comprises data corresponding to immediately preceding iterations of the substantially repetitive cycle by the heavy equipment.

20. The heavy equipment of claim 16, wherein connection of the capacitor to the electrical bus in advance of the predicted demand on the electrical bus maintains a substantially constant voltage on the electrical bus during the demand that was predicted.