Engine control system for mobile machine

• US 9,151,237 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2013
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Montgomery, Curtis W., Melas, Dennis J., Silvers, Brad S.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, HAI H
• Application Number:
  US13/908,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20140358401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 123/41.01, 123/41.02, 123/41.05, 123/41.15, 123/196.S, 123/198.D, 701/107
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/021 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/024 Fluid pressure of lubricating oil or working fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/02 on interior conditions
• 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: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A control system is provided for use with an engine. The control system may have a coolant pressure sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a pressure of coolant circulating through the engine, and an oil pressure sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a pressure of oil circulating through the engine. The control system may also have a controller in communication with the coolant and oil pressure sensors. The controller may be configured to determine functionality of the coolant and oil pressure sensors during operation of the engine, and to selectively allow operation of the engine in a semi-protected mode when the coolant pressure sensor or the oil pressure sensor is determined to be non-functional.

Claims

1. A control system for an engine, comprising:

a coolant pressure sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a pressure of coolant circulating through the engine;

an oil pressure sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a pressure of oil circulating through the engine; and

a controller in communication with the coolant and oil pressure sensors and configured to;

determine functionality of the coolant and oil pressure sensors during operation of the engine; and

selectively allow operation of the engine in a semi-protected mode when the coolant pressure sensor or the oil pressure sensor is determined to be non-functional.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein:

the controller is further configured to track an amount of time elapsed since determining that the coolant pressure sensor or the oil pressure sensor is non-functional; and

the controller is configured to allow operation of the engine in the semi-protected mode only as long as the amount of elapsed time is less than a threshold time period.

3. The control system of claim 2, wherein the threshold time period is a time period sufficient to allow a mobile machine in which the engine is installed to move to a service location.

4. The control system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the engine to shut down when the amount of elapsed time is about equal to the threshold time period.

5. The control system of claim 2, further including an oil temperature sensor configured to generate a third signal indicative of a temperature of the oil circulating through the engine, wherein the controller is further configured to:

compare the pressure of the coolant to a threshold pressure value;

determine functionality of the oil temperature sensor; and

selectively regulate a load on the engine based directly on the third signal when the pressure of the coolant is less than the threshold pressure value.

6. The control system of claim 5, further including a coolant level sensor configured to generate a fourth signal indicative of an amount of coolant available to circulate through the engine, wherein the controller is configured to selectively regulate the load on the engine based directly on the third signal only when the fourth signal indicates the amount of available coolant is greater than a threshold amount.

7. The control system of claim 6, wherein:

the coolant level sensor is first coolant level sensor;

the control system further includes a second coolant level sensor generate a fifth signal indicative of the amount of coolant available to circulate through the engine; and

the controller is configured to selectively regulate the load on the engine based directly on the third signal only when both the fourth and fifth signals indicate the amount of available coolant is greater than a threshold amount.

8. The control system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to cause immediate shutdown of the engine when the coolant level sensor is determined to be non-functioning or when the fourth signal indicates an amount of available coolant less than the threshold amount.

9. The control system of claim 5, further including a coolant temperature sensor configured to generate a fourth signal indicative of a temperature of coolant circulating through the engine, wherein the controller is further configured to cause immediate shutdown of the engine when a difference between the temperature of the coolant and the temperature of the oil exceeds a threshold difference value.

10. The control system of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to selectively regulate a load on the engine based directly on the third signal only when the pressure of the coolant is less than the threshold pressure value for at least a threshold period of time.

11. The control system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to selectively regulate a load on the engine based on an operator requested speed when the pressure of the coolant is less than the threshold pressure for a period of time less than the threshold period of time.

12. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to cause immediate shutdown of the engine when the pressure of the oil circulating through the engine is less than a threshold pressure value.

13. The control system of claim 1, further including an oil temperature sensor configured to generate a third signal indicative of a temperature of the oil circulating through the engine, wherein the controller is configured to cause immediate shutdown of the engine when the third signal indicates the temperature of the oil is about equal to or greater than a maximum temperature threshold value.

14. A method of controlling an engine, comprising:

sensing a pressure of coolant circulated through the engine during operation with a coolant pressure sensor;

sensing a pressure of oil circulated through the engine during operation with an oil pressure sensor;

determining functionality of the coolant and oil pressure sensors during operation of the engine; and

selectively allowing operation of the engine in a semi-protected mode when the coolant pressure sensor or the oil pressure sensor is determined to be non-functional.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

further including tracking an amount of time elapsed since determining that the coolant pressure sensor or the oil pressure sensor is non-functional; and

selectively allowing operation of the engine in the semi-protected mode includes allowing operation of the engine in the semi-protected mode only as long as the amount of elapsed time is less than a threshold time period.

16. The method of claim 15, further including causing the engine to shut down when the amount of elapsed time is about equal to the threshold time period.

17. The method of claim 15, further including:

sensing a temperature of the oil circulating through the engine during operation with an oil temperature sensor;

comparing the pressure of the coolant to a threshold pressure value;

determining functionality of the oil temperature sensor; and

selectively regulating a load on the engine based directly on the temperature of the oil when the pressure of the coolant is less than the threshold pressure.

18. The method of claim 17, further including sensing an amount of coolant available to circulate through the engine, wherein selectively regulating the load on the engine includes selectively regulating the load on the engine only when the amount of available coolant is greater than a threshold amount.

19. The method of claim 18, further including causing immediate shutdown of the engine when the amount of available coolant is less than the threshold amount.

20. The method of claim 17, further including:

sensing a temperature of the coolant circulating through the engine; and

causing immediate shutdown of the engine when a difference between the temperature of the coolant and the temperature of the oil exceeds a threshold difference value.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein selectively regulating the load on the engine based directly on the temperature of the oil includes selectively regulating the load on the engine only when the pressure of the coolant is less than the threshold pressure for at least a threshold period of time.

22. The method of claim 21, further including selectively regulating the load on the engine based on an operator requested speed when the pressure of the coolant is less than the threshold pressure for a period of time less than the threshold period of time.

23. The method of claim 14, further including causing immediate shutdown of the engine when the pressure of the oil circulating through the engine is less than a threshold pressure value.

24. The method of claim 14, further including:

sensing a temperature of the oil circulating through the engine; and

causing immediate shutdown of the engine when the temperature of the oil is about equal to or greater than a maximum temperature threshold value.

25. A control system for an engine of a mobile machine, comprising:

an oil pressure sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a pressure of oil circulating through the engine during completion of a first mission by the mobile machine; and

a controller in communication with the oil pressure sensor and configured to;

compare the pressure of the oil to a maximum normal pressure value and a shutdown oil pressure value; and

selectively inhibit commencement of a second mission by the mobile machine when the pressure of the oil is greater than the maximum normal pressure value and less than the shutdown oil pressure value during completion of the first mission by the mobile machine.

26. The control system of claim 25, wherein the controller is configured to inhibit commencement of the second mission until service of the engine has been performed after completion of the first mission.

27. The control system of claim 26, wherein:

the controller is further configured to track an amount of time elapsed while the pressure of the oil is greater than the maximum normal pressure value and less than the shutdown oil pressure value during completion of the first mission; and

the controller is configured to selectively inhibit commencement of a second mission by the mobile machine only when the pressure of the oil is greater than the maximum normal pressure value and less than the shutdown oil pressure value during completion of the first mission for at least a threshold period of time.

28. The control system of claim 27, wherein the controller is further configured to cause immediate shutdown of the engine when the pressure of the oil is about equal to or greater than the shutdown oil pressure.

29. The control system of claim 27, wherein the controller is further configured to stop tracking and reset the amount of time elapsed when the pressure of the oil falls below the maximum normal pressure value before the amount of elapsed time exceeds the threshold period of time.

30. The control system of claim 25, further including:

an oil temperature sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a temperature of the oil circulating through the engine; and

a speed sensor configured to generate a third signal indicative of a speed of the engine,

wherein the controller is configured to selectively inhibit commencement of the second mission by the mobile machine only as long as the temperature of the oil remains above an oil temperature threshold value and the speed of the engine is maintained higher than a threshold speed.