Method for automatically stopping and restarting an engine powered generator

• US 5,977,646 A
• Filed: 11/26/1997
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Brabec, Ladislaus J., Lenz, Douglas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Nestor
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ponomarenko, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US08/979,902
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 290/40 R, 290/41, 290/40 B, 290/40 E, 290/40 D, 290/51, 62/126, 62/133, 123/179.4, 322/10, 322/11, 322/12
• US Class Current: 290/40.00C
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/04 Control effected upon non-electric prime mover and dependent upon electric output value of the generator
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/08 Control of generator circuit during starting or stopping of driving means, e.g. for initiating excitation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for restarting a generator set following a nuisance shutdown.

Claims

1. A method for automatically reestablishing the supply of electricity by a generator set where the generator set is comprised of a generator driven by an engine, a controller in signal transmitting and receiving relation with the engine, means for sensing a non-running value of a first engine operating parameter, the controller having a memory, the controller being in signal receiving relation with the means for sensing a non-running value of the first engine operating parameter, and means for restarting the engine, the restarting means being in signal receiving relation with the controller;

the method comprising the steps of;

a) pausing for a period of time after the engine has been shut down;

b) after pausing for the period of time, and while the engine is not running, determining if a non-operator initiated engine shutdown has occurred by sensing the non-running value of the first engine operating parameter, transmitting the sensed non-running value to the controller, and the controller comparing the sensed non-running value of the first engine operating parameter to a predetermined acceptable non-running value for the first engine operating parameter stored in the controller memory;

c) if the non-running value of the first engine operating parameter is within an acceptable non-running value for the first engine parameter, automatically restarting the engine by initiating an engine restarting routine comprising the step of sending a signal from the controller to the engine restarting means.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of obtaining the value of a second engine operating parameter after the engine has been restarted;

determining if the second engine parameter is operating within a predetermined acceptable operating range; and

shutting down the engine if the second engine operating parameter is not within the predetermined acceptable operating range for the second engine operating parameter.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second engine operating parameter is engine coolant temperature.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second engine operating parameter is engine speed.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second engine operating parameter is oil pressure.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the second engine operating parameter is battery voltage.

7. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the second engine operating parameter is fuel pressure.

20. The method as claimed in claim 2 including the further step of after restarting the engine, shutting the engine down permanently if during an engine operating time period the number of instances where the second engine operating parameter is outside the predetermined acceptable operating range exceeds a predetermined acceptable number of instances for the engine operating time period.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20 including the additional step of storing an engine shutdown signal in the controller memory when the engine is shutdown, the signal including the time the shutdown occurred and the value of the second engine operating parameter that caused the engine shutdown.

8. A method for restarting a generator set where the generator set is comprised of a generator driven by an engine, a controller in signal transmitting and receiving relation with the engine, means for sensing a non-running value of a first engine operating parameter, the controller having a memory, the controller being in signal receiving relation with the means for sensing a non-running value of the first engine operating parameter, and means for restarting the engine, the restarting means being in signal receiving relation with the controller;

the method comprising the steps of;

a) sensing the running value of a first engine operating parameter while the engine is running;

b) transmitting the sensed running value of the first engine operating parameter from the sensing means to the controller;

c) in the controller, comparing the running value of the first engine operating parameter to a predetermined acceptable value for the first operating parameter;

d) if the running value is outside the predetermined acceptable range for the first engine operating parameter, shutting down the engine by sending a signal from the controller to the engine;

e) after shutting down the engine, pausing for a period of time; and

f) after pausing for a period of time in step e), initiating a non-running pretrip routine comprising the steps of;

sensing a non-running value for a second operating parameter for the engine;

comparing the sensed non-running value of the second operating parameter with a predetermined acceptable non-running value for the second operating parameter;

aborting the non-running pretrip routine if the sensed non-running value for the second engine operating parameter is outside the predetermined acceptable value for the second operating parameter; and

g) initiating an engine restart routine if the sensed non-running value for the second engine operating parameter is within the predetermined acceptable value for the at second operating parameter;

the engine restart routine comprised of the step of sending a start signal from the controller to the engine to restart the engine.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the steps of sensing of status of the second operating parameter after the engine has been restarted to determine if the second operating parameter has returned to a value that is within the predetermined acceptable operating range.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second engine operating parameter is engine coolant temperature.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second engine operating parameter is engine speed.

12. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second engine operating parameter is oil pressure.

13. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second engine operating parameter is battery voltage.

14. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second engine operating parameter is fuel pressure.

22. The method as claimed in claim 8 comprising the additional steps of:

obtaining the value of the second engine operating parameter after the engine has been restarted;

determining if the second engine parameter is operating within a predetermined acceptable operating range; and

shutting down the engine if the second engine operating parameter is not within the predetermined acceptable operating range for the second engine operating parameter.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22 including the further step of after restarting the engine, shutting the engine down permanently if during an engine operating time period the number of instances where the second engine operating parameter is outside the predetermined acceptable operating range exceeds a predetermined acceptable number of instances for the engine operating time period.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23 including the additional step of storing an engine shutdown signal in the controller memory when the engine is shutdown, the signal including the time the shutdown occurred and the value of the second engine operating parameter that caused the engine shutdown.

15. A method for restarting a generator set where the generator set is comprised of a generator;

a prime mover for driving the generator, sensor means for sensing the non-running value of at least one prime mover operating parameter, and a means for stopping and restarting the prime mover;

the generator set further comprising a controller in signal receiving and transmitting relation with the at least one means for stopping and restarting the prime mover, the controller including a controller memory;

the method comprising the following steps;

a) executing a prime mover pretrip diagnostic and startup routine comprised of the following steps;

i) sensing a non-running value for at least one operating parameter for the prime mover;

ii) comparing the sensed non-running value of the at least one operating parameter with a predetermined acceptable non-running value for the at least one operating parameter;

iii) aborting the pretrip routine if the sensed non-running value for the at least one prime mover operating parameter is outside the predetermined acceptable value for the at least one operating parameter; and

iv) initiating the prime mover restart routine if the sensed non-running value for the at least one prime mover operating parameter is within the predetermined acceptable value for the at least one operating parameter.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 including the additional step of transmitting the sensed non-running value of the at least one prime mover operating parameter sensed in step (b) (i)to the controller.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15 including the additional step of displaying an alarm code if the sensed non-running value for the at least one prime mover operating parameter is outside the predetermined acceptable value for the at least one operating parameter.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 including the additional step of storing the alarm code in the controller memory.

19. The method as claimed in claim 15 including the additional step of displaying a PASS, FAIL or CHECK code on the controller.

25. A method for stopping and restarting a generator set where the generator set is comprised of a generator driven by a prime mover;

prime mover sensor means for sensing running and non-running values of prime mover operating parameters;

means for restarting the prime mover;

a controller having a timer, and a memory with a restart routine stored in the controller memory, the controller being in signal receiving relation with the prime mover sensor means and signal transmitting relation with the means for restarting the prime mover;

the method comprising the steps of;

a) after the prime mover has been shutdown, initiating the restart routine;

the restart routine comprising the steps of;

i) comparing a non-running value of a first prime mover operating parameter to a predetermined acceptable range for the first prime mover operating parameter;

ii) terminating the automatic restart routine if the prime mover operating parameter is outside a predetermined acceptable range for the first prime mover operating parameter;

iii) if the non-running value of the first prime mover operating parameter is within the predetermined acceptable range, sending a restart signal from the controller to the prime mover restarting means thereby restarting the engine.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25 comprising the additional steps of:

if the restart routine is terminated, timing a pause interval; and

after the pause interval has expired again initiating the prime mover restart routine.

27. The method as claimed in claim 25 comprising the additional step of manually initiating the restart routine.

28. The method as claimed in claim 25 wherein the prime mover is a diesel engine, the method comprising the additional step of preheating the prime mover before restarting the engine.