Fuel management system and method

• US 9,731,731 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2015
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Klingbeil, Adam E., Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan k
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Rodney P
• Application Number:
  US14/933,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20160059872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 701 19
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 5/00 Locomotives or motor railcars with IC engines or gas turbines characterised by power transmission B61C9/00; engines F02
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0058 On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/025 Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/026 Relative localisation, e.g. using odometer
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/16 Trackside optimisation of vehicle or train operation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/501 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/701 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0025 Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0027 the fuel being gaseous non-electrical control F02D19/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1406 with use of a optimisation method, e.g. iteration
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/26 using computer, e.g. microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 59/102 Mechanical drive, e.g. tappets or cams F02M45/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 59/366 Valves being actuated electrically
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/021 in which a variable is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 30/00 Transportation of goods or passengers via railways, e.g. energy recovery or reducing air resistance

Abstract

A system includes an engine and a controller. The engine is capable of multiple operating modes, and each mode has a relatively different fuel ratio such that as the engine is changed from a first operating mode having a first ratio of a first fuel to a second fuel to a second operating mode having a second ratio of the first fuel to the second fuel. The controller is operable to change the engine from one operating mode to another operating mode.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an engine;

a fuel system operably coupled to the engine to provide a first fuel to the engine and a second fuel to the engine; and

at least one controller operable to control the engine and fuel system, wherein the at least one controller is configured to;

control the fuel system to concurrently supply the first fuel at a first flow volume and the second fuel at a second flow volume to the engine to define an initial fuel ratio;

change the first flow volume, the second flow volume, or both the first and second flow volumes to define a subsequent fuel ratio at which the first fuel and the second fuel are concurrently supplied to the engine in response to a change in a power demand on the engine or in a speed of the engine;

control the engine according to a trip plan; and

adjust at least one of the initial fuel ratio or the subsequent fuel ratio during movement of a vehicle that includes the engine and fuel system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first fuel comprises diesel and the second fuel comprises natural gas.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first fuel or the second fuel comprises methane gas.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first fuel or the second fuel comprises biodiesel, palm oil, or rapeseed oil.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first fuel or the second fuel comprises ethanol.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is operable to change an operating mode of the engine based at least in part on characteristic information for at least one of the first or second fuels, and the characteristic information including at least one of emissions generated by the engine, relative fuel costs, or fuel location availability.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the engine is operable to propel the vehicle, and the at least one controller is operable to control the engine according to the trip plan that minimizes or reduces the amount consumed of each of the first fuel and the second fuel, relative to operation of the vehicle or engine without the trip plan, in accordance with an operational criterion of the vehicle or engine, the operational criteria comprising at least one emission rate limit.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the engine is operable to propel the vehicle, and the at least one controller is operable to respond to an autonomous update to the trip plan as the vehicle progresses on a trip.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a locator device to determine a location of the vehicle propelled by the engine, and the locator device is configured to communicate the location of the vehicle to the at least one controller so that the at least one controller can change at least one of the initial fuel ratio or the subsequent fuel ratio based, at least in part, on the location of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to change at least one of the initial fuel ratio or the subsequent fuel ratio based, at least in part, on one or more of an ambient pressure, an ambient temperature, or a rate of change in a grade of a route being traveled by the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is operable to communicate with a user interface to selectively display one or more of:

a respective future anticipated mileage remaining for each of the first and second fuels;

a cost savings calculated based on predicted consumption of each of the first and second fuels available to the engine at a determined fuel ratio;

or

an emissions value based on predicted emission amounts at a determined fuel ratio for one or more of NOx, SOx, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, or particulate matter.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is operable to adjust one or both of the initial fuel ratio or the subsequent fuel ratio based on one or more of fuel availability, time of use of one or more of the first fuel or the second fuel, date of the use of the one or more of the first fuel or the second fuel, power requirements of the vehicle, geographically agnostic emissions requirements, local emissions requirements, or relative fuel costs.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the engine is configured to operate in multiple operating modes, wherein the engine consumes different ratios of the first and second fuels when the engine operates in different modes of the multiple operating modes such that, when the engine operates in a first operating mode, the engine is configured to consume the first fuel and the second fuel at the initial ratio and, when the engine operates in a different, second operating mode, the engine is configured to consume the first fuel and the second fuel at the subsequent ratio.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first fuel and the second fuel are stored in respective fuel tanks on board at least one of the vehicle or a vehicle consist of which the vehicle is a part.

15. A system comprising:

an engine;

a fuel system operably coupled to the engine to provide a first fuel to the engine and a second fuel to the engine; and

at least one controller operable to control the engine and fuel system, wherein the at least one controller is configured to;

control the fuel system to concurrently supply the first fuel at a first flow volume and the second fuel at a second flow volume to the engine to define a first fuel ratio;

change the first flow volume, the second flow volume, or both the first and second flow volumes to define a second fuel ratio at which the first fuel and the second fuel are concurrently supplied to the engine in response to a change in a power demand on the engine or in a speed of the engine; and

adjust at least one of the first fuel ratio or the second fuel ratio during movement of a vehicle that includes the engine and fuel system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first fuel comprises diesel and the second fuel comprises natural gas.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first fuel or the second fuel comprises methane gas.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first fuel or the second fuel comprises biodiesel, palm oil, or rapeseed oil.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first fuel or the second fuel comprises ethanol.

20. A vehicle comprising:

an engine;

a fuel system operably coupled to the engine to provide a first fuel to the engine and a second fuel to the engine, wherein the fuel system is configured to receive the first fuel and the second fuel from respective tanks on board at least one of the vehicle or another vehicle of a vehicle consist that includes the vehicle and the another vehicle;

at least one controller operable to control the engine and fuel system, wherein the at least one controller is configured to;

control the fuel system to concurrently supply the first fuel at a first flow volume and the second fuel at a second flow volume to the engine to define a first fuel ratio;

change the first flow volume, the second flow volume, or both the first and second flow volumes to define a second fuel ratio at which the first fuel and the second fuel are concurrently supplied to the engine in response to a change in a power demand on the engine or in a speed of the engine;

control the engine according to a trip plan; and

adjust at least one of the first fuel ratio or the second fuel ratio during movement of a vehicle that includes the engine and fuel system.