HYBRID-VEHICLE POWER GENERATION CONTROL APPARATUS

• US 20140330462A1
• Filed: 12/14/2011
• Published: 11/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Wada, Yasuhiko, Yamasaki, Hisanori, Hatanaka, Keita, Kitanaka, Hidetoshi, Okada, Yuruki
• Granted Patent: US 10,131,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 7/04 Locomotives or motor railcars with two or more different kinds or types of engines, e.g. steam and IC engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/902 Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors

Abstract

A hybrid-vehicle power generator control apparatus includes an integrated control unit that issues a driving command and a control command to an engine control unit and an electric-power conversion system control unit, respectively, based on requested electric power requested by a load apparatus, and a limiter that limits the control command from the integrated control unit such that when rotation frequency of an electric power generator is same as or lower than a predetermined value, the value of torque generated by the electric power generator becomes smaller than the value of torque generated by an engine. A limitation of the control command by the limiter prevents torques of the engine and the electric power generator from stepping out of the stable operating points.

Claims

1. An electric power generator control apparatus comprising:

an electric power generator that is driven by an engine so as to generate AC electric power and supply electric power to a load;

a rotation frequency detector that detects a rotation frequency of the electric power generator;

an electric-power conversion system that performs electric power conversion between the electric power generator and a load apparatus;

an electric-power conversion system control unit that PWM-controls the electric-power conversion system, based on a control command;

an integrated control unit that issues a driving command and the control command to the engine control unit and the electric-power conversion system control unit, respectively, based on requested electric power; and

a limiter that limits the control command from the integrated control unit in such a way that when the rotation frequency of the electric power generator is the same as or lower than a predetermined value, the value of torque generated by the electric power generator becomes smaller than the value of torque generated by the engine.

2. The electric power generator control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving command is a speed command for the engine.

3. The electric power generator control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the engine control unit is provided with an engine torque characteristic map indicating an engine torque characteristic corresponding to the rotation frequency of the engine and controls a fuel injection amount, in accordance with engine torque that is extracted from the engine torque characteristic map, based on the rotation frequency detected by the rotation frequency detector and the driving command.

4. The electric power generator control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the integrated control unit is provided with an electric power generator torque characteristic map indicating an electric power generator torque characteristic corresponding to the rotation frequency of the electric power generator and creates an electric power generator torque command value corresponding to electric power generator torque that is extracted from the electric power generator torque characteristic map, based on the rotation frequency detected by the rotation frequency detector and the requested electric power, and

wherein the electric-power conversion system control unit PWM-controls the electric-power conversion system, based on the electric power generator torque command value created by the integrated control unit.

5. The electric power generator control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the limiter is provided with a limiting characteristic set in such a way that the torque value of the electric power generator corresponding to a predetermined rotation frequency or lower is smaller than the torque value of the engine corresponding to the predetermined rotation frequency or lower and limits the electric power generator torque command value created by the integrated control unit, based on the limiting characteristic.

6. The electric power generator control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the limiting characteristic is set by a straight line that connects the intersection point of a torque value smaller than the maximum torque value in the engine torque characteristic with the electric power generator torque characteristic with a point at which the rotation frequency is lower the predetermined rotation frequency and the electric power generator torque is zero.

7. The electric power generator control apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the engine torque characteristic map is provided with a plurality of engine torque characteristics, and

wherein based on the driving command, the engine control unit selects and utilizes one of the plurality of engine torque characteristics.

8. The electric power generator control apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the electric power generator torque characteristic map is provided with a plurality of electric power generator torque characteristics, and

wherein based on the control command, the electric-power conversion system control unit selects and utilizes one of the plurality of electric power generator torque characteristics.

9. The electric power generator control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the limiter is provided with a plurality of limiting characteristics corresponding to the plurality of electric power generator torque characteristics.

10. The electric power generator control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the limiter is provided with a common engine torque limiting characteristic lying across the plurality of electric power generator torque characteristics and limits the electric power generator torque command value created by the integrated control unit, based on the common engine torque limiting characteristic.

11. The electric power generator control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the driving command issued from the integrated control unit to the engine control unit is a notch command for selecting one of the plurality of engine torque characteristics.