Auxiliary energy management system for mobile diesel electric power plants

An auxiliary energy management system in combination with a mobile diesel electric power plant including a diesel engine, a turbocharger, a main alternator and a plurality of auxiliary power loads, wherein said turbocharger is connected to said diesel engine so as to supply an inlet air flow thereto and to receive an exhaust air flow therefrom and said main alternator is drivingly connected to said diesel engine such that said diesel engine transmits rotary drive motion thereto causing said main alternator to generate an electrical power output, said auxiliary energy management system comprising:

• a power assist device connected to said turbocharger and being operable in either an electric motor mode to provide auxiliary rotary drive motion to said turbocharger or an electric alternator mode to receive rotary drive motion from said turbocharger;
• an energy storage device electrically connected between said power assist device and said main alternator and being operable in either an energy capture mode to store auxiliary electrical power or an energy supply mode to provide auxiliary electrical power to said auxiliary power loads;
• and
• a control mechanism electrically connected to said diesel engine, said turbocharger, said power assist device and said energy storage device and being operable to convert said power assist device to one or the other of said motor and alternator modes in response to sensing performance of said diesel engine and said turbocharger and operate said energy storage device in a corresponding one or the other of said energy supply and capture modes, said control mechanism also being electrically connected between said energy storage device and said plurality of auxiliary power loads so as to enable control of supply of electrical power from said energy storage device to said auxiliary power loads.