Machine system having fuel consumption monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9939301-B2
Application number	US-201615044292-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2016
Priority date	Feb 16, 2016
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

A system is disclosed for use with a machine having an engine with at least one cylinder. The system may have at least one injector configured to inject fuel into the at least one cylinder, and a controller in communication with the at least one injector. The controller may be configured to determine an injection duration of the at least one injector. The controller may also be configured to calculate a fuel consumption value for the machine based on the injection duration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for a machine having an engine with at least one cylinder and having the machine operable in a plurality of different modes, the system comprising:
at least one injector configured to inject fuel into the at least one cylinder;
an input device movable to indicate selection of one of a plurality of different settings; and
a controller in communication with the at least one injector and configured to:
determine an injection duration of the at least one injector;
calculate a fuel consumption value for the machine based on the injection duration;
calculate a fuel consumption value for each of the plurality of different settings;
determine a duty cycle for each of the plurality of different modes; and
modify the fuel consumption values for the plurality of different settings as a function of the duty cycle.

2. The system of claim 1 , further including a sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a performance of the machine, wherein the controller is configured to generate a current waveform for the at least one injector based on the first signal.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the injector duration based on a pulse width of the current waveform.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein:
the machine further includes a generator driven by the engine; and
the system further includes:
an input device manually movable to generate a second signal indicative of at least one of a desired engine speed and a desired generator load; and
the controller is further configured to selectively adjust the current waveform based on the second signal.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the sensor is one of an engine speed sensor and a generator load sensor.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein:
the controller is further configured to calculate the fuel consumption value for each of the plurality of different settings within each of the plurality of different modes.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to sum the modified fuel consumption values for each of the plurality of different modes.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine an amount of brake horsepower generated during operation within each of the plurality of different settings; and
modify the brake horsepower amounts for the plurality of different settings as a function of the duty cycle.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to sum the modified brake horsepower amounts for each of the plurality of different modes.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to normalize the sums of the modified fuel consumption values for each of the plurality of different modes based on the sums of the modified brake horsepower amounts.

11. The system of claim 1 , further including a display, wherein the controller is further configured to cause a representation of the fuel consumption value to be shown on the display.

12. The system of claim 1 , further including a communication device, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the fuel consumption value to be transmitted to another entity via the communication device.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one injector is a liquid fuel injector.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one injector further include a gaseous fuel injector.

15. A system for a machine having an engine with at least one cylinder, and a generator driven by the engine, the system comprising:
an injector configured to inject fuel into the at least one cylinder;
a sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a performance of the machine;
an input device manually movable to generate a second signal indicative of at least one of a desired engine speed and a desired generator load, wherein the input device is movable to indicate selection of one of a plurality of different settings, the machine is operable in a plurality of different modes; and
a controller in communication with the injector, the sensor, and the input device, the controller being configured to:
generate a current waveform for the injector based on the second signal;
selectively adjust the current waveform based on the first signal;
determine an injector duration based on a pulse width of the current waveform;
calculate a fuel consumption value for the machine based on the injection duration;
determine a duty cycle for each of the plurality of different modes;
calculate the fuel consumption value for each of the plurality of different settings within each of the plurality of different modes; and
modify the fuel consumption values for the plurality of different settings as a function of the duty cycle.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein:
the controller is further configured to:
sum the modified fuel consumption values for each of the plurality of different modes;
determine an amount of brake horsepower generated during operation within each of the plurality of different settings;
modify the brake horsepower amounts for the plurality of different settings as a function of the duty cycle;
sum the modified brake horsepower amounts for each of the plurality of different modes; and
normalize the sums of the modified fuel consumption values for each of the plurality of different modes based on the sums of the modified brake horsepower amounts.

17. A method of monitoring fuel consumption for a machine operable in a plurality of different modes having an engine with at least one cylinder, and a generator driven by the engine, the method comprising:
injecting fuel into the at least one cylinder;
generating a first signal indicative of a performance of the machine;
receiving input indicative of at least one of a plurality of different settings, each corresponding to a different desired engine speed and a different desired generator load;
generating an injector current waveform based on the input;
selectively adjusting the injector current waveform based on the first signal;
determining an injector duration based on a pulse width of the injector current waveform;
calculating a fuel consumption value for the machine based on the injection duration;
determining a duty cycle for each of the plurality of different modes;
calculating the fuel consumption value for each of the plurality of different settings within each of the plurality of different modes;
modifying the fuel consumption values for the plurality of different settings as a function of the duty cycle.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein:
the method further includes:
summing the modified fuel consumption values for each of the plurality of different modes;
determining an amount of brake horsepower generated during operation within each of the plurality of different settings;
modifying the brake horsepower amounts for the plurality of different settings as a function of the duty cycle;
summing the modified brake horsepower amounts for each of the plurality of different modes; and
normalizing the sums of the modified fuel consumption values for each of the plurality of different modes based on the sums of the modified brake horsepower amounts.

Assignees

• Electro Motive Diesel Inc
• Progress Rail Locomotive Inc

Inventors

• Seaton James David
• Shubs Jr Alexander

Classifications

• F02D41/40

  with means for controlling injection timing or duration · CPC title

• F02D2200/101

  Engine speed · CPC title

• G01F9/00 Primary

  Measuring volume flow relative to another variable, e.g. of liquid fuel for an engine · CPC title

• F02D41/20 Primary

  Output circuits, e.g. for controlling currents in command coils · CPC title

• F02D2041/2055

  with means for determining actual opening or closing time · CPC title