Method, apparatus, signals and media, for selecting operating conditions of a genset

• US 8,655,570 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2012
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Hybrid Technologies, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management)
• Inventors: Liu, Wei, Bouchon, Nicolas Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Figueroa, Jaime
• Application Number:
  US13/674,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20130066503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/99, 290/40.R, 290/40.A, 290/40.B, 290/40.C, 903/902, 903/903, 903/905, 903/906, 180/65.1, 180/65.21, 180/65.28, 180/65.285, 700/287
• US Class Current: 701/99
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/10 using propulsion power supplied by engine-driven generators, e.g. generators driven by combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/30 using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/24 including control of energy storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/11 using model predictive control [MPC] strategies, i.e. control methods based on models predicting performance utilising navigation and traffic information in the control strategy B60W20/12
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/16 for reducing engine exhaust emissions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/06 : Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 : Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 11/00 : Monitoring or diagnostic devices for exhaust-gas treatment apparatus , e.g. for catalytic activity safety, indicating or supervising devices for internal combustion engines F02B77/08; testing of machines G01M13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 13/00 : Apparatus for measuring by volume and delivering fluids or fluent solid materials, not provided for in the preceding groups
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 19/00 : Investigating materials by mechanical methods G01N3/00 - G01N17/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/00 : Digital computers in general details G06F1/00 – G06F13/00; Data processing equipment in general
• 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: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/902 : Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/905 : Combustion engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/906 : Motor or generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

An apparatus for selecting operating conditions of a genset, the apparatus including a processor circuit configured to select a set of operating points from a plurality of operating points of the genset each comprising an engine speed in a generator electrical output value and a plurality of cost values associated with operating the genset at respective operating points such that the sum of the cost values associated with the operating points in said set is minimized and such that the engine speed increases or decreases monotonically with monotonically increasing or decreasing electrical power output values.

Claims

1. An apparatus for selecting operating conditions of a genset comprising an engine coupled to an electrical power generator, the apparatus comprising:

a processor circuit configured to select a set of operating points from a plurality of operating points of the genset, each operating point comprising an engine speed value and a generator electrical power value, the set of operating points being selected such that a sum of cost values associated with the operating points in said set is minimized and such that the engine speed increases or decreases monotonically with monotonically increasing or decreasing electrical power output values.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to assign a weight to each of the power output values such that cost values corresponding to more frequently demanded power outputs are assigned a greater weight in said sum of cost values than cost values corresponding to less frequently demanded electrical power output values.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to assign greater weight to electrical power output values proximate a midpoint of a range of power outputs that the generator is capable of supplying.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to generate a record of received demands for power outputs during operation of the genset over a period of time and to assign greater weight to more frequently used power output values.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to update said weights while operating the genset and to select a new set of operating points when said weights have been updated.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to receive a demand to supply power at a demanded power output value and to operate the genset at an operating point in said set of operating points corresponding to said demanded power output value.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the genset is used to generate electrical energy for use in a hybrid vehicle and wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to receive a demand to supply power to at least one of a drive motor, a charger operable to charge a storage element, and an accessory associated with the hybrid vehicle.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to:

successively apply a dynamic programming algorithm to select sets of operating points at successive power output values within a range of power outputs the generator is capable of supplying; and

select a set of operating points corresponding to a last power output value in said range as said set of operating points for said genset.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to:

produce a first plurality of sums of cost values at a first power output value;

memoize a result of at least one of said first plurality of said sums; and

use at least some of said memoized results for producing a further sum of cost values at a subsequent power output value.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to locate a minimum cost value at each power output value and to apply said dynamic programming algorithm to first produce said sums of cost values corresponding to said minimum cost value at each successive power output value.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to receive a plurality of cost values.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to produce said plurality of cost values by:

assigning weights to each of a plurality of operating conditions associated with operating the genset, said weights representing a desired trade-off between said plurality of operating conditions;

receiving operating condition values corresponding to each of the plurality of operating conditions, said operating condition values associated with operating the genset at each of a plurality of operating points, said operating points each comprising an engine speed value and a generator electrical power output value, at least one generator electrical power output value having more than one possible operating point; and

combining said operating condition values in accordance with said weights for each respective operating point to produce the cost values for each operating point.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to select a new set of operating points in response to receiving said plurality of cost values.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said processor circuit is operably configured to select said set of genset operating points prior to operating the genset.

15. A method for selecting optimal operating conditions of a genset comprising an engine coupled to an electrical power generator, the method comprising:

selecting a set of operating points from a plurality of operating points of the genset, each operating point comprising an engine speed value and a generator electrical power value, the set of operating points being selected such that the sum of cost values associated with the operating points in said set is minimized such that the engine speed increases or decreases monotonically with monotonically increasing or decreasing electrical power output values.

16. The method of claim 15 further including assigning a weight to each of the power output values such that cost values corresponding to more frequently demanded power outputs are assigned a greater weight in said sum of cost values than cost values corresponding to less frequently demanded electrical power output values.

17. The method of claim 16 further including assigning greater weight to electrical power output values proximate a midpoint of a range of power outputs that the generator is capable of supplying.

18. The method of claim 16 further including generating a record of received demands for power outputs during operation of the genset over a period of time and assigning greater weight to more frequently used power output values.

19. The method of claim 18 further including updating said weights while operating the genset and selecting a new set of operating points when said weights have been updated.

20. The method of claim 15 further including receiving a demand to supply power at a demanded power output value and operating the genset at an operating point in said set of operating points corresponding to said demanded power output value.

21. The method of claim 20 further including using the genset to generate electrical energy for use in a hybrid vehicle and receiving a demand to supply power to at least one of a drive motor, a charger operable to charge a storage element, and an accessory associated with the hybrid vehicle.

22. The method of claim 15 further including:

successively applying a dynamic programming algorithm to select sets of operating points at successive power output values within a range of power output values the generator is capable of supplying; and

selecting a set of operating points corresponding to a last power output value in said range as said minimized set of operating points for said genset.

23. The method of claim 22 further including:

producing a first plurality of sums of cost values at a first power output value;

memoizing a result of at least one of said first plurality of said sums; and

using at least some of said memoized results for producing a further sum of cost values at a subsequent power output value.

24. The method of claim 23 further including locating a minimum cost value at each power output value and applying said dynamic programming algorithm to first produce said sums of cost values corresponding to said minimum cost value at each successive power output value.

25. The method of claim 15 further including receiving a plurality of cost values.

26. The method of claim 25 further including producing said plurality of cost values by:

assigning weights to each of a plurality of operating conditions associated with operating the genset, said weights representing a desired trade-off between said plurality of operating conditions;

receiving operating condition values corresponding to each of the plurality of operating conditions, said operating condition values associated with operating the genset at each of a plurality of operating points, said operating points each comprising an engine speed value and a generator electrical power output value, at least one generator electrical power output value having more than one possible operating point; and

combining said operating condition values in accordance with said weights for each respective operating point to produce the cost values for each operating point.

27. The method of claim 25 further including selecting a new set of operating points in response to receiving said plurality of cost values.

28. The method of claim 15 further including selecting said set of genset operating points prior to operating the genset.