Field Current Profile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016164445-A1
Application number	US-201615014696-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 3, 2016
Priority date	Feb 4, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An output of a generator may vary according to the speed of the engine, physical characteristics of the engine, or other factors. A profile for a generator that describes a periodic fluctuation in an operating characteristic for the generator is identified. A field current of an alternator associated with the generator is modified based on the profile for the generator in order to counter variations in the output of the generator.

First claim

I claim:

1 . A method comprising:
receiving data indicative of an operating characteristic for a generator; and generating a profile for the generator based on the data indicative of the operating characteristic for the generator; wherein the profile indicates a level of a field current for an alternator associated with the generator.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating characteristic describes an output of the alternator including harmonics caused by operation of the alternator.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating characteristic at least in part represents a load on the generator.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the profile is a first profile corresponding to a first load on the generator, the method further comprising:
generating a second profile for the generator based on data indicative of the operating characteristic for the generator at a second load.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
storing, in memory, the first profile associated with the first load; and storing, in memory, the second profile associated with the second load.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing the profile in memory.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the profile fluctuates according to combustion cycles of an engine associated with the generator.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a shape of the profile varies corresponds to a number of cylinders of an engine associated with the generator.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating characteristic is a speed of the alternator.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating characteristic is a voltage value for the alternator, a current value for the alternator, or a power value for the alternator.

11 . An apparatus comprising:
a controller configured to receive data indicative of an operating characteristic for a generator and generate a profile for the generator based on the data indicative of the operating characteristic for the generator; and a memory configured to store the profile for the generator, wherein the profile indicates a level of a field current for an alternator associated with the generator.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the operating characteristic describes an output of the alternator including harmonics caused by operation of the alternator.

13 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the operating characteristic corresponds to a load on the generator.

14 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the profile is a first profile corresponding to a first load on the generator, the controller further configured to generate a second profile for the generator based on data indicative of the operating characteristic for the generator at a second load.

15 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the profile fluctuates according to combustion cycles of an engine associated with the generator.

16 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein a shape of the profile varies according to a number of cylinders of an engine associated with the generator.

17 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the operating characteristic is a speed of the alternator.

18 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the operating characteristic is a voltage value for the alternator, a current value for the alternator, or a power value for the alternator.

19 . A method comprising:
receiving sensor data for a generator; and generating a profile for the generator based on the sensor data for the generator; wherein the profile indicates a level of a field current for an alternator associated with the generator.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the profile describes an output of the alternator including harmonics caused by operation of the alternator.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Frampton Isaac S

Classifications

• H02P9/305 Primary

  controlling voltage (H02P9/302 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02P9/14

  by variation of field (H02P9/08, H02P9/10 take precedence) · CPC title