Genset engine using electrical sensing to control components for optimized performance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9708950-B2
Application number	US-201514632841-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2015
Priority date	Feb 26, 2015
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A genset comprises an engine; an alternator, an exhaust system, a controller, and at least one of an intake system, an EVAP system, a fuel injector, an EGR system, a SAI system and an aftertreatment system. The controller is configured to control at least a portion of the genset. The controller is in electrical communication with one or more of the alternator, the EVAP system, the EGR system, the SAI system and the aftertreatment system via communication circuitry. Furthermore, the controller is configured to: (a) receive an electrical output from the alternator via the communication circuitry, (b) determine a load on the alternator from the electrical output, which corresponds to mechanical load on the engine, and (c) generate an electrical signal configured to at least partially control operation of at least one of the EVAP system, the EGR system, the SAI system and the aftertreatment system via the communication circuitry.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A genset, comprising:
an engine;
an alternator;
an exhaust system structured to reduce the exhaust gas; and
a controller configured to:
(a) interpret an electrical output from the alternator via a communication circuitry,
(b) determine a load on the alternator from the electrical output, the load corresponding to a mechanical load on the engine,
(c) generate an engine control response in response to the load on the alternator determined from the electrical output of the alternator, the engine control response configured to control operation of at least one of an evaporation emission control system, an exhaust gas recirculation control system, a secondary air injection control system, or an aftertreatment system via the communication circuitry.

2. The genset of claim 1 , wherein the genset further comprises:
the evaporation emission control system;
the exhaust gas recirculation control system;
the secondary air injection control system; and
the aftertreatment system.

3. The genset of claim 1 , wherein the electrical output is received from the alternator before interpreting by the controller.

4. The genset of claim 2 , wherein the exhaust gas recirculation control system includes a valve structured to control a flow of exhaust gas into the engine, the load on the alternator corresponds to a fuel flow into the engine, and wherein the controller is configured to:
determine a setting of the valve included in the exhaust gas recirculation control system based on the fuel flow, and
communicate the engine control response to the exhaust gas recirculation system control via the communication circuitry to actuate the valve, the actuation configured to control an exhaust gas flow into the engine to reduce an amount of NOx produced from the engine.

5. The genset of claim 2 , wherein the evaporation emission control system includes a valve structured to control a flow of vented fuel from a fuel tank to the engine, the load on the alternator corresponding to a steady state load, and wherein the controller is configured to:
determine if the steady state load is above or below a threshold value, and
in response to the steady state load being above the threshold value, communicate the engine control response to the evaporation emission control system via the communication circuitry, the engine control response configured to open the valve of the evaporation emission control system for communicating the vented fuel into the engine.

6. The genset of claim 2 , wherein the secondary air injection control system includes a valve structured to control a flow of air in to the exhaust system, the load on the alternator further corresponding to the flow of air into the exhaust system, and wherein the controller is configured to:
determine if the load is above or below a threshold value, and
communicate the engine control response to the secondary air injection control system via the communication circuitry, the engine control response configured to close the valve in response to the load being above the threshold value, the closing stopping the flow of air into the exhaust system.

7. The genset of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to:
communicate the engine control response to the aftertreatment system, the engine control response configured to control an amount of exhaust reductant inserted into the exhaust system by the aftertreatment system to reduce an amount of NOx in the exhaust gas.

8. The genset of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fuel system,
wherein the controller is in electrical communication with the fuel system via the communication circuitry, and wherein the controller is further configured to communicate the engine control response to the fuel system, the engine control response configured to actuate the fuel system based on the load on the alternator.

9. The genset of claim 1 , wherein the controller and the communication circuitry form an open loop control system.

10. The genset of claim 1 , wherein the controller and the communication circuitry form a closed loop control system.

11. The genset of claim 1 , further comprising:
an air handling system,
wherein the controller is in electrical communication with the air handling system via the communication circuitry, and wherein the controller is further configured to communicate the engine control response to the air handling system to control an operation of the air handling system based on the load.

12. The genset of claim 1 , further comprising:
an ignition system,
wherein the controller is in electrical communication with the ignition system via the communication circuitry, and wherein the controller is further configured to communicate the engine control response to the ignition system to control an operation of the ignition system based on the load.

13. The genset of claim 1 , further comprising:
a thermal management system,
wherein the controller is in electrical communication with the thermal management system via the communication circuitry, and wherein the controller is further configured to communicate the engine control response to the thermal management system to control an operation of the thermal management system based on the load.

14. A control module for controlling a genset, the genset comprising an engine, an alternator, an exhaust system, an evaporation emission control system, an exhaust gas recirculation control system, a secondary air injection control system, a fuel system, an ignition system, an air handling system, a thermal management system and an aftertreatment system; the control module comprising:
a controller configured to:
(a) interpret an electrical output from the alternator via a communication circuitry,
(b) determine a load on the alternator from the electrical output, the load corresponding to a mechanical load on the engine,
(c) generate an engine control response in response to the load on the alternator determined from the electrical output of the alternator, the engine control response configured to control operation of at least one of the evaporation emission control system, the exhaust gas recirculation control system, the secondary air injection control system, the fuel system, the ignition system, the air handling system, the thermal management system or the aftertreatment system via the communication circuitry.

15. The control module of claim 14 , wherein the load on the alternator corresponds to a fuel flow into the engine, the controller configured to:
determine a setting of a valve included in the exhaust gas recirculation control system based on the fuel flow, and
communicate the engine control response to the exhaust gas recirculation control system via the communication circuitry to actuate the valve, the actuation configured to control an exhaust gas flow into the engine to reduce an amount of NOx produced from the engine.

16. The control module of claim 14 , wherein the load comprises a steady state load, the controller further configured to:
determine if the steady state load is above or below a threshold value, and
in response to the steady state load being above the threshold value, communicate the engine control response to the evaporation emission control system via the communication circuitry, the engine control response configured to open the valve of the evaporation emission control system for communicating the vented fuel into the engine.

17. The control module of claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine if the load is above or below a threshold value, and

Assignees

• Cummins Power Generation Ip

Inventors

• Falkowski David T
• Staples Luke R
• Becker Ryan A
• Halstead Nick V
• Walseth Andrew C
• Wilhelm Daniel D

Classifications

• F02D41/0032

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• F02M2026/001

  Arrangements; Control features; Details · CPC title

• F01N3/2066 Primary

  Selective catalytic reduction [SCR] · CPC title

• F02D41/021 Primary

  Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine (conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18) · CPC title

• F02D41/005

  according to engine operating conditions · CPC title