Control system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016010574-A1
Application number	US-201514862563-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 23, 2015
Priority date	Mar 27, 2001
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and method control a powered system having an engine configured to operate using a plurality of fuel types. A first set of control signals including a first set of valve signals are communicated to each fuel tank based at least in part on a first stored engine operating profile to control amounts of fuel provided from each fuel tank to the engine. A different, second set of control signals including a second set of valve signals are communicated to the fuel tanks based at least in part on a second stored engine operating profile to control or change the amounts of fuel from each fuel tank to the engine. The system and method can switch between operating conditions associated with different external domains to alter the engine operating profile used to control the fuel or fuels supplied to the engine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
a controller configured to be disposed onboard a powered system having an engine configured to consume two or more different fuels to power the powered system, the controller configured to generate and communicate one or more control signals to valves associated with two or more different fuel tanks that store the two or more different fuels, wherein the controller is configured to change the one or more control signals to change which of the two or more different fuels are supplied to the engine at different times.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive a location of the powered system from an input device and to change the one or more control signals responsive to and based on the location received from the input device.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to compare the location of the powered system with different engine operating profiles associated with different geographic areas, and the controller is configured to change the one or more control signals based on the engine operating profile associated with the geographic area in which the location of the powered system is disposed.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to change the one or more control signals to change which single fuel of the two or more different fuels is supplied to the engine for consumption by the engine.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to change the one or more control signals to change one or more of an amount or rate of at least one of the two or more different fuels that are concurrently supplied to the engine.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine an emission restriction on an allowable amount of emission that can be generated by the engine, and the controller is configured to change the one or more control signals to prevent an amount of emission generated by the engine from exceeding the emission restriction.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a restriction on an allowable amount of audible noise that can be generated by the engine, and the controller is configured to change the one or more control signals to prevent an amount of audible sound generated by the engine from exceeding the restriction.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine amounts of the two or more different fuels being carried onboard the powered system and to change the one or more control signals based on the amounts of the two or more different fuels.

9 . A method comprising:
determining one or more fuels to supply to an engine of a powered system that is configured to consume two or more different fuels to power the powered system; communicate one or more control signals to one or more valves associated with two or more different fuel tanks that store the two or more different fuels; and changing supply of the one or more fuels to the engine based on the one or more control signals received at the one or more valves.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising receiving a location of the powered system from an input device and changing the one or more control signals responsive to and based on the location received from the input device.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising comparing the location of the powered system with different engine operating profiles associated with different geographic areas, wherein changing the one or more control signals occurs based on the engine operating profile associated with the geographic area in which the location of the powered system is disposed.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein changing the supply of the one or more fuels changes which single fuel of the two or more different fuels is supplied to the engine for consumption by the engine.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein changing the supply of the one or more fuels includes changing one or more of an amount or rate of at least one of the two or more different fuels that are concurrently supplied to the engine.

14 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining an emission restriction on an allowable amount of emission that can be generated by the engine, wherein the supply of the one or more fuels is changed to prevent an amount of emission generated by the engine from exceeding the emission restriction.

15 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining a restriction on an allowable amount of audible noise that can be generated by the engine, wherein the supply of the one or more fuels is changed to prevent an amount of audible sound generated by the engine from exceeding the restriction.

16 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining amounts of the two or more different fuels being carried onboard the powered system, wherein the supply of the one or more fuels is changed based on the amounts of the two or more different fuels.

17 . A system comprising:
a controller configured to determine a location of a powered system having an engine configured to consume two or more different fuels during movement of the powered system, the controller also configured to determine a restriction on operation of the powered system based on the location of the powered system, wherein the controller is configured change supply of one or more of the two or more different fuels based on the location and the restriction during the movement of the powered system.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the restriction includes a limitation on an amount of emissions generated by the powered system.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the restriction includes a grade of a route being traveled by the powered system.

20 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the restriction includes a limitation on audible noise generated by the powered system.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Kumar Ajith Kuttannair
• Daum Wolfgang

Classifications

• F02D41/0025 Primary

  Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures · CPC title

• F02D19/0613

  Switch-over from one fuel to another (F02D19/081 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02D19/0673

  Valves; Pressure or flow regulators; Mixers · CPC title

• F02D19/0665

  Tanks, e.g. multiple tanks · CPC title

• Y02T10/7072

  Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors · CPC title