System and method for optimized fuel efficiency and emission output of a diesel powered system

Abstract

A method for minimizing emission output from a diesel powered system having at least one diesel-fueled power generating unit, the method including determining at least one power level required from the diesel powered system in order to accomplish a specified mission, determining an emission output based on the power level required, and using at least one other power level that results in a lower emission output wherein the overall resulting power is proximate the power required.

1 . A method for minimizing emission output from a diesel powered system having at least one diesel-fueled power generating unit, the method comprising:
 (a) determining at least one power level required from the diesel powered system in order to accomplish a specified mission;   (b) determining an emission output based on the power level required; and   (c) using at least one other power level that results in a lower emission output wherein the overall resulting power is proximate the power required.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the diesel powered system comprises a railway transportation system, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one locomotive powered by at least one diesel internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the diesel powered system comprises a marine vessel, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the diesel powered system comprises an off-highway vehicle, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the diesel powered system comprises a stationary power generating station, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the diesel powered system comprises a network of stationary power generating stations, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one other power level is based on at least one of a notch level, traction power, and engine speed level. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of using further comprises determining a rate of using based on at least one of emission output from operating in the at one other power level, engine operating characteristics, and operator sensitivity. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one other power level is determined based on at least one of engine speed, an engine control setting, and power setting, engine performance, and mission operating time. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of using further comprises determining at least one other power level based on at least one of engine power information, power level information, vehicle information to determine the at least one other power level. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of using further comprises automatically controlling operation of the diesel powered system by automatically using the at least one other power level based on at least one of engine power information, power level information, and vehicle information. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of using further comprises determining the at least one other power level based on at least one of engine power information, power level information, and vehicle information for manual implementing. 
     
     
         13 . A computer software code for minimizing emission output from a diesel powered system having a computer and at least one diesel-fueled power generating unit, the computer software code comprising:
 (a) a computer software module for determining at least one power level required from the diesel powered system in order to accomplish a specified mission;   (b) a computer software module for determining an emission output based on the at least one power level required; and   (c) a computer software module for using at least one other power level that results in a lower emission output wherein the overall resulting power is proximate the power required.   
     
     
         14 . The computer software code according to  claim 13 , wherein the computer software module for using further comprises a computer software module for determining a rate of using based on at least one of emission output from when operating in the at one other power level, engine operating characteristics, and operator sensitivity. 
     
     
         15 . The computer software code according to  claim 13 , further comprises a computer software module for determining the at least one other power level based on at least one of engine speed, an engine control setting, and power setting, engine performance, and mission operating time. 
     
     
         16 . The computer software code according to  claim 13 , wherein the computer software module for using further comprises a computer software module for evaluating at least one of engine power information, power level information, vehicle information to determine the at least one other power level to determining at least one of a using rate and the at least one other power level. 
     
     
         18 . A system for minimizing emission output from a diesel powered system having at least one diesel-fueled power generating unit, the system comprising:
 (a) a device configured to determine an emission output based on a power level required;   (b) a power level controller configured to use at least one other power level so that the resulting power level is nearly equivalent to the power level required while emission output from the at least one other power level is less than the emission output from the desired power level; and   (c) a processor configured to at least one of determine the minimum power level required from the diesel powered system in order to accomplish a specified mission and determine when to use the at least one other power level.   
     
     
         18 . The system according to claim  17 , wherein the processor determines a trade-off between emission output and vehicle power settings to maximize higher operation settings where the emissions from the exhaust after-treatment devices are optimized. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to claim  17 , wherein the diesel powered system comprises a railway transportation system, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one locomotive powered by at least one diesel internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to claim  17 , wherein the diesel powered system comprises a marine vessel, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         21 . The system according to claim  17 , wherein the diesel powered system comprises an off-highway vehicle, and wherein the diesel-powered generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         22 . The system according to claim  17 , wherein the diesel powered system comprises a stationary power generating station, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         23 . The system according to claim  17 , wherein the diesel powered system comprises a network of stationary power generating stations, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         24 . The system according to claim  17 , further comprises an optimizer connected to the processor. 
     
     
         25 . The system according to  claim 24 , wherein the optimizer is configured to evaluate at least one of engine power information, power level information, vehicle information to determine the at least two power levels. 
     
     
         26 . A system for minimizing emission output from a diesel powered system having at least one diesel-fueled power generating unit, the system comprising:
 (a) a processor configured to determine a power level required from the diesel powered system in order to accomplish a specified mission;   (b) a first device configured to determine an emission output based on the power level required;   (c) an emission comparison device configured to compare emission outputs for other power levels with the emission output based on the power level required; and   (d) a second device configured to use at least one other power level so that a resulting power level is proximate the required power level so that an emission level resulting when using the at least one other power level is less than the power level required.   
     
     
         27 . The system according to  claim 26 , wherein the processor determines a trade-off between emission output and vehicle power settings to maximize higher operation settings where the emissions from the exhaust after-treatment devices are optimized. 
     
     
         28 . The system according to  claim 26 , wherein the diesel powered system comprises a railway transportation system, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one locomotive powered by at least one diesel internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         29 . The system according to  claim 26 , wherein the diesel powered system comprises a marine vessel, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         30 . The system according to  claim 26 , wherein the diesel powered system comprises an off-highway vehicle, and wherein the diesel-powered generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         31 . The system according to  claim 26 , wherein the diesel powered system comprises a stationary power generating station, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         32 . The system according to  claim 26 , wherein the diesel powered system comprises a network of stationary power generating stations, and wherein the diesel-fueled power generating unit comprises at least one diesel internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         33 . The system according to  claim 26 , further comprises an optimizer connected to the processor. 
     
     
         34 . The system according to  claim 33 , wherein the optimizer is configured to evaluate at least one of engine power information, power level information, vehicle information to determine the at least two power levels. 
     
     
         35 . In a fleet of diesel powered systems where each diesel powered system of the fleet has at least one diesel-fueled power generating unit, a method for minimizing overall emission output from at least one of the fleet and an individual diesel powered system, the method comprising:
 (a) determining overall fleet emission output level;   (b) determining a desired overall fleet emission output level;   (c) comparing the overall fleet emission output to the desired overall fleet emission output level;   (d) if the desired overall fleet emission output level exceeds the overall fleet emission output level, determining at least one other power level that results in a lower emission output to use with an required operating power level that has a higher emission output for each respective diesel powered system within the fleet;   (e) using the at least one other power level for each respective diesel powered system to meet the desired overall fleet emission output level wherein the overall resulting power level for each respective diesel powered system is proximate the power level required.   
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35  wherein the step of determining and the step of using continue until the overall emission output is within a range of the desired overall emission output level. 
     
     
         37 . A method for minimizing emission output from a diesel powered system having at least one diesel-fueled power generating unit that may have exceeded an emission level during a first part of a specific period, the method comprising:
 (a) determining overall emission output level for the specific period;   (b) determining a desired overall emission output level for the specific period;   (c) comparing the overall emission output to the desired overall emission output level;   (d) if the overall emission output level exceeds the desired overall emission output level, determining at least one other power level that results in a lower emission output to use with a required operating power level that has a higher emission output; and   (e) using the at least one other power level to meet the desired overall emission output level wherein the overall resulting power level is proximate the power level required.   
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 37  wherein the step of determining and the step of using continue until the overall emission output is within the a range of the desired overall emission output level. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 37  wherein period comprises at least one of a time period and a specific mission.