Managing Efficiency of a Pool of Engine-Driven Electric Generators

• US 20140152007A1
• Filed: 12/05/2012
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DEIF A/S
• Original Assignee: DEIF A/S
• Inventors: Sterregaard, Claes Hll, Christensen, Sren Dahl, Schmidt, Allan
• Application Number:
  US13/705,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20140152007A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/7
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/08 requiring starting of a prime-mover

Abstract

Systems and methods of managing a pool of engine-driven electric generators. An example method may include populating an efficiency database with fuel provided and electrical power output data for each of the engine-driven electric generators in the pool. The method may also include receiving a desired electrical power output from the pool of the engine-driven electric generators. The method may also include adjusting fuel provided to at least one of the engine-driven electric generators in the pool to generate the desired electrical power output using the efficiency database.

Claims

1. A method of managing a pool of engine-driven electric generators, comprising:

populating an efficiency database with fuel provided to an engine and corresponding electrical power output data from each of the engine-driven electric generators in the pool;

receiving a desired electrical power output of the pool of engine-driven electric generators; and

adjusting fuel provided to at least one of the engine-driven electric generators in the pool to generate the desired electrical power output by the pool, using the efficiency database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein populating the efficiency database is done during an initialization operation using predetermined data for the engine-driven electric generators in the pool.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein populating the efficiency database is by dynamic and continuous self-populating during operation of the engine-driven electric generators in the pool.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting fuel provided optimizes efficient operation of the pool of engine-driven electric generators for fuel consumption while still providing the desired power output by the pool within a predetermined range.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a desired electrical power output by the pool is within specified tolerances of the desired electrical power output by the pool.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting fuel provided further comprises:

determining a maximum/minimum value for the desired electrical power output by the pool;

finding a new set point for at least one of the engine-driven electric generators in the pool, the new set point selected within the maximum/minimum value in the efficiency database; and

substituting the new set point from the efficiency database with a current set point operating at least one of the engine-driven electric generators in the pool, when the new set point corresponds to a higher operating efficiency of the pool of engine-driven electric generators than the current set point.

7. A system for managing a pool of engine-driven electric generators, comprising:

an efficiency calculator configured to populate an efficiency database with fuel provided and electrical power output data for efficient operation of the pool of engine-driven electric generators; and

a controller configured to issue a new set point for fuel provided to at least one of the engine-driven electric generators in the pool for efficient operation of the pool while generating the desired electrical power output by the pool.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the efficiency calculator determines the new set point by:

determining maximum/minimum values for the desired electrical power output by the pool;

finding the new set point within the maximum/minimum value in the efficiency database.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller adjusts fuel provided to the at least one of the engine-driven electric generators in the pool by:

substituting the new set point from the efficiency database with a current set point operating the engine-driven electric generator, when the new set point corresponds to a higher operating efficiency of the pool of engine-driven electric generators than the current set point.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the efficiency calculator determines the set point on a substantially continuous basis during operation of the engine-driven electric generators in the pool.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising a digital engine control unit or an analog transmitter to provide the fuel data for the efficiency database.

12. The system of claim 7, further comprising an electrical metering device to provide the electrical power output data for the efficiency database.

13. The system of claim 7, further comprising a stability calculator employing an averaging algorithm to accommodate variable efficiencies during accelerating and decelerating the engine-driven electric generators in the pool.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the stability calculator waits for an efficiency reading to stabilize before determining an efficiency reading is valid for the efficiency database when values are changing.

15. The system of claim 7, further comprising a regulator to control generating the desired electrical power output by the pool.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a limit control on the regulator to maintain generating the desired electrical power output by the pool within an acceptable range specified by an operator.

17. A system for managing a pool of engine-driven electric generators, comprising:

means for storing fuel data and electrical power output data for the engine-driven electric generators in the pool;

means for receiving a desired electrical power output of the pool of engine-driven electric generators; and

means for using the efficiency database to dynamically adjust fuel provided to generate the desired electrical power output while optimizing fuel efficiency of the pool of engine-driven electric generators.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for determining a new set point of at least one of the engine-driven electric generators in the pool to optimize fuel efficiency of the pool of engine-driven electric generators.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for finding a new set point of at least one of the engine-driven electric generators in the pool, the new set point selected within a maximum/minimum value in the efficiency database, the new set point optimizing fuel efficiency of the pool of engine-driven electric generators.

20. The system of claim 17, means for substituting a new set point from the efficiency database with a current set point operating at least one of the engine-driven electric generators in the pool, wherein the new set point corresponds to a higher operating efficiency of the pool of engine-driven electric generators than the current set point.