Control system for a generator

• US 9,995,210 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Burnham, Randall Scott, Renken, David Jon, Lucht, Erich Albert, Hall, Cullen Evan, Jeffery, Alec, Villalba, Cesar Armengod
• Primary Examiner(s): Amick, Jacob
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRAUCH, CHARLES JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US13/804,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20130327285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,916 Days
• Field of Search: 123 2
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00014 for load cargos on load transporting vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00428 electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3232 particularly adapted for load transporting vehicles B60H1/3226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2063/045 Frames for generator-engine sets
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/04 for electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/044 the engine-generator unit being placed on a frame or in an housing
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/16 Engines characterised by number of cylinders, e.g. single-cylinder engines F02B75/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 77/13 Acoustic insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0614 Actual fuel mass or fuel injection amount
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1002 Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/101 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/06 peculiar to engines driving electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/001 Electric control of rotation speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/007 controlling fuel supply
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/18 by measuring intake air flow
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/266 the computer being backed-up or assisted by another circuit, e.g. analogue
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses

Abstract

A generator set for a transport refrigeration unit that is operable at a first frequency and a second frequency. The generator set includes a generator and a prime mover. The generator set is controlled by an electronic control unit (ECU) that is coupled to a controller. The ECU is configured to monitor the engine operation condition to obtain an engine operation condition value; whereas the controller is configured to receive the engine operation condition value and compare the value with an engine operation condition threshold. When the engine operation condition value, for example, exceeds the engine operation condition threshold, the controller instructs the ECU to operate the engine at a first speed; and when the engine operation condition value, for example, is below the engine operation condition threshold, the controller instructs the ECU to operate the engine at a second speed that is slower than the first speed.

Claims

1. A method of operating a prime mover of a generator set comprising:

an electronic control unit of the prime mover obtaining an engine operation condition value of the prime mover;

the electronic control unit transmitting the engine operation condition value of the prime mover to a controller;

the controller comparing the engine operation condition value of the prime mover with an engine operation condition threshold;

the controller instructing the electronic control unit of the prime mover to operate the prime mover at a first operating speed when the engine operation condition value of the prime mover exceeds the engine operation condition threshold; and

the controller instructing the electronic control unit of the prime mover to operate the prime mover at a second operating speed that is lower than the first operating speed when the engine operation condition value of the prime mover is less than the engine operation condition threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine operation condition value of the prime mover is at least one of an amount of fuel delivered to the engine, an air intake flow, or a shaft speed of the engine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine operation condition value of the prime mover is an engine load of the prime mover.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the controller instructing the electronic control unit of the prime mover to change the operating speed of the prime mover from the first operating speed to the second operating speed when the controller determines that the engine operation condition value of the prime mover is below the engine operation condition value for a first minimum time period.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the controller instructing the electronic control unit of the prime mover to change the operating speed of the prime mover from the second operating speed to the first operating speed when the controller determines that the engine operation condition value of the prime mover is above the engine operation condition value for a second minimum time period.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine operation condition threshold is a first value when the prime mover is operating at the first operating speed and is a second value when the prime mover is operating at the second operating speed.

4. A generator set comprising:

an engine with an electronic control unit; and

a controller;

wherein the electronic control unit is configured to provide an engine operation condition value, and the controller is configured to generate an engine operation instruction based on the engine operation condition value; and

wherein when the engine operation condition value exceeds an engine operation condition threshold, the controller is configured to instruct the electronic control unit to operate the engine at a first speed, and

when the engine operation condition value is less than the engine operation condition threshold, the controller is configured to instruct the electronic control unit to operate the engine at a second speed that is lower than the first speed.

5. The generator set of claim 4, wherein the engine operation condition value of the engine is at least one of an amount of fuel delivered to the engine, an air intake flow, or a shaft speed of the engine.

6. The generator set of claim 4, wherein the engine operation condition value of the engine is an engine load of the engine.

15. The generator set of claim 4, further comprising:

a generator;

wherein the electronic control unit is configured to control operation of the engine and configured to monitor and obtain the engine operation condition, and

wherein the controller is configured to communicate with the electronic control unit, monitor an operation status of the generator, and configured to monitor and control operation of the generator set.

16. The generator set of claim 4, wherein the electronic control unit includes a processor and is configured to send the engine operation condition value of the prime mover to the controller, and

wherein the controller includes a processor and is configured to compare the engine operation condition value of the prime mover with the engine operation condition threshold to generate the engine operation instruction.

17. The generator set of claim 4, wherein the engine operation condition threshold is a first value when the prime mover is operating at the first operating speed and is a second value when the prime mover is operating at the second operating speed.

18. The generator set of claim 4, further comprising a controller panel that includes:

the controller,

a memory unit connected to the controller,

a timer incorporated into the controller, and

an operator interface connected to the controller.

7. A method of operating a prime mover of a generator set comprising:

an electronic control unit of the prime mover obtaining an engine operation condition value of the prime mover;

the electronic control unit transmitting the engine operation condition value of the prime mover to a controller;

the controller comparing the engine operation condition value of the prime mover with an upshift engine operation condition threshold;

the controller instructing the electronic control unit of the prime mover to operate the prime mover at a first operating speed when the engine operation condition value of the prime mover exceeds the upshift engine operation condition threshold;

the controller comparing the engine operation condition value of the prime mover with a downshift engine operation condition threshold; and

the controller instructing the electronic control unit of the prime mover to operate the prime mover at a second operating speed that is lower than the first speed when the operation condition value of the prime mover is less than the downshift engine operation condition threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

maintaining the prime mover at the first operating speed when the engine operation condition value of the prime mover is lower than the upshift engine operation condition threshold.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

maintaining the prime mover at the second operating speed when the engine operation condition value of the prime mover is higher than the upshift engine operation condition threshold.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the engine operation condition value of the prime mover is an engine load of the prime mover.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the engine operation condition value of the prime mover is at least one of an amount of fuel delivered to the engine, an air intake flow, or a shaft speed of the engine.

19. The method of claim 7, wherein the upshift engine operation condition threshold is a first percentage full rated engine output torque, and the downshift engine operation condition threshold is a second percentage full rated engine output torque,

wherein the first percentage full rated engine output torque is greater than the second percentage full rated engine output torque.

20. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

the controller calculating an engine load of the prime mover based on the engine operation condition value of the prime mover.