# US 10,371,113 B2 · Method for operating a power generating device and power generating device

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- Number: US 10,371,113 B2
- Document ID: US10371113B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/517,733
- Filed: 2015-10-06
- Published: 2017-10-26
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-10-07
- Assignees: Eku Power Drives Inc.
- Applicants: EKU Power Drives GmbH
- Inventors: Leonardo Uriona Sepulveda; Martin Ball
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371113B2

## CPC

- F02N 11/0848: {with means for detecting successful engine start, e.g. to stop starter actuation}
- F02D 29/06: peculiar to engines driving electric generators
- F02D 41/0027: {the fuel being gaseous (non-electrical control F02D19/02)}
- F02D 41/042: {for stopping the engine}
- F02N 11/0818: {Conditions for starting or stopping the engine or for deactivating the idle-start-stop mode}
- F02N 11/0825: {related to prevention of engine restart failure, e.g. disabling automatic stop at low battery state}
- F02N 11/0862: {characterised by the electrical power supply means, e.g. battery}
- F02D 2200/1004: Estimation of the output torque
- F02N 2200/046: Energy or power necessary for starting
- F02N 2200/061: Battery state of charge [SOC]
- Y02T 10/40: Engine management systems
- F02N: STARTING OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; STARTING AIDS FOR SUCH ENGINES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a power generating device (2) comprising an internal combustion engine, in particular a gas motor or a gas turbine, and an energy accumulator. Said internal combustion engine and the energy accumulator are electrically coupled together. Said internal combustion engine (16) can be operated in accordance with a first estimated value and in accordance with a second estimated value.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Method for operating a power generating device comprising a combustion engine and an energy accumulator which are electrically coupled to one another, comprising the steps of determining a turn-off start time point for the combustion engine on the basis of an actual power (Pq) of the combustion engine and on the basis of a state of charge (SOC) of the energy accumulator, and starting a turn-off process of the internal combustion engine at the turn-off start time point.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of determining first estimated value for energy (Eq) generated by the combustion engine during a turn-off process on the basis of the actual power (Pq), determining a second estimated value for energy that the energy accumulator can reliably absorb on the basis of the state of charge (SOC), and starting the turn-off process if the first estimated value is greater than the second estimated value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

Method according to either claim 1, further comprising the step of starting the turn-off process if the actual power (Pq) of the combustion engine is greater than a maximum charging capacity of the energy accumulator.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of reducing the actual power (Pq) of the combustion engine on the basis of an increasing state of charge (SOC) of the energy accumulator.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

Method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of starting the turn-off process if the actual power (Pq) of the combustion engine is lower than a minimum continuous power (Pqmin) of the combustion engine.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a start-up clearance time for the combustion engine on the basis of the state of charge (SOC) of the energy accumulator, on the basis of a power performance during a run-up of the combustion engine, and on the basis of a power performance during an overrun of the combustion engine, and clearing a start-up process of the combustion engine at the start-up clearance time.

### Claim 7

A computer program product for a digital arithmetic unit for use in operating a power generating device comprising an combustion engine and an energy accumulator which are electrically coupled to one another, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal, the program instructions are readable by a computer to cause the computer to perform a method comprising: determining a turn-off start time point for the combustion engine on the basis of an actual power (Pq) of the combustion engine and on the basis of a state of charge (SOC) of the energy accumulator, and starting a turn-off process of the internal combustion engine at the turn-off start time point.

### Claim 8

Control unit for operating a power generating device comprising an combustion engine and an energy accumulator which unit is provided with a digital arithmetic unit, in particular a microprocessor, on which a computer program can run, the computer program comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal, the program instructions are readable by a computer to cause the computer to perform a method comprising: determining a turn-off start time point for the combustion engine on the basis of an actual power (Pq) of the combustion engine and on the basis of a state of charge (SOC) of the energy accumulator, and starting a turn-off process of the internal combustion engine at the turn-off start time point.

### Claim 9

Power generating device comprising an combustion engine, in particular a gas motor or a gas turbine, and an energy accumulator, which are electrically coupled to one another, the power generating device adapted to determine a turn-off start time point for the combustion engine on the basis of an actual power (Pq) of the combustion engine and on the basis of a state of charge (SOC) of the energy accumulator, and starting a turn-off process of the combustion engine at the turn-off start time point.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

Power generating device according to claim 9, wherein the power generating device comprises a computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal, the program instructions are readable by a computer to cause the computer to perform a method comprising: determining a turn-off start time point for the combustion engine on the basis of an actual power (Pq) of the combustion engine and on the basis of a state of charge (SOC) of the energy accumulator, and starting a turn-off process of the internal combustion engine at the turn-off start time point.