Turbine engine starting system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9429070-B2
Application number	US-201313782609-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2013
Priority date	Mar 1, 2013
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

System and method for starting a turbine engine are disclosed. These systems and methods for starting a turbine engine may be located on a vehicle, such as such as a Class 8 vehicle, equipped with a turbine engine as the prime mover or as a generator in a hybrid powertrain. In that regard, a fluid forcing device may be employed to start the turbine engine, such as an electric pump/compressor. The fluid forcing device may already be located on the vehicle for other purposes, and can include an electrically powered steering pump (also referred to as an electric pump) or an electrically powered air brake compressor (also referred to as an electric compressor). In order to start the turbine engine, the output of the electric pump/compressor drives an associated fluid circuit, which in turn, supplies fluid over a portion of the turbine shaft, wheel or scroll in order to impart rotational motion thereto. The rotational motion imparted to the turbine shaft, wheel or scroll aims to start the turbine engine. Once started, the output of the electric pump/compressor is either inhibited or redirected to power other devices, such as one or more vehicle accessories (e.g., steering gear, air brakes, power take off (PTO), air conditioner, etc).

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defines as follows:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
a turbine engine;
a steering system including an electrically driven steering pump and a steering gear;
a fluid circuit coupled to the electrically driven steering pump and receiving a fluid therefrom, the fluid circuit further coupled to the steering gear and the turbine engine for supplying fluid thereto; and
a control valve coupled to the fluid circuit, the control valve configured to selectively direct fluid from the electrically driven steering pump to either the steering gear or the turbine engine in response to a control signal, wherein the control valve has a first position, in which the electrically driven steering pump is coupled in fluid communication with the steering gear, and a second position, in which the electrically driven steering pump is coupled in fluid communication with the turbine engine; and
a controller and a start switch, wherein the controller is configured to control the control valve in response to output of the start switch.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control valve switches from the first position to the second position in response to a first control signal.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the control valve returns to the first position from the second position in response to a second control signal.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the second control signal is transmitted to the control valve in response to a turbine engine start condition.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a control circuit.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a processor and memory having programmable instructions stored thereon, wherein the processor is configured to execute the programmable instructions stored in memory in order to control the control valve in response to output of the start switch.

7. A vehicle, comprising:
a turbine engine;
a brake system including an electrically driven gas compressor and a compressed gas tank;
a gas circuit coupled to the electrically driven gas compressor and receiving a gas therefrom, the gas circuit further coupled to the compressed gas tank and the turbine engine for supplying fluid thereto;
a control valve coupled to the gas circuit, the control valve configured to selectively direct gas from the electrically driven gas compressor to either the compressed gas tank or the turbine engine in response to a control signal; and
a controller and a start switch, wherein the controller is configured to control the control valve in response to output of the start switch, wherein the controller includes a processor and memory having programmable instructions stored thereon, wherein the processor is configured to execute the programmable instructions stored in memory in order to control the control valve in response to output of the start switch.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the control valve has a first position, in which the electrically driven gas compressor is coupled in fluid communication with the compressed gas tank, and a second position, in which the electrically driven gas compressor is coupled in fluid communication with the turbine engine, and wherein the control valve switches from the first position to the second position in response to the control signal.

9. A vehicle, comprising:
a turbine engine;
an accessory system including an electric means for forcing a fluid and an accessory component;
a fluid circuit coupled to the electric means for forcing a fluid, the fluid circuit further coupled to the turbine engine and the accessory component for supplying fluid thereto; and
a control valve coupled to the fluid circuit, the control valve having a first position configured to direct fluid from the electric means for forcing a fluid to the turbine engine and a second position configured to direct fluid from the electric means for forcing a fluid to the accessory component; and
a controller configured to transition the control valve from the first position to the second position; and
a power source conditionally coupled in electrical communication with the electric means for forcing a fluid, wherein the controller is configured to control the supply of power from the power source to the electric means for forcing a fluid.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to transition the control valve from the second position to the first position.

11. The vehicle of claim 9 , further comprising a start switch, wherein the controller is configured to transition the control valve from the first position to the second position based on the output of the start switch.

12. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the accessory component includes a compressed air tank.

13. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the accessory component includes one of an air brake and a steering gear.

14. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the electric means for forcing a fluid includes one of a pump and a compressor.

Assignees

• Kahn William C
• Polansky Steve J
• Wehrwein Christopher G
• Paccar Inc

Inventors

• Kahn William C
• Polansky Steve J
• Wehrwein Christopher G

Classifications

• B60K3/04

  of turbine type · CPC title

• F02C7/277

  the starter being a {separate} turbine · CPC title

• F02C6/20 Primary

  Adaptations of gas-turbine plants for driving vehicles · CPC title

• F02C7/00 Primary

  Features, components parts, details or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart form groups F02C1/00 - F02C6/00; Air intakes for jet-propulsion plants (controlling F02C9/00) · CPC title

• F02C7/27

  Fluid drives (turbine starters F02C7/277) · CPC title