Fuel level measurement and run time interpolation

• US 7,992,433 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2008
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Bennett, Craig L., Ziegler, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Kirkland, III; Freddie
• Application Number:
  US12/105,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20080202599A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 731/145.4, 731/146.9
• US Class Current: 73/114.54
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0625 Fuel consumption, e.g. measured in fuel liters per 100 kms or miles per gallon
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/06 peculiar to engines driving electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/74 for sensing changes in level only at discrete points
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/008 where the other variable is the flight or running time
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7287 Liquid level responsive or maintaining systems

Abstract

At least one aspect of the invention provides an improved fuel sensing system for a generator, in addition, one or more other aspects of the invention provide improved systems and methods for determining remaining run-time of a generator system.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring fuel in a generator system having a fuel tank, the method comprising:

inserting a fuel pickup device and a fuel sensor through an opening in the fuel tank until a rigid bottom end of each of the fuel pickup device and the fuel sensor directly contacts a bottom surface of the fuel tank wherein the fuel pickup device has an inlet, and wherein inserting the fuel pickup device includes positioning the inlet at a fixed height above the bottom surface of the fuel tank; and

measuring a fuel level of the fuel tank using the fuel sensor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a minimum reading of the fuel sensor, and determining a remaining run time of the generator system after the minimum reading has been reached.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising updating the remaining run time of the generator system.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising powering down the generator system prior to a starvation point of the fuel pickup device being reached.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a remaining run time of the generator system based on a quantity of power being supplied by the generator system and a level of fuel in the fuel tank.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the fuel sensor is configured to provide output levels indicative of a plurality of fuel levels in the fuel tank including a first fuel level and a second fuel level, and wherein the method further includes determining fuel levels in the fuel tank between the first fuel level and the second fuel level.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising detecting a minimum reading of the fuel sensor, and determining a remaining run time of the generator system after the minimum reading has been reached.

8. A method for monitoring fuel in a generator system having a fuel tank with a fuel sensor having an output that provides an indication of a level of fuel in the fuel tank including a minimum fuel level reading, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of the minimum fuel level reading in the tank from the fuel sensor, wherein the minimum fuel level reading corresponds to a lowest level of fuel the fuel sensor is configured to measure;

receiving an indication of an output power level of the generator system; and

determining fuel levels in the fuel tank below the minimum fuel level reading.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining a remaining run time of the generator system.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising updating the remaining run time of the generator system.