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

• US 9,403,529 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2015
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Hybrid Technologies, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: GE Hybrid Technologies, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Liu, Wei, Bouchon, Nicolas Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, Jaime
• Application Number:
  US14/675,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20150203101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 701/99, 701/101, 701/104, 701/108, 701/109, 180/65.245, 180/65.25, 180/65.265, 903/930
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

A vehicle comprising an engine, a generator driven by the engine and configured to produce an output, a direct current (DC)-to-DC converter configured to derive a first DC voltage from the output, and a convert the first DC voltage to a second DC voltage, a wheel, an electric motor configured to receive the second DC voltage, and for driving a wheel of said vehicle drive the wheel based on the second DC voltage, and a processor configured to control the engine to run at an engine speed corresponding to a first operating point in a set of operating points, wherein the first operating point corresponds to a demanded power.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

an engine;

a generator driven by the engine and configured to produce an electrical power output;

a direct current (DC)-to-DC converter configured to;

derive a first DC voltage from the electrical power output, and

convert the first DC voltage to a second DC voltage;

a wheel;

an electric motor configured to;

respond to the second DC voltage, and

drive the wheel based on the second DC voltage; and

a processor configured to control the engine to run at rotational speeds corresponding to operating points in a set of operating points, wherein the operating points correspond to a demanded electrical power output and the rotational speed increases or decreases substantially monotonically as a function of the demanded electrical power output.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to select from among the operating points according to an operating condition associated with an emission.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a sensor coupled to the processor and configured to sense the emission.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to select from among the operating points according to an operating condition associated with cost.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the operating points are changeable according to changing operation conditions.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a memory configured to store the operating points in a table.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a hybrid vehicle.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, further comprising a serial hybrid configuration.

9. The vehicle of claim 7, further comprising a parallel hybrid configuration.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

an energy storage element coupled to the generator; and

a controller coupled to the energy storage element and configured to control the energy storage element.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a gearing mechanism mechanically coupling the electric motor to the wheel.

12. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the gearing mechanism is a gear box.

13. A genset comprising:

an engine;

a generator driven by the engine, the generator configured to produce a demanded electrical power output; and

a processor configured to control the genset at rotational speeds corresponding to operating points in a set of operating points, wherein the operating points correspond to the demanded electrical power output and the genset speed increases or decreases substantially monotonically as a function of the demanded electrical power output.

14. The genset of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to select from among the operating points according to an operating condition associated with an emission.

15. The genset of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to select from among the operating points according to an operating condition associated with cost.

16. The genset of claim 13, wherein the operating points are changeable according to changing operation conditions.

17. The genset of claim 13, further comprising a memory configured to store the operating points in a table.

18. A method of assembling a genset for a vehicle, the method comprising:

coupling an engine to a generator, the generator being configured to produce a demanded electrical power output; and

configuring a processor to control the genset at rotational speeds corresponding to operating points in a set of operating points, wherein the operating points correspond to the demanded electrical power output and the genset speed increases or decreases substantially monotonically as a function of the demanded electrical power output.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising configuring the processor to select from among the operating points according to an operating condition associated with an emission.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising configuring the processor to select from among the operating points according to an operating condition associated with cost.