System and method for controlling power output of a power source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9851736-B2
Application number	US-201514700632-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2015
Priority date	Apr 30, 2015
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A control system for a power source is disclosed. The control system includes a first sensor module and a second sensor module to generate signals indicative of an ambient condition of the power source and an operating parameter of an engine of the power source, respectively. The control system further includes a controller that receives signals indicative of the ambient condition and the engine operating parameter and determines a first power output based on the ambient condition and a second power output based on the engine operating parameter. A final power output is further determined based on the first and second power outputs, which is further compared with a predetermined power output of the engine. A power conversion device that is coupled to the engine is further controlled to regulate a power output of the power source based on the comparison between the final and predetermined power outputs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control system for a power source having an engine and a power conversion device drivably coupled to the engine, the control system comprising:
a first sensor module configured to generate signals indicative of an ambient condition of the power source;
a second sensor module configured to generate signals indicative of an operating parameter of the engine; and
a controller communicably coupled to the first sensor module and the second sensor module, the controller configured to:
receive signals indicative of the ambient condition of the power source and the operating parameter of the engine;
determine a first power output based on the ambient condition of the power source and a second power output based on the operating parameter of the engine;
determine a final power output based on the first power output and the second power output, wherein the final power output is a minimum value of the first power output and the second power output;
compare the final power output with a predetermined power output of the engine; and
control the power conversion device to regulate a power output of the power source based on the comparison between the final power output and the predetermined power output.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor module comprises:
a pressure sensor configured to generate signals indicative of an ambient pressure; and
a temperature sensor configured to generate signals indicative of an ambient temperature.

3. The control system of claim 2 , wherein the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor are disposed adjacent to an inlet of a compressor of the engine.

4. The control system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the first power output based on a first predetermined relationship between the first power output, the ambient temperature and the ambient pressure.

5. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the second sensor module comprises a temperature sensor disposed in an inlet manifold of the engine, and wherein the second sensor module is configured to generate signals indicative of an inlet manifold air temperature.

6. The control system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the second power output based on a second predetermined relationship between the second power output and the inlet manifold air temperature.

7. The control system of claim 6 , wherein the first power output is indicative of a maximum power output of the engine based on the ambient condition, and wherein the second power output is indicative of a maximum power output of the engine based on the operating parameter.

8. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine a ratio between the final power output and the predetermined power output;
determine a final de-rate value based on the ratio between the final power output and the predetermined power output; and
control the power conversion device based on the final de-rate value to regulate the power output of the power source.

9. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to limit a rate of change of the power output of the power source based on a predetermined rate limit.

10. A control system for a generator set comprising an engine and a generator coupled to the engine, the control system comprising:
a first sensor module configured to generate signals indicative of an ambient condition of the generator set;
a second sensor module configured to generate signals indicative of an operating parameter of the engine; and
a controller communicably coupled to the first sensor module and the second sensor module, the controller configured to:
receive signals indicative of the ambient condition of the generator set and the operating parameter of the engine;
determine a first power output based on the ambient condition of the generator set and a second power output based on the operating parameter of the engine;
determine a first de-rate value based on the first power output and a predetermined power output of the engine;
determine a second de-rate value based on the second power output and the predetermined power output of the engine;
determine a final de-rate value based on the first de-rate value and the second de-rate value, wherein the final de-rate value is a minimum value of the first de-rate value and the second de-rate value; and
control the generator to regulate a power output of the generator set based on the final de-rate value.

11. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the first sensor module comprises:
a pressure sensor configured to generate signals indicative of an ambient pressure; and
a temperature sensor configured to generate signals indicative of an ambient temperature.

12. The control system of claim 11 , wherein the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor are disposed adjacent to an inlet of a compressor of the engine.

13. The control system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the first power output based on a first predetermined relationship between the first power output, the ambient temperature and the ambient pressure.

14. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the second sensor module comprises a temperature sensor disposed in an inlet manifold of the engine, and wherein the second sensor module is configured to generate signals indicative of an inlet manifold air temperature.

15. The control system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the second power output based on a second predetermined relationship between the second power output and the inlet manifold air temperature.

16. A method of controlling a power output of a power source, the power source comprises an engine and a power conversion device drivably coupled to the engine, the method comprising:
determining an ambient condition of the power source and an operating parameter of the engine;
determining a first power output based on the ambient condition of the power source and a second power output based on the operating parameter of the engine;
determining a final power output based on the first power output and the second power output, wherein the final power output is a minimum value of the first power output and the second power output;
comparing the final power output with a predetermined power output of the engine; and
controlling the power conversion device to regulate the power output of the power source based on the comparison between the final power output and the predetermined power output.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the ambient condition comprises an ambient temperature and an ambient pressure.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising determining the first power output based on a first predetermined relationship between the first power output, the ambient temperature and the ambient pressure.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the operating parameter of the engine comprises an inlet manifold air temperature.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising limiting a rate of change of the power output of the power source based on a predetermined rate limit.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Sunley Ryan T
• Tanksale Rohit S
• Fung William W
• Nallamalli Ramakrishna

Classifications

• G05F1/66 Primary

  Regulating electric power · CPC title

• F02D29/06

  peculiar to engines driving electric generators · CPC title

• F02D29/04

  peculiar to engines driving pumps · CPC title

• F02D2200/703

  Atmospheric pressure · CPC title

• F02D41/0007

  for control of turbo-charged or super-charged engines (control of the pumps per se F02B37/12) · CPC title