Systems and methods for haul road management based on greenhouse gas emissions

• US 8,090,560 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Greiner, Jonny Ray, Liu, Yang, Vyas, Bhavin Jagdishbhal
• Primary Examiner(s): Craig, Dwin M
• Application Number:
  US12/002,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20090154992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 703/1, 703/6, 703/7, 703/8, 705/317
• US Class Current: 703/8
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2054 Fleet management
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/262 with follow-up actions to control the work tool, e.g. controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/84 Greenhouse gas [GHG] management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/845 Inventory and reporting systems for greenhouse gases [GHG]

Abstract

A method for haul road design based on greenhouse gas emissions comprises receiving a first set of performance data associated with a plurality of machines and establishing a greenhouse gas emission limit for the plurality of machines based on the first set of performance data. A target greenhouse gas emission level for each of the plurality of machines is determined based on the greenhouse gas emission limit, and total effective grade is determined based on the target greenhouse gas emission level for the respective machine. The method also includes generating a haul road design based on the total effective grade.

Claims

1. A method for haul road design based on greenhouse gas emissions, the method comprising:

receiving, using a computer system, a first set of performance data associated with a plurality of machines;

establishing a greenhouse gas emission limit for the plurality of machines based on the first set of performance data;

determining a target greenhouse gas emission level for each of the plurality of machines based on the greenhouse gas emission limit;

determining, using the computer system, a total effective grade based on the target greenhouse gas emission level for a respective machine; and

generating, using the computer system, a haul road design based on the total effective grade.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

collecting a second set of performance data associated with the plurality of machines;

determining an actual greenhouse gas emission level for the plurality of machines based on the second set of performance data;

analyzing the actual greenhouse gas emission level for the plurality of machines based on the greenhouse gas emission limit; and

reporting results of the analysis to a subscriber.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first set of performance data includes historical performance data and the second set of performance data includes data gathered during operation of the plurality of machines on a haul road constructed based on the haul road design.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein reporting results of the analysis includes:

calculating an amount of greenhouse gas credits generated by the plurality of machines if the actual greenhouse gas emission level is less than the greenhouse gas emission limit; and

generating an application for validation of the amount of greenhouse gas credits.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein reporting results of the analysis includes determining an amount of greenhouse gas credits required by the plurality of machines to conform to the greenhouse gas emission limit if the actual greenhouse gas emission level is not less than the greenhouse gas emission limit.

6. The method of claim 5, further including adjusting at least one of a haul road design parameter and a machine operating parameter if the actual greenhouse gas emission level is not less than the greenhouse gas emission limit.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the haul road design parameter includes one or more of an actual grade of the haul road, a rolling resistance of the haul road, a surface friction of the haul road, and a surface density of the haul road.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the machine operating parameter includes one or more of a machine groundspeed, a payload limit, an engine speed, and a fuel consumption rate.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the total effective grade includes simulating, using the computer system, performance of the respective machine to determine the total effective grade resulting in the target greenhouse gas emission level.

10. A method for haul road management based on greenhouse gas emissions, the method comprising:

receiving, using a computer system, performance data associated with at least one machine operating on a haul road;

determining a greenhouse gas emission level associated with the at least one machine based on the performance data;

comparing the greenhouse gas emission level associated with the at least one machine with a greenhouse gas emission limit;

simulating, using the computer system, performance of the at least one machine at a plurality of total effective grade values if the greenhouse gas emission level is greater than the greenhouse gas emission limit;

selecting a total effective grade value associated with the at least one machine based on the simulated performance; and

adjusting, using the computer system, at least one haul road management parameter based on the selected total effective grade value.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein adjusting the at least one haul road management parameter includes adjusting an operating parameter associated with the at least one machine.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the operating parameter associated with the at least one machine includes one or more of a machine groundspeed, a payload limit, an engine speed, and a fuel consumption rate.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein adjusting the at least one haul road management parameter includes adjusting a rolling resistance associated with the haul road.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein adjusting the rolling resistance associated with the haul road includes adjusting one or more of an actual grade of the haul road, a surface friction of the haul road, and a surface density of the haul road.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the greenhouse gas emission level for the at least one machine includes:

monitoring an instantaneous greenhouse gas emission level for the at least one machine at a plurality of intervals along the haul road;

comparing the instantaneous greenhouse gas emission level associated with each interval with a threshold level for the respective interval;

identifying, if the instantaneous greenhouse gas emission level exceeds a corresponding threshold instantaneous greenhouse gas emission level during an interval, a location of the haul road corresponding to the interval.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein adjusting the at least one haul road management parameter includes adjusting a rolling resistance associated with the identified location of the haul road.

17. The method of claim 10, further including:

determining an amount of greenhouse gas credits generated by the plurality of machines if the greenhouse gas emission level is less than the greenhouse gas emission limit; and

generating a report indicative of the determination of the amount of greenhouse gas credits generated by the plurality of machines.

18. The method of claim 17, further including:

determining an amount of greenhouse gas credits required by the plurality of machines to conform to the greenhouse gas emission limit if the greenhouse gas emission level is not less than the greenhouse gas emission limit; and

generating a report indicative of the determination of the amount of greenhouse gas credits required by the plurality of machines.

19. A computer-readable medium for use on a computer system, the computer-readable medium including computer-executable instructions for performing a method for managing machine payload based on haul road conditions, the method comprising:

receiving performance data associated with at least one machine operating on a haul road;

determining a greenhouse gas emission level for the at least one machine based on the performance data;

comparing the greenhouse gas emission level for the at least one machine with a greenhouse gas emission limit;

simulating performance of the at least one machine at a plurality of total effective grade values if the greenhouse gas emission level is greater than the greenhouse gas emission limit;

selecting a total effective grade value associated with the at least one machine based on the simulated performance; and

adjusting at least one haul road management parameter based on the selected total effective grade value.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein adjusting the at least one haul road management parameter includes adjusting an operating parameter associated with the at least one machine.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the operating parameter associated with the at least one machine includes one or more of a machine groundspeed, a payload limit, an engine speed, and a fuel consumption rate.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein adjusting the at least one haul road management parameter includes adjusting a rolling resistance associated with the haul road.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein adjusting the rolling resistance associated with the haul road includes adjusting one or more of an actual grade of the haul road, a surface friction of the haul road, and a surface density of the haul road.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein determining the greenhouse gas emission level for the at least one machine includes:

monitoring an instantaneous greenhouse gas emission level for the at least one machine at a plurality of intervals along the haul road;

comparing the instantaneous greenhouse gas emission level associated with each interval with a corresponding threshold instantaneous greenhouse gas emission level for the respective interval;

identifying, if the instantaneous greenhouse gas emission level exceeds a corresponding threshold instantaneous greenhouse gas emission level during an interval, a location of the haul road corresponding to the interval.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein adjusting the at least one haul road management parameter includes adjusting a rolling resistance associated with the identified location of the haul road.