IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
UP-0412071
(2006-04-25)
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등록번호 |
US-7518254
(2009-07-01)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Donnelly, Frank
- Tarnow, Andrew
- Wolff, Bruce
- Watson, John D.
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출원인 / 주소 |
- Railpower Technologies Corporation
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
32 인용 특허 :
162 |
초록
▼
The present invention is directed to a control strategy for operating a plurality of prime power sources during propulsion, idling and braking and is applicable to large systems such as trucks, ships, cranes and locomotives utilizing diesel engines, gas turbine engines, other types of internal combu
The present invention is directed to a control strategy for operating a plurality of prime power sources during propulsion, idling and braking and is applicable to large systems such as trucks, ships, cranes and locomotives utilizing diesel engines, gas turbine engines, other types of internal combustion engines, fuel cells or combinations of these that require substantial power and low emissions utilizing multiple power plant combinations. The present invention is directed at a general control strategy for multi power plant systems where the power systems need not be of the same type or power rating and may even use different fuels. The invention is based on a common DC bus electrical architecture so that prime power sources need not be synchronized.
대표청구항
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What is claimed is: 1. A propulsion system, comprising: (a) a plurality of prime power systems, each prime power system comprising; a prime power source device; and an energy conversion device operable to convert energy output by the prime power device into direct current electrical energy; (b) a
What is claimed is: 1. A propulsion system, comprising: (a) a plurality of prime power systems, each prime power system comprising; a prime power source device; and an energy conversion device operable to convert energy output by the prime power device into direct current electrical energy; (b) a direct current bus connecting the plurality of prime power systems, the direct current bus being operable to carry the direct current electrical energy to and/or from the prime power systems; (c) a voltage sensor for measuring a voltage level across the direct current bus; (d) a plurality of current sensors, each current sensor measuring a direct current electrical energy outputted by a selected prime power system; and (e) a control system operable, based on the measured voltage level across the direct current bus and the respective measured direct current electrical energy into and/or out of each prime power system, to control at least one of: (i) a mechanical parameter of the selected prime power system; (ii) an electrical parameter of the selected prime power system; and (iii) an electrical parameter of the direct current bus. 2. The propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the prime power system is an engine and the energy conversion device is a mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion device operable to convert mechanical energy output by the engine into direct current electrical energy. 3. The propulsion system of claim 2, wherein the control system controls (i) and wherein the mechanical parameter is at least one of a mechanical power setting of the selected engine, a fuel supply to the selected engine and a mechanical rotary speed setting of the selected engine. 4. The propulsion system of claim 2, wherein the control system controls an engine power and/or rotary speed operating point to the selected engine. 5. The propulsion system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion devices are connected in parallel to the bus, wherein the control system controls (ii), wherein the output electrical parameter is at least one of an output electrical voltage, an output electrical current and output electrical power of the selected engine system, wherein the mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion devices comprise an electrical converter operable to inhibit reverse flow of direct current electrical energy from the bus to a selected engine system and further comprising: a control device for providing at least one of a rotary speed, a winding configuration and a magnetic flux modification to a selected mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion device to vary an output voltage of the selected mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion device. 6. The propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the prime power system is a fuel cell and the energy conversion device is an electrical converter device. 7. The propulsion system of claim 6, wherein the control system controls (i) and wherein the mechanical parameter is at least one of a mechanical flow rate of a fuel component of the selected fuel cell and mechanical fuel pressure level of a fuel component of the selected fuel cell. 8. The propulsion system of claim 6, wherein the control system controls a fuel cell electrical power and/or electrical current operating point of the selected fuel cell. 9. The propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the control system controls (iii) and wherein the electrical parameter of the direct current bus is at least one of a voltage level across the bus and a total electrical power carried by the bus and further comprising: a power control device positioned between the bus and at least one load device. 10. The propulsion system of claim 9, wherein the power control device is one of a chopper circuit and an inverter. 11. The propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the control system varies the at least one of (i), (ii), and (iii) for a set of two or more of the prime power systems, wherein the control system selects at least one desired operating point for the set of prime power systems and/or for a prime power system in the set, determines a corresponding power output for a selected prime power system in the set based on the desired operating point, and controls the at least one of (i), (ii), and (iii) for the selected prime power system based on the corresponding power output. 12. The propulsion system of claim 11, wherein each prime power system in the set has a corresponding desired operating point, wherein the desired operating point is associated with at least one of a desired fuel consumption rate, an emissions level rate of at least one target emission component, a desired prime power system power output, and a desired prime power system lifetime. 13. The propulsion system of claim 12, wherein the desired operating point is associated with an emissions level rate of at least one target emission component and the at least one target emission component is at least one of a compound of nitrogen and oxygen and a compound of carbon and oxygen. 14. The propulsion system of claim 12, wherein the desired operating point is associated with a desired fuel consumption rate. 15. A propulsion system, comprising: (a) a plurality of prime power systems, each prime power system comprising; a prime power source device; and an energy conversion device operable to convert energy output by the prime power device into direct current electrical energy; (b) one or more energy storage systems (c) a direct current bus connecting the plurality of prime power systems, the direct current bus being operable to carry the direct current electrical energy to and/or from the prime power systems; (d) a voltage sensor for measuring a voltage level across the direct current bus; (e) a plurality of current sensors, each current sensor measuring a direct current electrical energy outputted by a selected prime power system; and (f) a control system operable, based on the measured voltage level across the direct current bus and the respective measured direct current electrical energy into and/or out of each prime power system, to control at least one of: (i) a mechanical parameter of the selected prime power system; (ii) an electrical parameter of the selected prime power system; and (iii) an electrical parameter of the direct current bus. 16. In a multi-prime power source vehicle, a propulsion method, comprising: (a) determining an operating voltage range for a direct current electrical bus; (b) determining a power requirement to be provided to the direct current electrical bus by a plurality of prime power systems; (c) selecting at least a subset of the prime power systems to provide the determined power requirement to the direct current electrical bus; (d) determining a first magnitude of an operational parameter for each of the selected prime power systems to provide, to the direct current electrical bus, the selected prime power system's portion of the determined power requirement; (e) setting each of the selected prime power systems to the corresponding first magnitude of the determined operational parameter to provide the selected prime power system's portion of the determined power requirement to the direct current electrical bus; (f) measuring an electrical parameter of each of the selected prime power systems; (g) comparing the measured electrical parameter of each of the selected prime power systems to the corresponding portion of the determined power requirement; and (h) if needed, adjusting at least one of (i) the first magnitude of the operational parameter of the selected prime power system and (ii) the electrical parameter of the selected prime power system to produce the corresponding required electrical power output for the selected prime power system. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein each prime power system comprises at least one of an engine and a fuel cell and further comprising: adjusting power to a load attached to the direct current electrical bus. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the power requirement is based on a physical location of the prime power systems as sensed by an on board position tracking system, wherein an electrical power outputted by the selected prime power system is proportional to a current outputted by the selected prime power system, wherein step (f) is performed by measuring electrical power outputted by each of the at least a subset of prime power systems and wherein, in step (g), the measured current is compared to a corresponding required current for the selected prime power system. 19. The method of claim 16, wherein step (h) is performed by at least one of the following: (i) adjusting an output voltage of each of the selected prime power system; and (ii) adjusting a power outputted by the prime power source. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein a power requirement to be provided to the direct current electrical bus by a plurality of prime power systems is modified by adjusting power to a load attached to the direct current electrical bus. 21. A propulsion method in a multi-prime power source vehicle, comprising: (a) determining an operating voltage range for a direct current electrical bus; (b) determining a power requirement to be provided to the direct current electrical bus by a plurality of prime power systems; (c) selecting a prime power source operating mode from among a plurality of differing prime power source operating modes; (d) based on the determined power requirement and selected prime power source operating mode, selecting at least a subset of the prime power systems to provide the determined power requirement to the direct current electrical bus; and (e) based on the determined power requirement and selected prime power source operating mode, setting at least one of (i) an operational mechanical parameter for each of the selected prime power systems and (ii) an operational electrical parameter for each of the selected prime power systems, to provide the selected prime power system's portion of the determined power requirement to the direct current electrical bus. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein each prime power system comprises at least one of an engine and a fuel cell and wherein the setting step (e) comprises the substep of setting an operational mechanical parameter and wherein the operational mechanical parameter is at least one of an output mechanical power of the selected prime power system, an output mechanical rotary speed of the selected prime power system, an input fuel supply to the selected prime power system, an operating pressure level of the selected prime power system, and an input prime power source operating point to the selected prime power system. 23. The method of claim 21, wherein, in the setting step (e), the electrical parameter is set and wherein the electrical parameter of the direct current bus is at least one of a voltage level across the bus and a total electrical power of the bus and further comprising: controlling a power level supplied to a load device using a power control device positioned between the bus and the load device. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the power control device is one of a chopper circuit and an inverter. 25. The method of claim 21, further comprising: selecting a desired operating point for the plurality of prime power systems; determining, for each of the prime power systems, the corresponding power requirement based on the corresponding desired operating point; and controlling at least one of a mechanical parameter and an electrical parameter for each of the each of prime power systems based on the corresponding power output. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the desired operating point is associated with at least one of a desired fuel consumption rate, an emissions level rate of at least one target emission component substance, a desired prime power system power output, and a desired prime power source lifetime. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the desired operating point is associated with an emissions level rate of at least one target emission component substance and the at least one target emission component substance is at least one of a compound of nitrogen and oxygen and a compound of carbon and oxygen. 28. The method of claim 25, wherein the desired operating point is associated with a desired fuel consumption. 29. The method of claim 21, wherein the operating modes are at least two of the following: an emissions mode in which prime power system emission of a selected substance is less than a specified level, a prime power lifetime mode in which prime power system power output is maintained below a specified level to provide for increased prime power system operating life, a maximum fuel efficiency mode in which prime power system power output is maintained below a specified level to provide for at least a selected level of fuel consumption, a noise emissions mode in which prime power system noise emissions are maintained less than a specified level, and a maximum power mode in which prime power system power output is substantially maximized. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein first and second prime power systems are simultaneously in differing operating modes. 31. The method of claim 21, wherein the selection of the operating mode is based on a physical location of the prime power system as determined by an on board location tracking system. 32. The method of claim 21, wherein subset of prime power systems is selected based upon at least one of an operating history of each prime power system, a random number generator output value, a pseudo-random number generator output value, and a round robin scheduler value.
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