Caterpillar Inc.

Vijay Janardhan

Yanchai Zhang

Perry Dwain Converse

Insu Chang

Michael Andrew Snopko

Keith R Folken

Edward M Schroeder

Zhaoxu Dong

Maurice J Dust

David Ochoa

Venkata Dandibhotla

Stephen C Nofsinger

Eric W Ohlson

Daryl Belshan

Jason Weber

James Chase

Josenia Gerdes

Christian Andrés Herrera Hernandez

Douglas Brown

An engine controller to control a plurality of engines is disclosed. The engine controller may determine that power to a load is to be increased, wherein the load is configured to be powered by one or more of the plurality of engines; determine that an engine, of the plurality of engines, is configured to provide supplemental power to the load after a temperature of the engine satisfies a threshold, wherein the threshold corresponds to a warm-up operation of the engine being completed; determine that the temperature of the engine does not satisfy the threshold; obtain, via an operator interface, an authorization to bypass the warm-up operation of the engine; and bypass, based on obtaining the authorization, the warm-up operation for the engine to permit the engine to provide instantaneous power to the load.

Engine warm-up bypass control

A control system for a plurality of generator sets (gensets) includes a plurality of controllers and a data link. Each of the plurality of controllers is operatively associated with at least one of the plurality of gensets. The plurality of controllers is configured to control power output of each of the plurality of gensets, based on a plurality of operating modes. Each of the plurality of operating modes is configured for a power consumption scenario associated with the load. The datalink connects each of the plurality of controllers to at least one other controller of the plurality of controllers. The plurality of controllers is further configured to select a current operating mode, from the plurality of operating modes, for the plurality of gensets and control power output of at least one of the plurality of gensets based on the current operating mode.

Systems and methods for controlling power output to a load by multiple gensets based on load operation modes

A load management system is disclosed. The load management system may include a generator, a power source configured to drive the generator, a load bank configured to produce an electrical load on the generator, a chopper operatively connected to the generator and the load bank, and a chopper regulator in communication with the generator and the chopper. The chopper may be configured to modulate the electrical load of the load bank on the generator. The chopper regulator may be configured to monitor generator parameters and control the chopper based on the generator parameters.

Smart load bank and excitation control

A pump monitoring and notification system for a hydraulic pump includes a transmission speed sensor and a controller. The transmission speed sensor is associated with a transmission connected to the pump to determine an output speed of the transmission. The controller is configured to access a transmission threshold, access a time threshold, and determine a rotational speed of the transmission based upon the transmission speed sensor. The controller is further configured to determine a variation in rotational speed of the transmission based upon the rotational speed, compare the variation in rotational speed of the transmission to the transmission threshold, and generate an alert signal when the variation in rotational speed of the transmission exceeds the transmission threshold for a time period exceeding the time threshold.

Pump monitoring and notification system

A hybrid energy system including a controller that is coupled to at least one generator set and to at least one energy storage device. The controller is configured to cause the at least one generator set to operate at a first operational speed and a second operational speed in response to a change in the load. The controller receives notice that the at least one energy storage device is providing energy to the load and, in response thereto, to changes the amount of energy that the at least one generator set is providing to the load by causing the at least one generator set to operate at a third operational speed.

System and method to improve engine response during hybrid power generation

A system for monitoring a pump, while the pump operates at a worksite, is disclosed. The system includes one or more sensors, wherein each of the one or more sensors is associated with the pump and is configured to collect high frequency data associated with the pump. The system further includes a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) controller configured to receive the high frequency data from the one or more sensors and is also configured to generate low frequency data based on the high frequency data. The system further includes a low frequency controller configured to receive the low frequency data from the FPGA controller and configured to transmit the low frequency data to a monitor.

Systems and methods for collecting high frequency data associated with a pump by utilizing an FPGA controller

A monitoring system for a fluid pump having a fluid end and a power end is provided. The monitoring system includes an inlet pressure sensor attached to an inlet manifold of the fluid end. The inlet pressure sensor generates a signal indicative of an inlet pressure of a fluid being supplied to the fluid end. The monitoring system includes a discharge pressure sensor attached to the fluid end. The discharge pressure sensor generates a signal indicative of a discharge pressure of the fluid exiting the fluid end. The monitoring system includes at least one accelerometer attached to the fluid end. The accelerometer generates a signal indicative of vibrational data of the fluid pump. The monitoring system includes a controller which receives signals from the inlet pressure sensor, the discharge pressure sensor and the accelerometer and determines a possible failure mode of the fluid pump.

Monitoring system for fluid pump

A power system for powering a load is provided. The power system includes a plurality of power sources with each power source including an engine. A SCR system is associated with the engine of at least one of the plurality of power sources. A controller is in communication with the plurality of power sources. The controller is configured to receive engine operation information, emission output information associated with each engine and conversion efficiency information associated with the SCR system and selectively apportion the power demand presented by the load between each of the plurality of power sources based on minimizing total engine emissions across the plurality of power sources and using the engine operation information, the emission output information and the conversion efficiency information.

System for controlling the total emissions produced by a multi-engine power system

A control system to optimize response time of a plurality of engines of a machine is provided. The control system includes a controller configured to determine a first engine group and a second engine group based on data regarding response time characteristics of the plurality of engines, control the first engine group to increase output power of the machine when the output power of the machine is below a predetermined power output threshold, and control the second engine group to increase output power of the machine responsive to the output power of the machine reaching the predetermined power output threshold. A response time of the first engine group is faster than a response time of the second engine group when the output power of the machine is below the predetermined power output threshold.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods to control output power of groups of engines

A method and a system of managing load sharing among a plurality of power sources are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, the method includes determining a total power output to be directed from the plurality of power sources to at least one power consumer. The method also includes retrieving a Brake Specific Fuel Consumption (BSFC) curve associated with each of the plurality of power sources. The method further includes determining an operating priority for each of the plurality of power sources based on operating constraints associated with the respective power source. The method further includes determining a load share for each of the plurality of power sources based on at least the total power output, the BSFC curves, and the operating priorities.

Growing community of inventors

Dunlap, IL, United States of America

Vijay Janardhan