Power take-off for engine used in multi-function system and load management of such system

An apparatus comprising:

• an engine;
• a power take-off comprising a power take-off port operatively connected to be driven by the engine and connectable to a corresponding load service;
• one or more additional load services operatively connected to be driven by the engine;
• a PTO modulator coupled to the power take-off and operable to modulate power drawn, from the engine, by the power take-off;
• one or more load-service modulators respectively coupled to the one or more additional load services, each load-service modulator operable to modulate power drawn, from the engine, by its corresponding additional load service;
• and
• a controller configured to control the PTO modulator and the one or more load-service modulators to thereby control the power drawn from the engine based on a detected condition of the engine and a priority as between the power take-off and the one or more additional load services;
• wherein the PTO modulator comprises a variable-speed modulator operative for controlling the power drawn, from the engine, by the power take-off by increasing and decreasing the power drawn, from the engine, by the power take-off.

An apparatus comprising:

• an engine;
• a power take-off comprising a power take-off port operatively connected to be driven by the engine and connectable to a corresponding load service;
• one or more additional load services operatively connected to be driven by the engine;
• a PTO modulator coupled to the power take-off and operable to modulate power drawn, from the engine, by the power take-off;
• one or more load-service modulators respectively coupled to the one or more additional load services, each load-service modulator operable to modulate power drawn, from the engine, by its corresponding additional load service;
• and
• a controller configured to control the PTO modulator and the one or more load-service modulators to thereby control the power drawn from the engine based on a detected condition of the engine and a priority as between the power take-off and the one or more additional load services;
• wherein the engine condition comprises an overload condition which comprises an engine speed being below a threshold level;
• and
• wherein the overload condition comprises the engine speed being below the threshold level, relative to a configurable desired engine speed, for a threshold period of time.

An apparatus comprising:

• an engine;
• a power take-off comprising a power take-off port operatively connected to be driven by the engine and connectable to a corresponding load service;
• one or more additional load services operatively connected to be driven by the engine;
• a PTO modulator coupled to the power take-off and operable to modulate power drawn, from the engine, by the power take-off;
• one or more load-service modulators respectively coupled to the one or more additional load services, each load-service modulator operable to modulate power drawn, from the engine, by its corresponding additional load service;
• and
• a controller configured to control the PTO modulator and the one or more load-service modulators to thereby control the power drawn from the engine based on a detected condition of the engine and a priority as between the power take-off and the one or more additional load services;
• wherein the controller is configured to control the PTO modulator and the one or more load service modulators to thereby control the output power drawn from the engine based on the detected engine condition and the priority as between the power take-off and the one or more additional load services by reducing the power drawn from the engine by reducing a power drawn by a lowest priority one of the power take-off and the one or more additional load services and, if the engine condition is not alleviated after reducing the power drawn by the lowest priority one of the power take-off and the one or more additional load services to zero, then reducing a power drawn by a different one of the power take-off and the one or more additional load services.

An apparatus comprising:

• an engine;
• a power take-off comprising a power take-off port operatively connected to be driven by the engine and connectable to a corresponding load service;
• one or more additional load services operatively connected to be driven by the engine;
• a PTO modulator coupled to the power take-off and operable to modulate power drawn, from the engine, by the power take-off;
• one or more load-service modulators respectively coupled to the one or more additional load services, each load-service modulator operable to modulate power drawn, from the engine, by its corresponding additional load service;
• and
• a controller configured to control the PTO modulator and the one or more load-service modulators to thereby control the power drawn from the engine based on a detected condition of the engine and a priority as between the power take-off and the one or more additional load services;
• wherein the controller is configured to control the PTO modulator and the one or more load service modulators to thereby control the output power drawn from the engine based on the detected engine condition and the priority as between the power take-off and the one or more additional load services by reducing the power drawn from the engine by reducing a power drawn by a lowest priority one of the power take-off and the one or more additional load services by a first amount, the first amount less than a full power drawn by the lowest priority one of the power take-off and the one or more additional load services and, if the engine condition is not alleviated after reducing the power drawn by the lowest priority one of the power take-off and the one or more additional load services by the first amount, then reducing a power drawn by a different one of the power take-off and the one or more additional load services by a second amount, the second amount less than a full power drawn by the different one of the power take-off and the one or more additional load services.

An apparatus comprising:

• an engine;
• a power take-off comprising a power take-off port operatively connected to be driven by the engine and connectable to a corresponding load service;
• one or more additional load services operatively connected to be driven by the engine;
• a PTO modulator coupled to the power take-off and operable to modulate power drawn, from the engine, by the power take-off;
• one or more load-service modulators respectively coupled to the one or more additional load services, each load-service modulator operable to modulate power drawn, from the engine, by its corresponding additional load service;
• and
• a controller configured to control the PTO modulator and the one or more load-service modulators to thereby control the power drawn from the engine based on a detected condition of the engine and a priority as between the power take-off and the one or more additional load services;
• wherein the one or more additional load services comprise a generator and a compressor;
• wherein the priority as between the power-take off and the one or more additional load services specifies that the compressor has a relatively low priority as compared to the generator and the power take-off;
• and wherein the controller is configured to control the PTO modulator and the one or more load-service modulators to thereby control the power drawn from the engine based on the detected condition of the engine and the priority as between the power take-off and the one or more additional load services by disengaging the compressor.

A method for managing the load of an engine driving a power take-off and one or more additional load services, the method comprising:

• providing an engine, a power take-off comprising a power take-off port operatively connected to be driven by the engine and connectable to a corresponding load service;
• and one or more additional load services operatively connected to be driven by the engine;
• detecting a speed of the engine;
• and
• evaluating an overload condition based at least in part on the detected speed of the engine;
• and
• if the overload condition is positive, controlling the power drawn by at least one of the power take-off and the one or more additional services to control power drawn from the engine in accordance with a priority as between the power take-off and the one or more additional services;
• wherein evaluating the overload condition comprises determining that an engine speed is below a threshold level, relative to a configurable desired engine speed, for a threshold period of time.

A method for managing the load of an engine driving a power take-off and one or more additional load services, the method comprising:

• providing an engine, a power take-off comprising a power take-off port operatively connected to be driven by the engine and connectable to a corresponding load service;
• and one or more additional load services operatively connected to be driven by the engine;
• detecting a speed of the engine;
• and
• evaluating an overload condition based at least in part on the detected speed of the engine;
• and
• if the overload condition is positive, controlling the power drawn by at least one of the power take-off and the one or more additional services to control power drawn from the engine in accordance with a priority as between the power take-off and the one or more additional services;
• wherein the one or more additional load services comprise a generator and a compressor;
• wherein the priority as between the power-take off and the one or more additional load services specifies that the compressor has a relatively low priority as compared to the generator and the power take-off;
• and wherein the method comprises controlling the power drawn by the at least one of the power take-off and the one or more additional services to control power drawn from the engine in accordance with the priority as between the power take-off and the one or more additional services by disengaging the compressor.