Compressed air system and method of control
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJason Arthur Dean, Mark Alan Linebach, Richard Gerald Bliley, Stephen Matthew Pelkowski, Jeffrey James Kisak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A compressed air system, wherein a decision to de-energize a compressor motor is made with consideration of the likely need for the operation of the compressor at a future point in time. A rate of pressure decay in an air reservoir may be extrapolated over a predetermined time period to predict the need for operation of the compressor within the time period. If operation of the compressor is predicted to be needed within the time period, the compressor is allowed to continue to run in an unloaded mode beyond a normal cool down period.
Claims25
A method of controlling the operation of a compressed air system for a railroad locomotive comprising an air compressor and a reservoir for receiving air under pressure from the air compressor, the method comprising:
- initiating operation of the air compressor when air in the reservoir falls below a lower predetermined level to deliver air under pressure to the reservoir;
- terminating delivery of air under pressure to the reservoir when the air pressure in the reservoir exceeds an upper predetermined level;
- with the air pressure in the reservoir at or near the upper predetermined level, forecasting when the operation of the air compressor will next be initiated;
- if the forecast initiation is set to occur within a predetermined period of time, continuing to operate the air compressor while venting the compressed air delivered by the air compressor until the pressure of the air in the reservoir drops to the lower predetermined level and then directing the air under pressure delivered by the air compressor to the reservoir;
- and
- if the forecast initiation is set to occur after a predetermined period of time, terminating operation of the air compressor until the pressure of the air in the reservoir drops to the lower predetermined level, whereby cycling of the operation of the air compressor between initiation of operation and termination of operation is reduced.
A compressed air system for a railroad locomotive comprising:
- an air compressor;
- an electric motor for driving the air compressor;
- an air reservoir for receiving air under pressure from the air compressor;
- a valve for venting air under pressure from the air compressor;
- a sensor for measuring a parameter indicative of the pressure of the air in the air reservoir;
- and
- a controller for controlling the operation of the electric motor and valve for:
- initiating operation of the electric motor to drive the air compressor when air in the reservoir falls below a lower predetermined level to deliver air under pressure to the reservoir;
- opening the valve to terminate delivery of air under pressure to the reservoir when the air pressure in the reservoir exceeds an upper predetermined level;
- with the air pressure in the reservoir at or near the upper predetermined level, forecasting when the operation of the electric motor to drive the air compressor will next be initiated;
- if the forecast initiation is set to occur within a predetermined period of time, continuing to operate the electric motor to drive the air compressor while maintaining the valve open to vent the compressed air delivered by the air compressor, the motor operation being continued until the pressure of the air in the reservoir drops to the lower predetermined levels and then closing the valve to direct the air under pressure delivered by the air compressor to the reservoir;
- and
- if the forecast initiation is set to occur after a predetermined period of time, terminating operation of the electric motor driving the air compressor until the pressure of the air in the reservoir drops to the lower predetermined level.
A method for controlling a compressed air system, the system comprising an air compressor powered by a motor for delivering compressed air to a reservoir when the compressor is operated in a loaded mode, and further compressing a bypass valve for diverting the compressed air away from the reservoir when the compressor is run in an unloaded mode, the method comprising:
- operating the compressor in the loaded mode to increase air pressure in the reservoir to a predetermined upper value;
- determining a parameter responsive to a change in the air pressure in the reservoir over a period of time;
- and
- using the parameter to decide whether or not to operate the compressor in the unloaded mode for a predefined first cool down period after the air pressure in the reservoir reaches the predetermined upper value.
A compressed air system comprising:
- a compressor;
- a motor for driving the compressor;
- a reservoir for storing air compressed by the compressor;
- a bypass valve for selectively directing compressed air produced by the compressor to one of the reservoir and the atmosphere;
- a pressure transducer producing a pressure signal responsive to air pressure in the reservoir;
- a controller coupled to the pressure transducer, the bypass valve and the motor;
- and
- a control module in the controller for controlling the motor and the bypass valve and responsive to a rate of change of pressure in the reservoir.
A method for controlling a compressed air system, the system comprising an air compressor powered by a motor for delivering compressed air to a reservoir when the compressor is operated in a loaded mode, and further compressing a bypass valve for diverting the compressed air away from the reservoir when the compressor is run in an unloaded mode, the method comprising:
- forecasting a next request for turning on a compressor motor;
- and
- if that request is forecast to be within a sufficiently short time period, allowing the compressor to run in the unloaded mode, thereby reducing an operational duty cycle of said compressed air system.
A compressed air system comprising:
- a compressor;
- a motor for driving the compressor;
- a reservoir for storing air compressed by the compressor;
- a bypass valve for selectively directing compressed air produced by the compressor to one of the reservoir and the atmosphere;
- and
- a controller coupled to the bypass valve and the motor, said controller configured to forecast a next request for turning on a compressor motor, wherein, if that request is forecast to be within a sufficiently short time period, said controller configured to allow the compressor to run in the unloaded mode, thereby reducing an operational duty cycle of said compressed air system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.