US 12,258,899 B1Granted

Variable geometry turbocharger control

AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.

InventorsKevin Weiss, James Mutti, Ryan Treanor, Nicholas Williams, Emanuelle Carduner

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Abstract

A machine includes a VGT and a controller. The controller monitors, based on causing the VGT to operate according to the non-dynamic control scheme, a plurality of hardware limit parameters associated with an engine of the machine. The controller determines that a hardware limit parameter, of the plurality of hardware limit parameters, satisfies a dynamic threshold for the hardware limit parameter and thereby causes the VGT to operate according to a dynamic control scheme. The controller then monitors the plurality of hardware limit parameters and thereby determines that each hardware limit parameter, of the plurality of hardware limit parameters, satisfies a non-dynamic threshold for the hardware limit parameter. The controller therefore causes the VGT to operate again according to the non-dynamic control scheme.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A machine comprising:

a single variable geometry turbocharger (VGT);
and
a controller configured to:
cause the VGT to operate according to a non-dynamic control scheme;
monitor, based on the causing the VGT to operate according to the non-dynamic control scheme, a plurality of hardware limit parameters associated with an engine of the machine during a first time period, the plurality of hardware limit parameters including at least two of:
a peak cylinder pressure parameter;
a VGT speed parameter;
a compressor surge parameter;
a compressor choke parameter;
or an exhaust temperature parameter;
determine, based on the monitoring the plurality of hardware limit parameters during the first time period, that a hardware limit parameter, of the plurality of hardware limit parameters, satisfies a dynamic threshold for the hardware limit parameter;
cause, based on the determining that the hardware limit parameter satisfies the dynamic threshold, the VGT to operate according to a dynamic control scheme;
monitor, based on the causing the VGT to operate according to the dynamic control scheme, the plurality of hardware limit parameters during a second time period;
determine, based on the monitoring the plurality of hardware limit parameters during the second time period, that each said hardware limit parameter, of the plurality of hardware limit parameters, satisfies a non-dynamic threshold for the hardware limit parameter;
and
cause, based on the determining that each hardware limit parameter satisfies the non-dynamic threshold for the hardware limit parameter, the VGT to operate again according to the non-dynamic control scheme,
wherein the controller, to cause the VGT to operate according to the dynamic control scheme, is configured to:
implement a first time difference threshold,
determine a first time at which the controller determined the hardware limit parameter satisfies the dynamic threshold for the hardware limit parameter, and
cause, at a second time after the first time, and responsive to the second time reaching or exceeding the first time difference threshold, the VGT to operate according to the dynamic control scheme.

17 more elements

A controller of a machine, comprising:

one or more memories;
one or more processors configured to:
identify that a single variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) of the machine is operating according to a non-dynamic control scheme;
monitor, after the identifying that the VGT is operating according to the non-dynamic control scheme, a plurality of hardware limit parameters associated with an engine of the machine, the plurality of hardware limit parameters excluding including at least two of:
a peak cylinder pressure parameter;
a VGT speed parameter;
a compressor surge parameter;
a compressor choke parameter;
or an exhaust temperature parameter;
determine, based on the monitoring the plurality of hardware limit parameters, that a hardware limit parameter, of the plurality of hardware limit parameters, satisfies a dynamic threshold;
and
cause, based on the determining that the hardware limit parameter satisfies the dynamic threshold, the VGT to operate according to a dynamic control scheme,
wherein the one or more processors, to cause the VGT to operate according to the dynamic control scheme, is configured to:
determine a first time at which the one or more processors determined the hardware limit parameter satisfies the dynamic threshold for the hardware limit parameter, and
cause, at a second time after the first time, and responsive to the second time reaching or exceeding a first time difference threshold, the VGT to operate according to the dynamic control scheme.

12 more elements

A method, comprising:

determining, using a controller of a machine having a single variable geometry turbocharger (VGT), that a hardware limit parameter, of a plurality of hardware limit parameters associated with an engine of the machine, satisfies a dynamic threshold for the hardware limit parameter, the hardware limit parameter satisfying the dynamic threshold at a first time, and plurality of hardware limit parameters including at least two of:
a peak cylinder pressure parameter;
a VGT speed parameter;
a compressor surge parameter;
a compressor choke parameter;
or an exhaust temperature parameter;
causing, using the controller, at a second time after the first time, and responsive to the second time reaching or exceeding a time difference threshold, the VGT to operate according to a dynamic control scheme;
identifying, using the controller of the machine, that the VGT is operating according to the dynamic control scheme;
monitoring, using the controller and after identifying that the VGT is operating according to the dynamic control scheme, the plurality of hardware limit parameters associated with the engine of the machine;
determining, using the controller and based on monitoring the plurality of hardware limit parameters, that one or more of the plurality of hardware limit parameters respectively satisfy a plurality of non-dynamic thresholds;
and
causing, using the controller and based on said determining that one or more of the plurality of hardware limit parameters respectively satisfy the plurality of non-dynamic thresholds, the VGT to operate according to a non-dynamic control scheme.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.