Maintenance optimization control system for load sharing between engines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10734814-B2
Application number	US-201715676290-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2017
Priority date	Aug 14, 2017
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

A maintenance optimization control system for load sharing between includes a first engine having an associated first criteria, a second engine having an associated second criteria, and a load having a steady component and a transient component. The control system includes a controller communicably coupled to the first engine, the second engine and the load. The controller selects an engine from the first engine and the second engine based at least on the first criteria and the second criteria. The controller distributes the load between the first engine and the second engine such that only the selected engine is operated under transient component of the load.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control system for load sharing between engines, the control system comprising:
a first engine having an associated first criteria, wherein the first criteria includes at least a first load factor indicating a first ratio of a first load on the first engine to the power rating of the first engine;
a second engine having an associated second criteria, wherein the second criteria includes at least a second load factor indicating a second ratio of a second load on the second engine to the power rating of the second engine;
at least one sensor for measuring the first and second criteria, wherein the at least one sensor includes a load sensor for measuring a load demand of the first and second engines;
a load having a steady component and a transient component; and
a controller communicably coupled to the first engine, the second engine, the load sensor, and the load, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine the first and second load factors based on the corresponding measured load demand;
select an engine from the first engine and the second engine based at least on the first criteria and the second criteria, wherein at least the engine having a lesser load factor is selected;
distribute the transient component of the load only to the selected engine and distribute the steady component of the load only to the nonselected engine.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the first criteria includes a first maintenance cost of the first engine and the second criteria includes a second maintenance cost of the second engine, and the controller is configured to select the engine having the lower maintenance cost.

3. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the first load factor of the first engine and the second load factor of the second engine are both less than 1.

4. The control system of claim 3 , wherein the steady component includes loads related to non-variable processes and the transient component includes loads related to variable processes.

5. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the first criteria includes a first engine age of the first engine and the second criteria includes a second engine age of the second engine, and the controller is configured to select the engine having the greater engine age.

6. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the first criteria includes a first response time of the first engine and the second criteria includes a second response time of the second engine, the least one sensor includes a response time sensor for measuring the response time of the first and second engines, and the controller is configured to select the engine having the faster response time.

7. The control system of claim 1 , wherein if the first engine and the second engine are of same age, the controller selects the engine based on individual response time of the first engine and the second engine.

8. A method for sharing a load having a steady component and a transient component between a first engine and a second engine, the method comprising:
measuring, by at least one sensor, a first criteria associated with the first engine and a second criteria associated with the second engine, wherein the at least one sensor includes a load sensor for measuring a load demand of the first and second engines;
determining, by a controller, a first load factor based on the measured first criteria and a second load factor based on the measured second criteria, wherein the first load factor indicates a first ratio of a first load on the first engine to the power rating of the first engine and the second load factor indicates a second ratio of a second load on the first engine to the power rating of the first engine;
selecting, by the controller, an engine from the first engine and the second engine based at least on an associated first criteria of the first engine and an associated second criteria of the second engine, wherein the engine having a lesser load factor is selected;
distributing, by the controller, the transient component of the load only to the selected engine and distribute the steady component of the load only to the nonselected engine.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first criteria includes a first maintenance cost of the first engine and the second criteria includes a second maintenance cost of the second engine, and the controller selects the engine having the lower maintenance cost.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first load factor of the first engine and the second load factor of the second engine are both less than 1.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the steady component includes loads related to non-variable processes and the transient component includes loads related to variable processes.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first criteria includes a first engine age of the first engine and the second criteria includes a second engine age of the second engine, the method further comprising:
selecting, by the controller, the engine having the greater engine age.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first criteria includes a first response time of the first engine, and the second criteria includes a second response time of the second engine, the method further comprising:
measuring, by the at least one sensor, the response time of the first and second engines; and
selecting, by the controller, the engine having the faster response time.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first engine and the second engine are of same age, the method further comprising:
selecting, by the controller, the first engine if the first response time is less than the second response time.

15. A power generation system comprising:
a first engine coupled to a first genset, wherein the first engine has an associated first criteria which includes at least a first load factor indicating a first ratio of a first load on the first engine to the power rating of the first engine;
a second engine coupled to a second genset, wherein the second engine has an associated second criteria which includes at least a second load factor indicating a second ratio of a second load on the second engine to the power rating of the second engine;
at least one sensor for measuring the first and second criteria, wherein the at least one sensor includes a load sensor for measuring a load demand and a response time sensor for measuring the response time of the first and second engines;
a load having a steady component and a transient component, the steady component including loads related to non-variable processes and the transient component including loads related to variable processes; and
a controller communicably coupled to the first genset, the first engine, the second genset, the second engine, the at least one sensor, and the load, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine the first and second load factors based on the corresponding measured load demand;
select an engine from the first engine and the second engine based at least on the first criteria and the second criteria, wherein at least the engine having a lesser load factor is selected;
distribute the transient component of the load only to the selected engine and distribute the steady component of the load only to the nonselected engine.

16. The power generation system of claim 15 , wherein the first criteria includes a first maintenance cost of the first engine and the second criteria includes a second maintenance cost of the second engine, and the controller is configured to select the engine having the lower maintenance cost.

17. The power generation system

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Converse Perry Dwain
• De Ruiter Robin Ernest
• Wiersema Iii Theodore Ernest
• Zhang Yanchai

Classifications

• H02J3/46 Primary

  Controlling the sharing of generated power between the generators, sources or networks · CPC title

• F01B21/02 Primary

  the machines or engines being all of reciprocating-piston type · CPC title

• B63B79/10

  using sensors, e.g. pressure sensors, strain gauges or accelerometers · CPC title

• H02P9/04

  Control effected upon non-electric prime mover and dependent upon electric output value of the generator · CPC title

• B63J3/00

  Driving of auxiliaries (transmission elements per se F16) · CPC title