Caterpillar Inc.

Matthew L Hendrickson

Bradley Bailey

Frederick Beach

William James Tate

Walter Earle Earleson

Eric J Ruth

Donald John Gilmore

Bo Xie

Igor Strashny

Suresh Baddam Reddy

Alexander Cameron Crosman, Iii

Eric M Andris

Dustin Craig Selvey

David Marchand

Benjamin Paul Gottemoller

Lewei Qian

Jeffrey A Brand

Brian Huber

Jeffrey E Brand

An electrical architecture that allows power to be transferred to a battery powered machine while the machine is moving and that allows the machine to be charged while stationary.

Electrical architecture for battery powered machine

A display for use in an off-highway truck includes a position element providing an indication to an operator of the off-highway truck to align the off-highway truck with an overhead trolley line as well as a pantograph element providing an indication to the operator to raise or lower a pantograph associated with the off-highway truck to respectively make or break contact with the overhead trolley line. In an optional aspect, an alarm indicator may be provided for signaling an alarm condition to the operator of the off-highway truck.

Display conveying trolley position to operator

A controller () in an electric drive system is used to determine whether a phase current imbalance in the output winding of a power generator () exists. During operation, the controller () receives a set of power generator diagnostic values corresponding to the phase currents output by the power generator (). Next, the controller () determines a set of expected operating phase current values. The controller () then compares the obtained diagnostic values to one or more corresponding expected operating values. If the difference is greater than a threshold, the controller () provides an appropriate fault indication indicative of a phase current imbalance.

Method and apparatus for detecting phase current imbalance in a power generator

A machine propelled by an electric motor and subject to a deration scheme is described wherein deration is specified by a combination of a temperature signal indicating a degree to which a machine component is overheating. The machine includes an electronic controller that receives a temperature signal indicative of a current temperature status of the electric motor. The electronic controller receives a motor speed signal indicative of a current speed status of the electric motor. The electronic controller calculates, in accordance with a derating scheme, a deration value for the electric motor, the deration value being determined by applying a set of current operating state parameter values to the derating scheme. The set of current operating state parameters include: a motor speed parameter value; and a temperature parameter value.

Derating vehicle electric drive motor and generator components

A method of regulating temperature of a transistor-based component of a power system is disclosed. The method may include operating the power system to supply electric power to the transistor-based component and converting the electric power from direct current to alternating current, or alternating current to direct current, using the transistor-based component, thereby creating heat in the transistor-based component. The method may include outputting the electric power from the transistor-based component and supplying the electric power to an electrically-powered component to perform an output operation. The method may include controlling, during a predetermined system operating condition, one or more operations of a component associated with the power system to actively generate heat to thereby maintain the temperature of the transistor-based component higher than from the conversion of electric power that is performed to produce the electric power used to perform the output operation during the predetermined system operating condition.

Method for regulating temperature of transistor-based component

A drive system for a machine having an engine, a generator, a trolley drive arrangement, a motor, wheels and auxiliary devices is provided. The drive system includes an inverter circuit and an auxiliary driver both being operatively connected to the trolley drive arrangement. The inverter circuit may be coupled to each of the generator and the motor. The auxiliary driver may be coupled to each of the generator and the auxiliary devices. The inverter circuit and the auxiliary driver may be configured to automatically communicate power from the trolley drive arrangement and any power from the auxiliary devices to the motor in a trolley propel mode, and automatically communicate power from the motor to the engine, the trolley drive arrangement, and optionally to a hybrid system if applicable, in a dynamic braking mode, while attached to trolley lines so as to eliminate fuel consumption while attached to the trolley lines.

Method and apparatus to eliminate fuel use for electric drive machines during trolley operation

A brake monitoring system for a machine has at least one traction motor coupled to drive wheels of the machine. An operator input device receives a requested retarding torque from an operator of the machine and sends a signal to a controller that is configured to compare the required retarding torque to a maximum retarding torque available at a particular speed of the traction motor. The controller selectively generates a warning signal based on a comparison of the required retarding torque to a maximum retarding torque available.

Brake monitoring system

An electric drive system includes a fuel-driven prime mover for driving an electrical power alternator controlled at least in part by an excitation voltage is disclosed. The electrical power alternator makes electrical power available on a DC link having a voltage characteristic and a current characteristic. A method for managing the response of the alternator includes determining a voltage of the DC link and a torque command by an operator. The torque command is used to derive a mechanical power that is being commanded. A desired voltage of the DC link is determined based on the derived mechanical power, and an excitation voltage command signal is provided based on the desired voltage of the DC link by use of a closed loop controller. An actual excitation voltage is applied to the electrical power alternator based on the excitation voltage command signal.

Electric drive power response management system and method

A trolley capable mining truck includes a pantograph supported on a machine frame for electrically connecting the truck with an overhead trolley line. A power system includes an onboard electrical power source providing electrical power to electric drive propulsion motors along a first electrical path in a first configuration of the power system. The pantograph provides electrical power from the overhead trolley line to the electric drive propulsion motors along a second electrical path, which includes a transient damping reactor, in a second configuration of the power system. The power system also includes a third configuration in which, during a braking mode of the trolley capable mining truck, the electric drive propulsion motors provide regenerative electrical power to the overhead trolley line through the pantograph along a third electrical path including a regenerative power converter, wherein the regenerative power converter includes the transient damping reactor.

Control strategy for providing regenerative electrical power to trolley line in trolley capable mining truck

An electric drive system includes a fuel-driven engine () driving an electrical power generator () that provides power to one or more electric drive motors (). A method of load management in the electric drive system includes receiving an actual fuel signal, an engine speed () signal, a throttle position signal, a motor speed () signal, an intake air pressure, a barometric pressure signal, and an intake air temperature signal. These values are used to determine a torque limit. The torque limit is used to limit a torque command to the electric drive motors () such that the torque command is consistent with the operating capabilities of the engine ().

Engine load management for traction vehicles

A controller () in an electric drive system is used to determine the operating condition of array of rotating diodes (B) within a generator (). During operation, the controller () receives a set of generator inputs, a set of machine parameters, and a set of diagnostic values. Next, the controller () determines a set of expected operating values corresponding to the set of diagnostic values. The controller () then compares the obtained diagnostic values to one or more corresponding expected operating values. If the difference is greater than a threshold, the controller () provides a fault indication that one or more of the array of rotating diodes (B) has malfunctioned.

Method and apparatus for determining the operating condition of generator rotating diodes

A system for detecting a short circuit in a direct current (DC) link (), wherein the DC link () is coupled with a rectifier () which includes a set of rectifier diode pairs (). During operation, a controller () receives a set of outputs of a power generator, a set of machine parameters, and a set of diagnostic values. Next, the controller () determines a set of expected operating values corresponding to the set of diagnostic values. The controller () then compares diagnostic values to corresponding expected operating values. If the difference between the diagnostic values and the expected operating values exceeds a threshold, the controller () provides a flag to indicate that a short circuit condition exists.

Method and apparatus for detecting a short circuit in a DC link

A controller () in an electric drive system is used to develop power generation failure diagnostics. During operation, the controller () receives a set of generator inputs, a set of machine parameters, and a set of diagnostic values. Next, the controller () determines a set of expected operating values corresponding to the set of diagnostic values. The controller () then compares the obtained diagnostic values to one or more corresponding expected operating values. If the difference is greater than a threshold, the controller () provides an appropriate fault indication.

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Dunlap, IL, United States of America

Matthew L Hendrickson