Power management under limited power conditions

• US 6,633,802 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2001
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Bradford, Michael P., Sodoski, Anthony F., Hamilton, Bruce S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US09/800,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20020128759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 307/29, 307/39, 307/64, 307/66, 307/84, 307/85, 307/65, 307/57, 307/76, 307/31, 307/153, 307/154, 361/20, 361/25, 322/28, 322/33, 322/8, 322/34, 322/37, 322/67, 364/492
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/36 with automatic control superimposed, e.g. to prevent excessive motor current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/44 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/0073 for providing alternative feeding paths between load and source when the main path fails, e.g. transformers, busbars
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

A vehicle power system includes a multiple of electrical generators which provide power for vehicle electrical systems or loads through an electrical load management center which communicates with a general purpose processor set such that the power supplied to each electrical load may be individually controlled. A display communicates with the GPPS to present an electrical system status screen to the vehicle crew such that the crew is constantly made aware of the prevailing electrical power conditions in a rapid and efficient manner. During a drastically reduced generator situation, the GPPS automatically disconnects loads via a predefined load shed priority list. Once electrical loads are disconnected via the predefined load shed priority list the crew can reactivate and deactivate selected systems for the current mission circumstances through a load recovery screen accessible through the display.

Claims

1. A power system for a vehicle having a multiple of generators, said system comprising:

a database including a generator rating algorithm;

a controller for determining an actual load applied to each generator, and an allowable load for each generator in relation to said generator rating algorithm;

a display for displaying said actual load and said allowable load for each generator, said display displaying a plurality of user selectable electrical loads to be shed; and

said controller operable to add at least one user selectable electrical load from said plurality of displayed user selectable electrical loads to be shed to a shed total when selected by a user, and activating at least one user selected electrical loads to be recovered which comprise a recover total if said shed total is at least equal to said recover total.

2. The power system as recited in claim 1, wherein said generator rating algorithm includes a look-up table to determine said allowable load for each generator.

3. The power system as recited in claim 1, wherein said generator rating algorithm includes a relationship between a temperature and a pressure of a cooling fluid to determine said allowable load.

4. The power system as recited in claim 1, wherein said database includes a predetermined load shed list such that each load in said predetermined load shed list is shed individually in an order determined by said predetermined load shed list.

5. The power system as recited in claim 1, wherein said display includes a recover screen displaying a shed list and a recover list.

6. The power system as recited in claim 5, wherein each load within said shed list and each load within said recover list is individually selectable.

7. The power system as recited in claim 6, further including a recover load switch, said recover screen includes a shed total of loads selected to be shed and a recover total of loads selected to be recovered, said recover load switch being activatable if said shed total is at least equal to said recover total.

8. The power system as recited in claim 6, wherein said recover screen includes a shed total of loads selected to be shed and a recover total of loads selected to be recovered.

9. The power system as recited in claim 8, wherein said shed total includes an unused capacity defined by subtracting said actual load from said allowable load.

10. The power system as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one user selected electrical load to be shed which comprise said shed total are deactivated simultaneous with activation of said at least one user selected electrical load to be recovered which comprise said recover total upon activation of a recover load switch.

11. The power system as recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of user selectable electrical loads to be shed are displaced as a list.

12. A method of controlling loads to a power system for a vehicle having a multiple of generators comprising the steps of

(1) determining an actual load applied to each generator;

(2) determining an allowable load for each generator;

(3) displaying said actual load and said allowable load for each generator;

(4) displaying a plurality of user selectable electrical loads to be shed;

(5) determining a shed total by summing at least one of the user selectable electrical loads selected from the plurality of user selectable loads displayed in said step (4); and

(6) activating at least one user selected electrical load to be recovered which comprise a recover total if the shed total determined in said step (5) is at least equal to the recover total.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein said step 1 includes communicating with an electronic load management center having a plurality of solid state power controllers, each of said solid state power controllers supplying power to an electrical load.

14. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein said step 2 includes calculating said allowable load in response to a generator rating algorithm relating generator operating characteristics.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein said generator operating characteristics include a cooling fluid pressure and a cooling fluid temperature.

16. A method as recited in claim 12, further including the step of shedding a multiple of electrical loads according to a predetermined load shed list such that each load is shed individually in an order determined by said list in response to a reduced generator capacity condition.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, further including the step of redistributing said allowable electrical load during said reduced generator capacity condition including the steps of:

(1) selecting particular electrical loads to be recovered;

(2) selecting particular electrical loads to be shed; and

(3) activating said particular electrical loads to be recovered and deactivating said particular electrical loads to be shed if a shed total of said particular electrical loads to be shed is at least equal to a recover total of said particular electrical loads to be recovered.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein said shed total includes an unused capacity of said generator during said reduced generator capacity condition.

19. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein said step (6) further comprising the step of:

activating a recover load switch; and

deactivating the at least electrical loads to be shed as selected in said step (4) which comprise the shed total simultaneous with activating the at least one user selected electrical loads in be recovered which comprise the recover total if the shed total is at least equal to the recover total.

20. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein said step (4) further comprises displaying said plurality of user selectable electrical loads to be shed as a list.

21. A method of redistributing loads to a power system for a vehicle having a multiple of generators during a reduced generator capacity condition, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) shedding a multiple of electrical loads according to a predetermined load shed list such that each load is shed individually in an order determined by said list in response to the reduced generator capacity condition;

(2) selecting at least one user selectable electrical load to be recovered;

(3) selecting at least one user selectable electrical load to be shed; and

(4) activating said particular electrical loads to be recovered and deactivating said particular electrical loads to be shed if a shed total of said user selected electrical loads to be shed is at least equal to a recover total of said user selected electrical loads to be recovered.

22. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein said shed total includes an unused capacity of said generator during said reduced generator capacity condition.

23. A method as recited in claim 21, further including the step of calculating an allowable load for each operating generator during said reduced generator capacity condition in response to a generator rating algorithm relating a multiple of generator operating characteristics.

24. A method as recited in claim 23, wherein said generator operating characteristics include a cooling fluid pressure and a cooling fluid temperature.

25. A power system for a vehicle having a multiple of generators, said system comprising:

a database comprising a generator rating algorithm, said database comprising a k predetermined load shed list such that each load in said predetermined load shed list is shed individually in an order determined by said predetermined load shed list;

a controller for determining an actual load applied to each generator, and an allowable load for each generator in relation to said generator rating algorithm; and

a display for displaying said actual load and said allowable load for each generator.

26. A power system for a vehicle having a multiple of generators, said system comprising:

a database comprising a generator rating algorithm;

a controller for determining an actual load applied to each generator, and an allowable load for each generator in relation to said generator rating algorithm; and

a display for displaying said actual load and said allowable load for each generator, said display comprising a recover screen displaying a shed list and a recover list.

27. A method of controlling loads to a power system for a vehicle having a multiple of generators comprising the steps of:

(1) determining an actual load applied to each generator;

(2) determining an allowable load for each generator;

(3) displaying said actual load and said allowable load for each generator; and

(4) shedding a multiple of electrical loads according to a predetermined load shed list such that each load is shed individually in an order determined by said list in response to a reduced generator capacity condition.

28. A method of redistributing loads to a power system for a vehicle having a multiple of generators during a reduced generator capacity condition, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) shedding a multiple of electrical loads according to a predetermined load shed list such that each load is shed individually in an order determined by said list in response to the reduced generator capacity condition;

(2) selecting particular electrical loads to be recovered;

(3) selecting particular electrical loads to be shed; and

(4) activating said particular electrical loads to be recovered and deactivating said particular electrical loads to be shed if a shed total of said particular electrical loads to be shed is at least equal to a recover total of said particular electrical loads to be recovered, said shed total includes an unused capacity of said generator during said reduced generator capacity condition.

29. A method of redistributing loads to a power system for a vehicle having a multiple of generators during a reduced generator capacity condition, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) shedding a multiple of electrical loads according to a predetermined load shed list such that each load is shed individually in an order determined by said list in response to the reduced generator capacity condition;

(2) selecting particular electrical loads to be recovered;

(3) selecting particular electrical loads to be shed; and

(5) activating said particular electrical loads to be recovered and deactivating said particular electrical loads to be shed if a shed total of said particular electrical loads to be shed is at least equal to a recover total of said particular electrical loads to be recovered; and

(5) calculating an allowable load for each operating generator during said reduced generator capacity condition in response to a generator rating algorithm relating a multiple of generator operating characteristics.