Systems and methods for diagnosing auxiliary equipment associated with an engine

• US 8,626,371 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2011
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kumar, Ajith, Ramachandrapanicker, Somakumar, Flynn, Paul, Banerjee, Arijit, Mukherjee, Rupam
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US13/234,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20130073126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/29.1, 701/29.4, 701/29.5, 701/29.6, 701/30.2, 701/30.5, 701/30.6, 701/30.7, 701/34.3, 701/34.4, 701/32.9, 701/99, 701/101, 701/102, 701/114, 455/277.1, 455/422.1, 455/562.1, 370/328, 370/329, 370/465, 379/93.06, 379/93.09, 323/208, 340/854.3, 381/315, 414/706, 414/713, 123/406.24, 123/406.26, 123/406.27, 123/406.41, 123/406.42, 123/406.43, 123/435, 123/679, 123/687, 731/145.8, 731/146.2, 731/146.1, 731/147.7, 731/140.2, 731/140.4, 731/141.1, 731/141.5, 731/142.3, 731/145.9, 318/139, 318/254, 318/430, 318/432, 318/400.12
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/50 Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/206 related or induced by the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/288 for performing a transformation into the frequency domain, e.g. Fourier transformation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1004 Estimation of the output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1006 Engine torque losses, e.g. friction or pumping losses or losses caused by external loads of accessories
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/101 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1012 Engine speed gradient
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/24 by using an external load, e.g. a generator
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/06 peculiar to engines driving electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0097 using means for generating speed signals
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1498 measuring engine roughness
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/221 relating to the failure of actuators or electrically driven elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

Diagnosing auxiliary equipment associated with an engine. A condition of the auxiliary equipment is diagnosed based on information provided by signals from a generator operationally connected to the auxiliary equipment or other signals associated with the engine. Different types of degradation are distinguished based on discerning characteristics within the information. Thus, a degraded auxiliary equipment component can be identified in a manner that reduces service induced delay.

Claims

1. A method for auxiliary equipment electrically coupled to a generator that is operationally connected to a reciprocating engine, comprising:

measuring a dc-link parameter associated with the generator during operation using a dc-link sensor; and

diagnosing a condition of the auxiliary equipment based on frequency content of the dc-link parameter using at least a processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the dc-link parameter is a dc-link voltage.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the dc-link parameter is a dc-link current.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reciprocating engine is first driven to a specified operating condition, state, or mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the frequency content of the dc-link parameter is determined by performing a Fourier transform process on the time domain dc-link parameter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the frequency content of the dc-link parameter is determined by performing a band-pass filtering process on the time domain dc-link parameter.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking at least one component of the frequency content as an operating condition, state, or mode of at least one of the reciprocating engine and the auxiliary equipment is varied.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the tracking of the frequency component is accomplished using a phase-locked loop.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the tracking of the frequency component is accomplished using a set of band-pass filters.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising correlating the tracked frequency component to one of the varied reciprocating engine and the varied auxiliary equipment.

11. A method for auxiliary equipment operationally coupled to a rotating shaft of a reciprocating engine, comprising:

measuring a rotating shaft speed of the reciprocating engine during operation using a speed sensor; and

diagnosing a condition of the auxiliary equipment based on frequency content of the shaft speed using at least a processor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the reciprocating engine is first driven to a specified operating condition, state, or mode.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the frequency content of the shaft speed is determined by performing a Fourier transform process on the time domain shaft speed.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the frequency content of the shaft speed is determined by performing a band-pass filtering process on the time domain dc shaft speed.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising tracking at least one component of the frequency content as an operating condition, state, or mode of at least one of the reciprocating engine and the auxiliary equipment is varied.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the tracking of the frequency component is accomplished using a phase-locked loop.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the tracking of the frequency component is accomplished using a set of band-pass filters.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising correlating the tracked frequency component to one of the varied reciprocating engine and the varied auxiliary equipment.

19. A vehicle system, comprising:

a generator;

auxiliary equipment electrically coupled to the generator;

a dc-link sensor for measuring a dc-link parameter associated with the generator during operation; and

a controller including instructions configured to;

sample and transform the measured dc-link parameter;

identify frequency content of the dc-link parameter; and

diagnose a condition of the auxiliary equipment based on the frequency content of the dc-link parameter.

20. The vehicle system of claim 19, wherein the dc-link parameter is a dc-link voltage.

21. The vehicle system of claim 19, wherein the dc-link parameter is a dc-link current.

22. The vehicle system of claim 19, wherein the controller is operable to report a degraded auxiliary equipment condition.

23. The vehicle system of claim 19, wherein the controller further includes instructions configured to adjust an auxiliary equipment operating parameter based on the diagnosed condition.

24. A vehicle system, comprising:

a reciprocating engine having a rotating shaft;

auxiliary equipment operatively coupled to the rotating shaft;

a sensor for measuring a speed of the rotating shaft over time during operation; and

a controller including instructions configured to;

sample and transform the measured speed;

identify frequency content of the speed; and

diagnose a condition of the auxiliary equipment based on the frequency content of the speed.

25. The vehicle system of claim 24, wherein the controller is operable to report a degraded auxiliary equipment condition.

26. The vehicle system of claim 24, wherein the controller further includes instructions configured to adjust an auxiliary equipment operating parameter based on the diagnosed condition.