Hybrid working machine and method of controlling hybrid working machine

• US 9,206,584 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2012
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Kawaguchi, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Torchinsky, Edward
• Application Number:
  US13/992,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20150081147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/412 Excavators
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/112 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/114 Super-capacities
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/123 Drives or control devices specially adapted therefor E02F9/125 and E02F9/128 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2075 of the hybrid type for vehicles in general B60W20/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2091 Control of energy storage means for electrical energy, e.g. battery or capacitors energy recovery arrangements in hydraulic or pneumatic drives E02F9/2217
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2095 : Control of electric, electro-mechanical or mechanical equipment not otherwise provided for, e.g. ventilators, electro-driven fans control of hydraulic driven equipment E02F9/22
• 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

Abstract

A hybrid excavator includes an engine, a generator motor, a capacitor, a swing motor, a transformer, a transformer temperature sensor, a capacitor temperature sensor, and a hybrid controller. An overheat suppression control unit of the hybrid controller changes the amount of power regenerated by the swing motor supplied to the capacitor and the amount of power regenerated by the swing motor supplied to the generator motor based on a temperature of the transformer detected by the transformer temperature sensor and a temperature of the capacitor detected by the capacitor temperature sensor.

Claims

1. A hybrid working machine comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

a generator motor which is connected to an output shaft of the internal combustion engine;

a battery which stores power generated by the generator motor and supplies the power to the generator motor;

an electric motor which is driven by at least one of the power generated by the generator motor and the power stored in the battery;

a transformer which is installed between the battery and the generator motor and between the battery and the electric motor;

a transformer temperature detecting sensor which detects a temperature of the transformer;

a battery temperature detecting sensor which detects a temperature of the battery;

a voltage sensor which detects a voltage of the battery; and

an overheat suppression control device which obtains a first transformer input limit power corresponding to the voltage detected by the voltage sensor and changes the amount of the power regenerated by the electric motor supplied to the battery and the amount of the power regenerated by the electric motor supplied to the generator motor based on the temperature of the transformer detected by the transformer temperature detecting sensor and the temperature of the battery detected by the battery temperature detecting sensor and the first transformer input limit power, and

wherein the overheat suppression control device changes the amount of the power regenerated by the electric motor supplied to the battery and the amount of the power regenerated by the electric motor supplied to the generator motor based on a magnitude relation of a first power running output that is determined based on voltage of the battery and allow the generator motor to perform power running and a second power running output that is determined based on input and output power of the electric motor and battery side input limit power based on the temperature of the battery and the temperature of the transformer and allow the generator motor to perform power running.

2. The hybrid working machine according to claim 1,

wherein the battery side input limit power is determined based on first transformer input limit power determined by the voltage of the battery, second transformer input limit power determined by the temperature of the transformer, and battery input limit power determined by the temperature of the battery.

3. The hybrid working machine according to claim 2,

Wherein the second transformer input limit power is constant up to a predetermined temperature when the temperature of the transformer increases, and

the battery input limit power is constant up to a predetermined temperature when the temperature of the battery increases.

4. The hybrid working machine according to claim 3,

wherein in the first power running output, a path changing with an increase in voltage of the battery is different from a path changing with a decrease in voltage of the battery,

in the second transformer input limit power, a path changing with an increase in temperature of the transformer is different from a path changing with a decrease in temperature of the transformer, and

in the battery input limit power, a path changing with an increase in temperature of the battery is different from a path changing with a decrease in temperature of the battery.

5. The hybrid working machine according to claim 1,

wherein in the first power running output, a path changing with an increase in voltage of the battery is different from a path changing with a decrease in voltage of the battery.

6. The hybrid working machine according to claim 1,

wherein the overheat suppression control device changes the amount of the power regenerated by the electric motor supplied to the battery and the amount of the power regenerated by the electric motor supplied to the generator motor based on second power running output that is determined based on the input and output power of the electric motor and the battery side input limit power based on the temperature of the battery and the temperature of the transformer and allow the generator motor to perform power running.

7. The hybrid working machine according to claim 1,

wherein when the electric motor performs power running, the overheat suppression control device decreases a target value of power generated by the generator motor as a rotation speed of the electric motor increases.

8. The hybrid working machine according to claim 1,

wherein the electric motor swings an upper swing body of an excavator.

9. A method of controlling a hybrid working machine including an internal combustion engine, a generator motor which is connected to an output shaft of the internal combustion engine, a battery which stores power generated by the generator motor and supplies the power to the generator motor, an electric motor which is driven by at least one of the power generated by the generator motor and the power stored in the battery, and a transformer which is installed between the battery and the generator motor and between the battery and second generator, the method comprising:

a measurement step of measuring at least a temperature of the transformer and a temperature of the battery;

a control step of controlling the amount of the power regenerated by the electric motor supplied to the battery and the amount of the power regenerated by the electric motor supplied to the generator motor to be changed based on the temperature of the transformer and the temperature of the battery; and

wherein in the control step, the amount of the power regenerated by the electric motor supplied to the battery and the amount of the power regenerated by the electric motor supplied to the generator motor is changed based on a first power running output that is determined based on voltage of the battery and allow the generator motor to perform power running and a second power running output that is determined based on input and output power of the electric motor and battery side input limit power based on the temperature of the battery and the temperature of the transformer and allow the generator motor to perform power running.

10. The method of controlling a hybrid working machine according to claim 9,

wherein the battery side input limit power is determined based on first transformer input limit power determined by the voltage of the battery, second transformer input limit power determined by the temperature of the transformer, and battery input limit power determined by the temperature of the battery.

11. The method of controlling a hybrid working machine according to claim 10,

wherein the second transformer input limit power is constant up to a predetermined temperature when the temperature of the transformer increases, and

the battery input limit power is constant up to a predetermined temperature when the temperature of the battery increases.

12. The method of controlling a hybrid working machine according to claim 11,

wherein in the first power running output, a path changing with an increase in voltage of the battery is different from a path changing with a decrease in voltage of the battery,

in the second transformer input limit power, a path changing with an increase in temperature of the transformer is different from a path changing with a decrease in temperature of the transformer, and

in the battery input limit power, a path changing with an increase in temperature of the battery is different from a path changing with a decrease in temperature of the battery.

13. The method of controlling a hybrid working machine according to claim 9,

wherein in the first power running output, a path changing with an increase in voltage of the battery is different from a path changing with a decrease in voltage of the battery.

14. The method of controlling a hybrid working machine according to claim 9,

wherein in the control step, the amount of the power regenerated by the electric motor supplied to the battery and the amount of the power regenerated by the electric motor supplied to the generator motor is changed based on second power running output that is determined based on input and output power of the electric motor and battery side input limit power based on the temperature of the battery and the temperature of the transformer and allow the generator motor to perform power running.

15. The method of controlling a hybrid working machine according to claim 9,

wherein in the control step, when the electric motor performs power running, a target value of power generated by the generator motor decreases as a rotation speed of the electric motor increases.