System and method for reducing fuel consumption of a work vehicle

• US 9,656,656 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2013
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Hou, Yanming, Xing, Yun, Guo, Haibo
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, KHOI H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Robert
• Application Number:
  US14/649,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20150307077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 701 50
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/103 of fluid type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/106 Output power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/107 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/305 Power absorbed by auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0677 Engine power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1882 characterised by the working point of the engine, e.g. by using engine output chart
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1888 Control of power take off [PTO]
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/221 Tractors
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/462 for achieving a target speed ratio
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/47 for achieving a target output speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/60 Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect

Abstract

In one aspect, a method for reducing fuel consumption of a work vehicle is disclosed. The method may generally include determining, with a controller, a load power requirement for the work vehicle, determining a plurality of candidate engine speeds at which the load power requirement is achievable, analyzing stored efficiency data for a transmission and at least one additional component of the work vehicle to determine a power loss value for each candidate engine speed, determining a candidate engine power for each candidate engine speed based on the load power requirement and the power loss values and analyzing stored fuel efficiency data based on the candidate engine powers to determine a target engine speed for the work vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for reducing a fuel consumption of a work vehicle, the method comprising:

determining, with a controller, a load power requirement for the work vehicle, wherein determining the load power requirement for the work vehicle comprises forecasting the load power requirement based at least in part on a current load power requirement;

determining a plurality of candidate engine speeds at which the load power requirement is achievable;

analyzing stored efficiency data for a transmission and at least one additional component of the work vehicle to determine a power loss value for each candidate engine speed;

determining a candidate engine power for each candidate engine speed based on the load power requirement and the power loss values; and

analyzing stored fuel efficiency data based on the candidate engine powers to determine a target engine speed for the work vehicle; and

adjusting a transmission ratio of the transmission based in part on the target engine speed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a current engine power for the work vehicle;

determining a current power loss value for the work vehicle based on the stored efficiency data; and

determining the current load power requirement for the work vehicle based on the current engine power and the current power loss value.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a speed command signal associated with a desired ground speed for the work vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the transmission ratio of the transmission is adjusted based on the target engine speed and the desired ground speed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing stored efficiency data for a transmission and at least one additional component of the work vehicle comprises analyzing stored efficiency data for the transmission and at least one of a fan, a drive axle assembly or a power take-off of the work vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored efficiency data for the transmission includes efficiency data for both a hydrostatic unit of the transmission and a planetary unit of the transmission.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing stored fuel efficiency data based on the candidate engine powers comprises:

determining a candidate engine torque associated with each set of candidate engine powers and candidate engine speeds; and

analyzing the stored fuel efficiency data based on the candidate engine torques and candidate engine speeds to determine the target engine speed.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein analyzing the stored fuel efficiency data based on the candidate engine torques and candidate engine speeds comprises referencing a fuel consumption map for an engine of the work vehicle based on the candidate engine torques and candidate engine speeds.

9. A method for reducing a fuel consumption of a work vehicle, the method comprising:

determining, with a controller, a load power requirement for the work vehicle, wherein determining the load power requirement comprises forecasting the load power requirement based on previously determined load power requirements;

analyzing stored efficiency data for a transmission and at least one additional component of the work vehicle to determine a plurality of power loss values associated with achieving the load power requirement;

determining candidate engine settings based on the load power requirement and the power loss values;

analyzing stored fuel efficiency data based on the candidate engine settings to determine a target engine speed for the work vehicle;

receiving a speed command signal associated with a desired ground speed for the work vehicle; and

adjusting a transmission ratio of the transmission based on the target engine speed and the desired ground speed.

10. A system for reducing a fuel consumption of a work vehicle, the system comprising:

an engine;

a transmission coupled to the engine; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the engine and the transmission, the controller being configured to;

determine a load power requirement for the work vehicle;

determine a plurality of candidate engine speeds at which the load power requirement is achievable;

analyze stored efficiency data for the transmission and at least one additional component of the work vehicle to determine a power loss value for each candidate engine speed;

determine a candidate engine power for each candidate engine speed based on the load power requirement and the power loss values;

analyze stored fuel efficiency data for the engine based on the candidate engine powers to determine a target engine speed for the work vehicle; and

forecast the load power requirement based on previously determined load power requirements.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising an input device communicatively coupled to the controller, the input device being configured to permit an operator to provide a speed command signal to the controller corresponding to a desired ground speed for the work vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to adjust a transmission ratio of the transmission based on the target engine speed and the desired ground speed.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one additional component comprises at least one of a fan, a drive axle assembly or a power take-off of the work vehicle.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the controller is further configured to determine a candidate engine torque associated with each set of candidate engine powers and candidate engine speeds.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the stored fuel efficiency data is analyzed based on the candidate engine torques and the candidate engine speeds to determine the target engine speed.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the fuel efficiency data corresponds to a fuel consumption map of the engine.

14. A system for reducing a fuel consumption of a work vehicle, the system comprising:

an engine;

a transmission coupled to the engine; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the engine and the transmission, the controller being configured to;

determine a load power requirement for the work vehicle;

determine a plurality of candidate engine speeds at which the load power requirement is achievable;

analyze stored efficiency data for the transmission and at least one additional component of the work vehicle to determine a power loss value for each candidate engine speed, wherein the stored efficiency data for the transmission includes efficiency data for both a hydrostatic unit of the transmission and a planetary unit of the transmission;

determine a candidate engine power for each candidate engine speed based on the load power requirement and the power loss values; and

analyze stored fuel efficiency data for the engine based on the candidate engine powers to determine a target engine speed for the work vehicle.