Managing load sharing among multiple engines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9683503-B2
Application number	US-201514827370-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2015
Priority date	Aug 17, 2015
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

A method and a system of managing load sharing among a plurality of power sources are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, the method includes determining a total power output to be directed from the plurality of power sources to at least one power consumer. The method also includes retrieving a Brake Specific Fuel Consumption (BSFC) curve associated with each of the plurality of power sources. The method further includes determining an operating priority for each of the plurality of power sources based on operating constraints associated with the respective power source. The method further includes determining a load share for each of the plurality of power sources based on at least the total power output, the BSFC curves, and the operating priorities.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of managing load sharing among a plurality of power sources, the method comprising:
determining a total power output to be directed from the plurality of power sources to at least one power consumer;
retrieving a Brake Specific Fuel Consumption (BSFC) curve associated with each of the plurality of power sources;
determining an operating priority for each of the plurality of power sources based on operating constraints associated with the respective power source, the operating constraints including at least one of a type of the respective power source and a fuel available for use by the respective power source;
determining a load share for each of the plurality of power sources based on at least the total power output, the BSFC curves, and the operating priorities, wherein determining the load share for each of the plurality of power sources comprises:
determining two or more power sources to be identical based on the BSFC curves and the operating constraints, and
determining, based on the operating constraints, that the two or more identical power sources have the same load share; and

managing the load sharing among the plurality of power sources based on the determined load share for each of the plurality of power sources.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the load share for each of the plurality of power sources comprises:
grouping the plurality of power sources into two or more priority groups, such that power sources in the same priority group have the same operating priority;
calculating, based on the total power output and the operating priorities, a power to be directed from each of the two or more priority groups; and
determining the load share for each of the plurality of power sources based on at least the BSFC curves and the power to be directed from each of the two or more priority groups.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein a sum of the powers to be directed from the two or more priority groups is equal to the total power output.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
determining two or more power sources in a priority group to be identical based on the BSFC curves and the operating constraints; and
determining, based on the operating constraints, that the two or more identical power sources have the same load share.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
tuning the load share for each power source in a priority group such that a total fuel consumption of the priority group achieves a minimum value.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the load share for each of the plurality of power sources comprises:
tuning the load share for each of the plurality of power sources such that a total fuel consumption of the plurality of power sources achieves a minimum value.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the load share for each of the plurality of power sources comprises:
determining the load share for each of the plurality of power sources using a particle swarm optimization algorithm.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
merging the load share determined for each of the plurality of power sources; and
generating the merged load shares as a combined load-sharing configuration for the total power output.

9. A power system, comprising:
a plurality of power sources configured to provide power to at least one power consumer;
a load manager associated with the at least one consumer and configured to determine a total power output to be directed from the plurality of power sources to the at least one power consumer; and
a power distribution module communicatively connected with the load manger and the plurality of power sources, the power distribution module being configured to:
retrieve a BSFC curve associated with each of the plurality of power sources;
determine an operating priority for each of the plurality of power sources based on operating constraints associated with the respective power source, the operating constraints including at least one of a type of the respective power source and a fuel available for use by the respective power source;
determine a load share for each of the plurality of power sources based on at least the total power output, the BSFC curves, and the operating priorities;
determine two or more power sources to be identical based on the BSFC curves and the operating constraints;
determine, based on the operating constraints, that the two or more identical power sources have the same load share; and
manage load sharing among the plurality of power sources based on the determined load share for each of the plurality of power sources.

10. The power system of claim 9 , wherein the power distribution module is further configured to:
group the plurality of power sources into two or more priority groups, such that power sources in the same priority group have the same operating priority;
calculate, based on the total power output and the operating priorities, a power to be directed from each of the two or more priority groups; and
determine the load share for each of the plurality of power sources based on at least the BSFC curves and the power to be directed from each of the two or more priority groups.

11. The power system of claim 10 , wherein a sum of the powers to be directed from the two or more priority groups is equal to the total power output.

12. The power system of claim 10 , wherein the power distribution module is further configured to:
determine two or more power sources in a priority group to be identical based on the BSFC curves and the operating constraints; and
determine, based on the operating constraints, that the two or more identical power sources have the same load share.

13. The power system of claim 10 , wherein the power distribution module is further configured to:
tune the load share for each power source in a priority group such that a total fuel consumption of the priority group achieves a minimum value.

14. The power system of claim 9 , wherein the power distribution module is further configured to:
tune the load share for each of the plurality of power sources such that a total fuel consumption of the plurality of power sources achieves a minimum value.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for managing load sharing among a plurality of power sources, the instructions causing at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
determining a total power output to be directed from the plurality of power sources to at least one power consumer;
retrieving a BSFC curve associated with each of the plurality of power sources;
determining an operating priority for each of the plurality of power sources based on operating constraints associated with the respective power source, the operating constraints including at least one of a type of the respective power source and a fuel available for use by the respective power source;
determining a load share for each of the plurality of power sources based on at least the total power output, the BSFC curves, and the operating priorities, wherein determining the load share for each of the plurality of power sources comprises:
determining two or more power sources to be identical based on the BSFC curves and the operating constraints, and
determining, based on the operating constraints, that the two or more identical power sources have the same load share; and

managing the load sharing among the plurality of power sources based on the determined load share for each of the plurality of power sources.

16. The non-transit

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Zhang Yanchai
• Chang Insu
• Chase James
• Janardhan Vijay
• Converse Perry D

Classifications

• F02D41/0205 Primary

  using an auxiliary engine speed control (engine speed control per se F02D31/00) · CPC title

• F02D41/1406

  with use of a optimisation method, e.g. iteration · CPC title

• F02D29/06

  peculiar to engines driving electric generators · CPC title

• F02D2200/0625

  Fuel consumption, e.g. measured in fuel liters per 100 kms or miles per gallon · CPC title

• G01L3/24

  Devices for determining the value of power, e.g. by measuring and simultaneously multiplying the values of torque and revolutions per unit of time, by multiplying the values of tractive or propulsive force and velocity · CPC title