Communication failure handling

• US 10,158,248 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2014
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kohler Company
• Original Assignee: Kohler Company
• Inventors: Dorn, Douglas W., Frampton, Isaac S., Jungers, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): PEREZ BORROTO, ALFONSO
• Application Number:
  US14/570,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20160172905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 11/00 Circuit arrangements for providing service supply to auxiliaries of stations in which electric power is generated, distributed or converted
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/10 The dispersed energy generation being of fossil origin, e.g. diesel generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/40 Synchronising a generator for connection to a network or to another generator
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/46 Controlling of the sharing of output between the generators, converters, or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/12 Monitoring or controlling equipment for energy generation units, e.g. distributed energy generation [DER] or load-side generation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/12 Energy storage units, uninterruptible power supply [UPS] systems or standby or emergency generators, e.g. in the last power distribution stages
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/248 UPS systems or standby or emergency generators

Abstract

An electrical power generator system may include two or more paralleled generators. At least one of the generators includes a first power source and a second power source. A disconnection of a first power source is identified at a generator controller of one of the generators. The generator controller may be configured to access or generate a power failure message indicative of the disconnection of the first power source. The generator controller may be configured to transmit the power failure message using the second power source because the second power source is switched to the generator controller in response to the disconnection of the first power source. The system may enter a communication failure handling mode based on the power failure message.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a disconnection of a first power source from a generator controller of an engine generator set, wherein the generator controller is connected to an alternator and connected to an engine of the engine generator set;

generating a power failure message indicative of the disconnection of the first power source from the generator controller; and

transmitting the power failure message indicative of the disconnection of the first power source from the generator controller of the engine generator set using a second power source, wherein the second power source is switched to power the generator controller in response to the disconnection of the first power source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generator controller operates the engine generator set in parallel with at least one other engine generator set.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first power source is a battery configured to start or crank the engine generator set.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second power source is a temporary power source of the engine generator set.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the temporary power source is a capacitor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second power source is a communication signal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the power failure message includes a code to inform an external controller that the generator controller experienced the battery disconnection or other maintenance related to the battery disconnection.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the power failure message to an external controller for one or more other engine generator sets.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein in response to the power failure message, the one or more other engine generator sets do not change operation in response to a lack of communication from the generator controller.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

repeating the power failure message to the external controller for one or more other engine generator sets according to a time slice assigned to the generator controller.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the power failure message includes a code to modify a failure mode of the external controller for the one or more other engine generator sets.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the power failure message includes a code to ignore a cessation of communication messages from the generator controller.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the power failure message disables a display or an auxiliary device of the engine generator set.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an end of a battery disconnection at the generator controller; and

performing a synchronization in response to the end of the battery disconnection.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring temporary power from the second power source to the generator controller; and

detecting when the temporary power to the generator controller meets a threshold,

wherein the power failure message is generated in response to the temporary power meeting the threshold.

16. A method comprising:

establishing communication between a first engine generator set and a second engine generator set, wherein the first engine generator and the second engine generator set are configured to be connected in parallel to provide power to a common load;

receiving, at the first engine generator set, a power failure message indicative of a power failure from a generator controller of the second engine generator set wherein the generator controller is connected to an alternator and connected to an engine; and

modifying a failure response algorithm of the first engine generator set in response to the power failure message from the second engine generator set.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the power failure message is transmitted using a temporary power stored at the first engine generator set.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the temporary power is stored in a capacitor.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the failure response algorithm is modified to temporarily ignore a communication failure from the second engine generator set and accordingly prevent a droop sharing mode at the first engine generator set in response to the communication failure, wherein in the droop sharing mode the first generator set and the second generator set operate independently.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a generator controller configured to operate an engine generator set wherein the generator controller is connected to an alternator and connected to an engine of the engine generator set;

a secondary power source for the generator controller;

a memory including a power disconnection message; and

a switching unit configured to switch the generator controller from a primary power source to the secondary power source in response to a failure of the primary power source,

wherein the generator controller accesses the power disconnection message from the memory in response to being switched to the secondary power source.