Control method and device of range extender, range extender and computer readable storage medium

Abstract

The invention relates to a control method and device of a range extender, the range extender and a computer readable storage medium, and relates to the technical field of engineering machinery. The control method comprises the steps that in response to a received first shutdown request, a range extender is controlled to work in a first time period, so that the rotating speed of the range extender at a first time point is reduced to an idling rotating speed, and the first time point is the end point of the first time period; according to the working condition information of the range extender at the first time point, the length of a second time period is determined, and the second time period is a next time period adjacent to the first time period; and the range extender is controlled to enter the shutdown working condition after the second time period. According to the technical scheme, the service life of the engine can be prolonged.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of engineering machinery, and in particular, to a control method of a range extender, a control device of a range extender, a range extender, and a computer readable storage medium. BACKGROUND

[0002] Due to the remote working environment of engineering machinery and the long-time or even 24-hour continuous operation, and the difficulty of supplementing energy for pure electric products, the range extender as an auxiliary power source can not only solve the problem of supplementing energy, but also help reduce environmental pollution and achieve environmental protection and energy saving.

[0003] The engine of the range extender is directly connected with the generator and is not connected with the whole vehicle transmission system, so that the working state of the range extender has no strong correlation with the vehicle speed, and whether the range extender works mainly depends on the power demand of the whole vehicle. When the range extender is not needed to generate power, the whole vehicle controller will request it to stop.

[0004] In the related art, the range extender is usually controlled to stop quickly only according to the engine speed. SUMMARY

[0005] The present inventors have found that the above-mentioned related art has the following problem: controlling the range extender to stop quickly only according to the speed can result in poor cooling effect of the engine, thereby affecting the service life of the engine.

[0006] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a control technical solution of a range extender, which can stop in stages and dynamically adjust the stopping time, so as to provide necessary heat dissipation time for the engine, improve the cooling effect in the stopping process, and thereby prolong the service life of the engine.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a control method of a range extender is provided, including: in response to receiving a first stopping request, controlling the range extender to work in a first time period, so that the speed of the range extender at a first time point is reduced to an idle speed, the first time point being the end point of the first time period; determining the length of a second time period according to the working condition information of the range extender at the first time point, the second time period being the next time period adjacent to the first time period; and controlling the range extender to enter a stopping working condition after the second time period.

[0008] In some embodiments, the working parameters of the range extender in the first time period are determined according to the current working parameters and target working parameters of the range extender when the first stopping request is received, the target working parameters including the idle speed; and the range extender is controlled to work in the first time period according to the working parameters of the range extender in the first time period.

[0009] In some embodiments, the working parameter of the range extender at the second time point is determined as a reference working parameter according to current temperature information and current working parameter of the engine in the range extender at the time when the first shutdown request is received, the second time point being the start point of the first time period; a change rate of the working parameter of the range extender in the first time period is determined according to the reference working parameter and a target working parameter; and the working parameter of the range extender in the first time period is determined according to the change rate.

[0010] In some embodiments, the reference working parameter comprises a reference power, a reference rotating speed and a reference torque, the reference power being determined according to the current temperature information and the current working parameter; the reference rotating speed being determined according to the reference power; and the reference torque being determined according to the reference power and the reference rotating speed.

[0011] In some embodiments, the current working parameter comprises a current power of the range extender, the current power being determined as the reference power in response to the current temperature information indicating that the range extender is warmed up; and the reference power being determined according to a size relationship between a warming-up power of the range extender and the current power in response to the current temperature information indicating that the range extender is not warmed up, the warming-up power being determined according to the current temperature information.

[0012] In some embodiments, a first change rate of the rotating speed of the range extender in the first time period is determined according to the reference rotating speed and an idle rotating speed, so that the rotating speed of the range extender at the first time point is the idle rotating speed.

[0013] In some embodiments, the target working parameter comprises a target power and a target torque, a second change rate of the power of the range extender in the first time period is determined according to the reference power and the target power, so that the power of the range extender at a third time point is the target power, the time interval between the third time point and the first time point being less than a time threshold; and a third change rate of the torque of the range extender in the first time period is determined according to the reference torque and the target torque, so that the torque of the range extender at a fourth time point is the target torque, the time interval between the fourth time point and the first time point being less than the time threshold.

[0014] In some embodiments, the second time period is divided into a first sub-time period and a second sub-time period, and the length of the second time period is determined according to working condition information of the range extender at the first time point and temperature information of the engine in the range extender at the end of the first sub-time period.

[0015] In some embodiments, the length of the first sub-time period is determined according to the working condition information of the range extender at the first time point; and the length of the second sub-time period is determined according to the temperature information of the engine at the end of the first sub-time period.

[0016] In some embodiments, in response to the range extender being in a warm-up working condition or in a diesel particulate filter regeneration working condition at the first time point, the length of the first sub-time period is a first value; in response to the range extender not being in the warm-up working condition and not being in the diesel particulate filter regeneration working condition at the first time point, the length of the first sub-time period is a second value, the second value being greater than the first value.

[0017] In some embodiments, according to temperature information of the engine at the end of the first sub-time period, the length of the second sub-time period is determined by using a corresponding relationship between the temperature information and the length of the second sub-time period.

[0018] In some embodiments, in response to receiving a second stop request, the range extender is controlled to enter a stop working condition.

[0019] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a control device of a range extender is provided, comprising: a first control unit configured to control the range extender to work for a first time period in response to receiving a first stop request, so that a rotating speed of the range extender at a first time point is reduced to an idle rotating speed, the first time point being an end of the first time period; a determination unit configured to determine a length of a second time period according to working condition information of the range extender at the first time point, the second time period being a next time period adjacent to the first time period; and a second control unit configured to control the range extender to enter a stop working condition after the second time period.

[0020] In some embodiments, the first control unit determines working parameters of the range extender in the first time period according to current working parameters of the range extender when the first stop request is received and target working parameters, the target working parameters including the idle rotating speed; and controls the range extender to work in the first time period according to the working parameters of the range extender in the first time period.

[0021] In some embodiments, the first control unit determines working parameters of the range extender at a second time point as reference working parameters according to current temperature information and current working parameters of an engine in the range extender when the first stop request is received, the second time point being a start of the first time period; determines a change rate of the working parameters of the range extender in the first time period according to the reference working parameters and target working parameters; and determines the working parameters of the range extender in the first time period according to the change rate.

[0022] In some embodiments, the reference working parameters include a reference power, a reference rotating speed and a reference torque, the first control unit determines the reference power according to the current temperature information and the current working parameters; determines the reference rotating speed according to the reference power; and determines the reference torque according to the reference power and the reference rotating speed.

[0023] In some embodiments, the current working parameter includes a current power of the range extender, the first control unit determines the current power as the reference power in response to the current temperature information indicating that the warm-up of the range extender is completed, and determines the reference power according to a size relationship between a warm-up power of the range extender and the current power in response to the current temperature information indicating that the warm-up of the range extender is not completed.

[0024] In some embodiments, the first control unit determines a first change rate of the speed of the range extender in the first time period according to the reference speed and the idle speed, so that the speed of the range extender at the first time point is the idle speed.

[0025] In some embodiments, the target working parameter includes a target power and a target torque, the first control unit determines a second change rate of the power of the range extender in the first time period according to the reference power and the target power, so that the power of the range extender at the third time point is the target power, and a time interval between the third time point and the first time point is less than the time threshold; and determines a third change rate of the torque of the range extender in the first time period according to the reference torque and the target torque, so that the torque of the range extender at the fourth time point is the target torque, and a time interval between the fourth time point and the first time point is less than the time threshold.

[0026] In some embodiments, the second time period is divided into a first sub time period and a second sub time period, and the determination unit determines the length of the second time period according to the working condition information of the range extender at the first time point and the temperature information of the engine in the range extender at the end of the first sub time period.

[0027] In some embodiments, the determination unit determines the length of the first sub time period according to the working condition information of the range extender at the first time point, and determines the length of the second sub time period according to the temperature information of the engine at the end of the first sub time period.

[0028] In some embodiments, the determination unit determines that the length of the first sub time period is a first value in response to the range extender being in a warm-up working condition or in a diesel particulate filter regeneration working condition at the first time point, and determines that the length of the first sub time period is a second value in response to the range extender not being in the warm-up working condition and not being in the diesel particulate filter regeneration working condition at the first time point, the second value being greater than the first value.

[0029] In some embodiments, the determination unit determines the length of the second sub time period according to the temperature information of the engine at the end of the first sub time period, and according to a corresponding relationship between the temperature information and the length of the second sub time period.

[0030] In some embodiments, the first control unit controls the range extender to enter a shutdown working condition in response to receiving a second shutdown request.

[0031] According to yet some embodiments of the present disclosure, a control device of a range extender is provided, comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to perform the control method of any one of the above embodiments based on instructions stored in the memory device.

[0032] According to still some embodiments of the present disclosure, a range extender is provided, comprising the control device of any one of the above embodiments.

[0033] According to yet some embodiments of the present disclosure, a computer readable storage medium is provided, having stored thereon a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the control method of any one of the above embodiments.

[0034] According to still some embodiments of the present disclosure, a computer program product is also provided, comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the control method according to any one of the above embodiments.

[0035] In the above embodiments, by dividing the shutdown process into two stages, and dynamically adjusting the running time of the engine at idle speed according to real-time working condition information in the second stage, the engine obtains sufficient heat dissipation time before shutdown. In this way, engine component damage caused by high temperature can be reduced, thereby prolonging the service life of the engine. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0036] The accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0037] The present disclosure can be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0038] Figure 1 Flowcharts illustrating some embodiments of the control method of the range extender of the present disclosure;

[0039] Figure 2 Schematic diagrams illustrating some embodiments of the control method of the range extender of the present disclosure;

[0040] Figure 3 Schematic diagrams illustrating some other embodiments of the control method of the range extender of the present disclosure;

[0041] Figure 4 Block diagrams illustrating some embodiments of the control device of the range extender of the present disclosure;

[0042] Figure 5 Block diagrams illustrating some other embodiments of the control device of the range extender of the present disclosure;

[0043] Figure 6a block diagram showing further embodiments of a control device of a range extender of the present disclosure;

[0044] Figure 7 a block diagram showing some embodiments of a range extender of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and numerical values of components and steps set forth in these embodiments are not limiting to the scope of the present disclosure unless specifically stated otherwise.

[0046] Meanwhile, it should be understood that the sizes of the various portions shown in the drawings are shown for illustrative purposes only and are not limiting to the scope of the present disclosure.

[0047] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way limiting to the scope of the disclosure and its applications or uses.

[0048] Techniques, methods, and devices known to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art can not be discussed in detail herein. However, where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices can be viewed as part of the specification.

[0049] In all of the examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values should be interpreted as merely illustrative and not as a limitation. Thus, other examples of exemplary embodiments can have different values.

[0050] Note that like reference numerals and letters indicate like items in the following drawings and that, once an item is defined in one drawing, it need not be discussed further in subsequent drawings.

[0051] As mentioned previously, the vehicle controller will request the range extender to shut down when the range extender is not needed to generate power. However, when the vehicle demand power suddenly changes from a large value to zero, directly controlling the range extender to quickly shut down will cause the compression and rebound of the torsional vibration spring inside the engine to cause significant vibration, resulting in abnormal shaking and noise of the vehicle. Therefore, in the related art, the engine speed is generally used to control the range extender to quickly shut down when in the resonance region. Although this method can reduce the vibration and noise during the shutdown process to some extent, in the case of large power generation or too frequent start-stop, the quick shutdown will cause the engine cooling water to not work in the normal range. This will cause the engine turbocharger to have serious carbon deposition, cylinder pulling, and other problems due to excessive temperature, thereby affecting the overall life of the engine and the safety of the vehicle operation.

[0052] To address at least one of the aforementioned problems, this disclosure provides a control technology solution for a range extender. By dividing the shutdown process into two stages—speed reduction and idling slow-down—and dynamically adjusting the engine speed's idling duration based on real-time operating information during the second stage, the engine receives sufficient cooling time before shutdown. This not only suppresses vibration and noise caused by torsional vibration but also reduces damage to engine components due to high temperatures, thereby extending engine lifespan.

[0053] For example, the technical solution of this disclosure can be implemented through the following embodiments.

[0054] Figure 1 Flowcharts illustrating some embodiments of the control method for the range extender of this disclosure are shown.

[0055] like Figure 1 As shown, in step 110, in response to receiving the first shutdown request, the range extender is controlled to work in the first time period, so that the speed of the range extender at the first time point is reduced to the idle speed, and the first time point is the end of the first time period.

[0056] In some embodiments, in response to receiving a second shutdown request, the range extender is controlled to enter a shutdown state. For example, the first shutdown request can be a normal shutdown request, and the second shutdown request can be an emergency shutdown request. Compared to a normal shutdown request, an emergency shutdown request requires a shorter response time for shutdown control. If an emergency shutdown request is received, the power, torque, and speed of the generator in the range extender are reset to zero without delay, and the engine is controlled to stop fuel injection without delay, thus putting the engine in a shutdown state.

[0057] In this way, in an emergency, the range extender can be quickly powered off and shut down by cutting off power output and fuel supply, preventing damage to the range extender under dangerous conditions and ensuring the safety of the entire vehicle.

[0058] In step 120, the length of the second time period is determined based on the operating condition information of the range extender at the first time point. The second time period is the next time period adjacent to the first time period. For example, the operating condition information includes warm-up operation and DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) regeneration operation.

[0059] In this way, by judging whether the range extender has completed warm-up when its speed drops to idle and whether it is in DPF regeneration mode, it can be determined whether the range extender is in high-heat load conditions such as high-power generation or frequent start-stop. The length of the second time period can be dynamically adjusted to improve the engine cooling effect and achieve dynamic shutdown control according to the actual operating conditions.

[0060] In step 130, the range extender is controlled to enter a shutdown working condition after the second time period.

[0061] In the above embodiment, by dividing the shutdown process into two stages of speed drop and idling slow stop, and dynamically adjusting the running time of the engine at idle speed according to real-time working condition information in the second stage, the engine obtains sufficient heat dissipation time before shutdown. In this way, both the vibration and noise caused by torsional vibration can be inhibited, and the damage to engine components caused by high temperature can be reduced, thereby prolonging the service life of the engine.

[0062] The control method of the range extender in the first time period in step 110 is exemplarily illustrated below through some embodiments.

[0063] In some embodiments, the working parameter of the range extender in the first time period is determined according to the current working parameter and the target working parameter of the range extender when the first shutdown request is received, and the target working parameter includes an idle speed; the range extender is controlled to work in the first time period according to the working parameter of the range extender in the first time period.

[0064] For example, the working parameter of the range extender at a second time point is determined as a reference working parameter according to the current temperature information and the current working parameter of the engine in the range extender when the first shutdown request is received, and the second time point is the start point of the first time period; the change rate of the working parameter of the range extender in the first time period is determined according to the reference working parameter and the target working parameter; and the working parameter of the range extender in the first time period is determined according to the change rate. For example, the target working parameter includes a target power and a target torque.

[0065] In this way, by setting a reasonable change rate, the working parameter of the range extender is controlled to decrease smoothly in the first time period, the vibration and noise problems generated by the engine during the shutdown process are alleviated, and the driving comfort of the vehicle is improved.

[0066] The determination method of the reference working parameter is exemplarily illustrated below through some embodiments.

[0067] In some embodiments, the reference working parameter includes a reference power, a reference speed and a reference torque, the reference power is determined according to the current temperature information and the current working parameter; the reference speed is determined according to the reference power; and the reference torque is determined according to the reference power and the reference speed.

[0068] For example, the reference power corresponding to the reference speed can be determined according to the optimal power curve table. The optimal power curve table is a corresponding table of power and speed, which is obtained through bench calibration experiment. According to the reference power and the reference speed, the reference torque can be determined by using the torque calculation formula (1).

[0069] (1)

[0070] In formula (1), T is torque, P is power, and n is rotation speed.

[0071] For example, the current working parameter includes current power of the range extender, in response to the current temperature information indicating that the range extender is warmed up, the current power is determined as the reference power; in response to the current temperature information indicating that the range extender is not warmed up, the reference power is determined according to the size relationship between the warming-up power of the range extender and the current power, and the warming-up power is determined according to the current temperature information. For example, in response to the engine being not warmed up, the minimum value of the warming-up power and the current power can be determined as the reference power. The warming-up power can be determined according to the corresponding table of the cooling water temperature of the engine and the warming-up power in the data provided by the engine manufacturer.

[0072] In this way, by judging whether the warming-up of the range extender is completed, the reference power of the starting point of the shutdown process is adaptively determined, so that the engine can smoothly and safely start the shutdown process in the cold state and the hot state, and the reliability of the shutdown control is improved.

[0073] The determination method of the change rate of the working parameter is exemplarily described below by means of embodiments.

[0074] In some embodiments, according to the reference rotation speed and the idle rotation speed, a first change rate of the rotation speed of the range extender in the first time period is determined, so that the rotation speed of the range extender at the first time point is the idle rotation speed. For example, in the case that the current working condition of the range extender is the power generation working condition and the first shutdown request is received, the rotation speed of the range extender can be controlled to decrease from the reference rotation speed to the idle rotation speed at a constant change rate ΔX1 in the first time period.

[0075] In some embodiments, according to the reference power and the target power, a second change rate of the power of the range extender in the first time period is determined, so that the power of the range extender at the third time point is the target power, and the time interval between the third time point and the first time point is less than the time threshold; according to the reference torque and the target torque, a third change rate of the torque of the range extender in the first time period is determined, so that the torque of the range extender at the fourth time point is the target torque, and the time interval between the fourth time point and the first time point is less than the time threshold. For example, the value of the target power and the value of the target torque can be zero.

[0076] In this way, by coordinating the change rates of the rotation speed, the power and the torque, it is ensured that the three parameters are smoothly and synchronously decreased to the target working parameters, so that the parameters (such as the rotation speed) of the mechanical system of the engine and the parameters (such as the power and the torque) of the electrical system of the generator are in step during the shutdown process, the range extender is smoothly shut down, and the stability of the shutdown process and the system reliability are improved.

[0077] For example, the power of the range extender can be controlled to decrease from the reference power by a constant rate ΔX2, and decrease to 0 at a third time point, and the torque of the range extender can be controlled to decrease from the reference torque by a constant rate ΔX3 in the first time period, and decrease to 0 at a fourth time point.

[0078] For example, the setting method of ΔX1, ΔX2, ΔX3 can be a trial-and-error method, so that the time for the rotation speed, the torque and the power to decrease to the target working parameters is less than a threshold. In the case where the second rate of change ΔX2 of the power is set to -5 kW, the third rate of change ΔX3 of the torque is 200 N, and the first rate of change ΔX1 of the rotation speed is 200, it is determined by experimental test whether the difference between the time points at which the three complete the change process is less than a time threshold. If the rotation speed is slow to complete, i.e., the time for the rotation speed to change to the idle speed is long, the first rate of change ΔX1 of the rotation speed can be increased to 220, and the experimental test is performed again. The above steps are repeated until the difference between the time points at which the three complete the change process is less than the time threshold.

[0079] The determination method of the length of the second time period in the step 120 is described below by some embodiments.

[0080] In some embodiments, the second time period is divided into a first sub-time period and a second sub-time period, and the length of the second time period is determined according to the working condition information of the range extender at the first time point and the temperature information of the engine in the range extender at the end of the first sub-time period. For example, the temperature information of the engine can be embodied by the temperature of the cooling water of the engine.

[0081] For example, the length of the first sub-time period is determined according to the working condition information of the range extender at the first time point, and the length of the second sub-time period is determined according to the temperature information of the engine at the end of the first sub-time period.

[0082] In this way, by dividing the shutdown waiting time after the rotation speed is reduced to the idle speed into two sub-time periods, and dynamically adjusting the length of the second sub-time period according to the actual temperature of the engine, the cooling time of the engine can be adaptively determined, so that the engine is prevented from being overheated and damaged, and the service life of the engine is prolonged.

[0083] In some embodiments, in response to the range extender being in a warm-up working condition or in a diesel particulate filter regeneration working condition at the first time point, the length of the first sub-time period is a first value; and in response to the range extender not being in the warm-up working condition and not being in the diesel particulate filter regeneration working condition at the first time point, the length of the first sub-time period is a second value, the second value being greater than the first value. For example, the first value can be zero.

[0084] For example, in response to the first point range extender being in the warm-up working condition or in the diesel particulate filter regeneration working condition, the length of the first sub-time period is zero. According to the cooling water temperature look-up table, the engine is stopped after a delay of T1 (i.e. the length of the second sub-time period is T1). In response to the first point range extender not being in the warm-up working condition and not being in the diesel particulate filter regeneration working condition, the length of the first sub-time period is T2 (i.e. the second value is T2, which is usually obtained through engine test experiments). After a delay of T2, the engine is stopped after a delay of T3 according to the cooling water temperature look-up table (i.e. the length of the second sub-time period is T3).

[0085] For example, according to the temperature information of the engine at the end point of the first sub-time period, the length of the second sub-time period is determined by using a corresponding relationship between the temperature information and the length of the second sub-time period. The corresponding relationship can be determined according to a relationship table of the cooling water temperature of the engine and the length of the second sub-time period, which is obtained through experiments.

[0086] In this way, the length of the second time period is dynamically adjusted according to the working condition information and the real-time cooling water temperature, and the delay time of the range extender at the idle speed before the engine is stopped is adaptively determined, so that the engine can obtain appropriate cooling time under different working conditions, thereby reducing the high-temperature damage of the engine and prolonging the service life of the engine.

[0087] In the above embodiment, the coordinated reduction of the speed, power and torque is realized by the phased stopping control and the dynamic adjustment of the stopping time. According to the warm-up state, the DPF regeneration working condition and the cooling water temperature, the cooling time of the engine is adaptively adjusted, which can alleviate the high-temperature damage of the engine and improve the stopping smoothness of the range extender and the service life of the engine.

[0088] The following describes, by way of some embodiments, a range extender control system for implementing the above control method.

[0089] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing some embodiments of the control method of the range extender of the present disclosure.

[0090] The CAN (Controller Area Network) topology architecture of the range extender control system is as follows Figure 2As shown, the CAN topology of the system includes an ECU (Engine Control Unit), a GCU (Generator Control Unit), an RCU (Range-extender Control Unit), a VCU (Vehicle Control Unit), a display screen, and the like. The RCU has three CANs, of which CAN B is the vehicle CAN, used for communication with the VCU. CAN C is the inner CAN, used for communication with the ECU and GCU in the range-extender system. CAN A is connected with the calibration CAN, used for flashing and calibration. CAN 1 and CAN 2 are two CANs of the ECU and GCU. CAN 1 is used for mutual communication between the ECU, GCU, RCU, and the like, and CAN 2 is used for calibration. The ECU has the function of continuously monitoring and controlling the normal operation of the engine, the GCU can convert the mechanical energy output by the engine into electrical energy, and the RCU is used to manage the operating state of the range-extender, and controls the ECU and GCU to perform corresponding responses according to the instructions of the VCU.

[0091] The complete technical scheme of the range-extender control under various operating conditions will be described below by way of examples in combination with the control scheme of the range-extender and the control system in Figure 3 Figure 2

[0092] Figure 3 FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the control method of the range-extender of the present disclosure.

[0093] As shown in FIG. 4, in step 310, the current state information of the vehicle is obtained, which is determined by signal detection and includes: range-extender ready state, engine start state, stop state, idle state, charging state, side parking state, and high-voltage battery active discharge state. For example, the signals monitored by each subsystem can be detected to obtain the current operating condition of the range-extender. Figure 3

[0094] In step 320, the stop control is performed according to the current operating condition of the range-extender. As shown in FIG. 4, the current operating condition can include emergency stop operating condition, start operating condition, idle operating condition, and power generation operating condition, and the like. Figure 3

[0095] In response to the emergency stop request received by the range-extender, the current operating condition of the range-extender is the emergency stop operating condition, and step 321 is performed. The power, torque, and speed are not subjected to gradient ramping and delay time of idle delay time and cooling water temperature table, and the range-extender is controlled to stop.

[0096] ​​​​In response to the range extender's current operating condition being startup, step 322 is executed, determining whether to shut down the engine based on engine speed and the number of startup failures. If the number of startup failures is less than the startup threshold M1, the relationship between time and engine speed is determined. If the engine speed is less than N1 within time T4, the engine startup fails, and the engine remains shut down. T4 is timed from the start signal issued by the range extender, obtained through the timing module inside the range extender, and N1 refers to the maximum speed. If the number of startup failures is greater than or equal to M1, the RCU sends a range extender startup fault message to the VCU, keeps the engine in a shut-down state, and connects KL15 to reset the number of startup failures to 0, awaiting the next startup decision from the range extender.

[0097] If the range extender's current operating condition is idling, proceed to step 323. First, determine if the range extender has received a normal shutdown request or an emergency shutdown request. If a normal shutdown or emergency shutdown request is received, the engine stops fuel injection and remains in a stopped state. If no normal shutdown or emergency shutdown request is received but a power generation request from the range extender is received, determine if the current highest fault level is greater than the highest permissible power generation level. The highest fault level is obtained based on the range extender's fault level signal; for example, a fault level signal of 1 indicates that the current highest fault level is level 1. If the highest fault level is higher than the highest permissible power generation level, maintain the idling condition; if the highest fault level is lower than the highest permissible power generation level, enter the power generation condition.

[0098] In response to the current operating condition of the range extender being the power generation condition, step 324 is executed, i.e., the following steps are performed. Figure 1 The control method for the range extender is as follows: First, it checks whether a normal shutdown request or an emergency shutdown request has been received. If no such request is received, it checks whether the current highest fault level of the range extender is greater than the highest permissible power generation level. If the highest fault level is higher than the highest permissible power generation level, the range extender is prohibited from power generation mode and instead enters idling mode. For example, it can be set that if the current highest fault level is greater than or equal to 3, the range extender is not allowed to generate electricity, the range extender is shut down, and the range extender is not allowed to start; if the highest fault level is 2, entering power generation mode is not allowed, but no shutdown is performed; if the highest fault level is 1, entering power generation mode is allowed, but power generation is limited; if the highest fault level is 0, only a warning is issued, and no other action is taken.

[0099] In the case of receiving the normal stop request, the reference power is decreased to zero according to the power of the generator at a constant rate ΔX2 from the reference power. And the reference speed is obtained by looking up the optimal power generation curve table, and is slowly changed to the idle speed at a rate ΔX1. Then the reference torque is obtained according to the torque calculation formula (1), and is slowly changed to 0 at a rate ΔX3. The setting method of ΔX1, ΔX2 and ΔX3 is mainly trial and error method, so that the difference between the time points of the three to the target working parameters is less than the threshold. In response to the completion of the warm-up, the reference power is the current power; in response to the non-completion of the warm-up, the warm-up power is obtained according to the temperature of the cooling water, and the minimum value of the absolute value of the warm-up power and the target power generation power is taken as the reference power.

[0100] After the speed of the range extender is reduced to the idle speed, it can also be judged whether the current working condition of the range extender is in the warm-up working condition or in the DPF regeneration working condition, and the stop control is performed according to different working conditions. In the case that the range extender is in the warm-up working condition or in the DPF regeneration state, step 325 is executed. The stop is performed after delaying T1 time according to the current cooling water temperature table; in the case that the range extender is not in the warm-up working condition and not in the DPF regeneration working condition, i.e. in the idle speed working condition, step 326 is executed. The stop is performed after delaying T2 time and then delaying T3 time according to the current cooling water temperature table. This helps to reduce fuel consumption and reduce emissions.

[0101] The above-mentioned parameters M1, N1, T3, T2, T1, ΔX1, ΔX2 and ΔX3 are all positive values.

[0102] In response to the fact that the range extender has already been in the stop working condition Figure 3 In the stop working condition not shown in the figure, and the RCU receives the start request of the range extender from the VCU, the RCU judges whether the range extender starts according to whether the normal stop request or the emergency stop request is received. In the case that the normal stop request or the emergency stop request is received, the engine does not respond to the start request and remains in the stop state, and in the case that the normal stop request or the emergency stop request is not received, it is judged whether the highest fault level of the current range extender is less than the allowable start fault level. In response to the fact that the highest fault level is higher than the allowable start fault level, the start request is not responded to and the stop state is maintained; in response to the fact that the highest fault level is lower than the allowable start fault level, the engine enters the start state according to the start request of the range extender from the VCU.

[0103] In the above embodiment, the current state information of the vehicle and the range extender is obtained first to determine the working condition of the range extender; and the stop process of the engine is determined according to the working condition of the range extender and the judgment of the engine cooling water temperature condition. This not only meets the stop function demand of the engine in each working condition, alleviates the problem of abnormal vibration and noise in the stop process, further improves the robustness and smoothness of the control stop, but also improves the engine performance and service life.

[0104] Figure 4 A block diagram showing some embodiments of the control device of the range extender of the present disclosure.

[0105] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a control device 4 of a range extender is provided, comprising: a first control unit 41 configured to control the range extender to work in a first time period in response to receiving a first shutdown request, so that the rotational speed of the range extender at a first time point is reduced to an idle rotational speed, the first time point being the end point of the first time period; a determination unit 42 configured to determine the length of a second time period according to the working condition information of the range extender at the first time point, the second time period being the next time period adjacent to the first time period; and a second control unit 43 configured to control the range extender to enter a shutdown working condition after the second time period.

[0106] In some embodiments, the first control unit 41 determines the working parameter of the range extender in the first time period according to the current working parameter of the range extender when the first shutdown request is received and a target working parameter, the target working parameter including the idle rotational speed; and controls the range extender to work in the first time period according to the working parameter of the range extender in the first time period.

[0107] In some embodiments, the first control unit 41 determines a working parameter of the range extender at a second time point as a reference working parameter according to the current temperature information and the current working parameter of the engine in the range extender when the first shutdown request is received, the second time point being the start point of the first time period; determines a rate of change of the working parameter of the range extender in the first time period according to the reference working parameter and a target working parameter; and determines the working parameter of the range extender in the first time period according to the rate of change.

[0108] In some embodiments, the reference working parameter includes a reference power, a reference rotational speed and a reference torque, the first control unit 41 determines the reference power according to the current temperature information and the current working parameter; determines the reference rotational speed according to the reference power; and determines the reference torque according to the reference power and the reference rotational speed.

[0109] In some embodiments, the current working parameter includes the current power of the range extender, the first control unit 41 determines the current power as the reference power in response to the current temperature information indicating that the warm-up of the range extender is completed; and determines the reference power according to the size relationship between the warm-up power of the range extender and the current power in response to the current temperature information indicating that the warm-up of the range extender is not completed, the warm-up power being determined according to the current temperature information.

[0110] In some embodiments, the first control unit 41 determines a first rate of change of the rotational speed of the range extender in the first time period according to the reference rotational speed and the idle rotational speed, so that the rotational speed of the range extender at the first time point is the idle rotational speed.

[0111] In some embodiments, the target working parameter includes a target power and a target torque, the first control unit 41 determines, according to the reference power and the target power, a second change rate of the power of the range extender in the first time period, so that the power of the range extender at a third time point is the target power, and the time interval between the third time point and the first time point is less than the time threshold; and determines, according to the reference torque and the target torque, a third change rate of the torque of the range extender in the first time period, so that the torque of the range extender at a fourth time point is the target torque, and the time interval between the fourth time point and the first time point is less than the time threshold.

[0112] In some embodiments, the second time period is divided into a first sub-time period and a second sub-time period, and the determining unit 42 determines, according to the working condition information of the range extender at the first time point and the temperature information of the engine in the range extender at the end of the first sub-time period, the length of the second time period.

[0113] In some embodiments, the determining unit 42 determines, according to the working condition information of the range extender at the first time point, the length of the first sub-time period; and determines, according to the temperature information of the engine at the end of the first sub-time period, the length of the second sub-time period.

[0114] In some embodiments, the determining unit 42 determines, in response to the range extender being in a warm-up working condition or in a diesel particulate filter regeneration working condition at the first time point, the length of the first sub-time period as a first value; and determines, in response to the range extender not being in the warm-up working condition and not being in the diesel particulate filter regeneration working condition at the first time point, the length of the first sub-time period as a second value, the second value being greater than the first value.

[0115] In some embodiments, the determining unit 42 determines, according to the temperature information of the engine at the end of the first sub-time period, the length of the second sub-time period by using a corresponding relationship between the temperature information and the length of the second sub-time period.

[0116] In some embodiments, the first control unit 41 controls the range extender to enter a shutdown working condition in response to receiving a second shutdown request.

[0117] In the above embodiments, by dividing the shutdown process into two stages of speed drop and idling slow stop, and dynamically adjusting the running time of the engine at idle speed in the second stage according to real-time working condition information, the engine can obtain sufficient heat dissipation time before shutdown. In this way, both the vibration-induced shaking and noise can be inhibited, and the damage to engine components caused by high temperature can be reduced, thereby prolonging the service life of the engine.

[0118] Figure 5 A block diagram showing another embodiment of the control device of the range extender of the present disclosure.

[0119] As Figure 5As shown, the control device 5 of this embodiment includes a memory 51 and a processor 52 coupled to the memory 51. The processor 52 is configured to execute the control method in any embodiment of this disclosure based on instructions stored in the memory 51.

[0120] The memory 51 may include, for example, system memory, fixed non-volatile storage media, etc. The system memory stores, for example, the operating system, application programs, boot loader, database, and other programs.

[0121] Figure 6 Block diagrams showing further embodiments of the control device for the range extender of this disclosure are presented.

[0122] like Figure 6 As shown, the control device 6 in this embodiment includes a memory 610 and a processor 620 coupled to the memory 610. The processor 620 is configured to execute the control method in any of the foregoing embodiments based on instructions stored in the memory 610.

[0123] The memory 610 may include, for example, system memory, fixed non-volatile storage media, etc. The system memory may store, for example, the operating system, application programs, boot loader, and other programs.

[0124] The control device 6 may also include an input / output interface 630, a network interface 640, and a storage interface 650. These interfaces 630, 640, and 650, as well as the memory 610 and processor 620, can be connected via, for example, a bus 660. The input / output interface 630 provides a connection interface for input / output devices such as a monitor, mouse, keyboard, touchscreen, microphone, and speakers. The network interface 640 provides a connection interface for various networked devices. The storage interface 650 provides a connection interface for external storage devices such as SD cards and USB flash drives.

[0125] Figure 7 Block diagrams illustrating some embodiments of the range extenders disclosed herein are shown.

[0126] like Figure 7 As shown, the range extender 7 in this embodiment includes the control device 71 of the range extender in any of the above embodiments.

[0127] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that embodiments of the present disclosure can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Accordingly, the present disclosure can take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, the present disclosure can take the form of a computer program product on one or more computer-usable non-transitory storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, CD-ROMs, optical storage devices, and the like) embodying computer readable program code.

[0128] Thus far, the control method of the range extender, the control device, the range extender, and the computer-readable storage medium according to the present disclosure have been described in detail. In order to avoid obscuring the concept of the present disclosure, some details well known in the art are not described. Those skilled in the art can fully understand how to implement the technical solutions disclosed herein according to the above description.

[0129] The methods and systems of the present disclosure can be implemented in a number of ways. For example, the methods and systems of the present disclosure can be implemented via software, hardware, firmware, or any combination of software, hardware, and firmware. The above described order of steps for the methods is merely for illustration, and the steps of the methods of the present disclosure are not limited to the above specifically described order, unless otherwise specifically stated. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the present disclosure can also be implemented as programs recorded in recording media, which include machine readable instructions for implementing the methods according to the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure also covers recording media storing programs for executing the methods according to the present disclosure.

[0130] While some specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail by way of example, those skilled in the art should appreciate that the above examples are only for illustration and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can be made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A control method for a range extender, comprising: In response to receiving a first shutdown request, the range extender is controlled to operate in a first time period, so that the speed of the range extender at the first time point is reduced to the idle speed, and the first time point is the end of the first time period; Based on the operating condition information of the range extender at the first time point, the length of the second time period is determined, and the second time period is the next time period adjacent to the first time period; The range extender is controlled to enter a shutdown state after the second time period.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein, The control of the range extender to operate during the first time period includes: Based on the current operating parameters and target operating parameters of the range extender when it receives the first shutdown request, the operating parameters of the range extender during the first time period are determined, and the target operating parameters include the idle speed. The range extender is controlled to operate during the first time period based on its operating parameters during that time period.

3. The control method according to claim 2, wherein determining the operating parameters of the range extender during the first time period includes: Based on the current temperature information of the engine in the range extender when it receives the first shutdown request and the current operating parameters, the operating parameters of the range extender at a second time point are determined as reference operating parameters, and the second time point is the starting point of the first time period; Based on the reference operating parameters and the target operating parameters, determine the rate of change of the range extender's operating parameters during the first time period; Based on the rate of change, the operating parameters of the range extender during the first time period are determined.

4. The control method according to claim 3, wherein, The reference operating parameters include reference power, reference speed, and reference torque. The reference operating parameters for determining the range extender at the second time point include: The reference power is determined based on the current temperature information and the current operating parameters; The reference rotational speed is determined based on the reference power. The reference torque is determined based on the reference power and the reference speed.

5. The control method according to claim 4, wherein, The current operating parameters include the current power of the range extender. Determining the reference power based on the current temperature information and the current operating parameters includes: In response to the current temperature information indicating that the range extender has completed warm-up, the current power is determined as the reference power; In response to the current temperature information indicating that the range extender has not completed warm-up, a reference power is determined based on the relationship between the warm-up power of the range extender and the current power, wherein the warm-up power is determined based on the current temperature information.

6. The control method according to claim 4, wherein, Determining the rate of change of the operating parameters of the range extender during the first time period includes: Based on the reference speed and the idle speed, a first rate of change of the range extender's speed is determined within the first time period, such that the range extender's speed at the first time point is the idle speed.

7. The control method according to claim 4, wherein, The target operating parameters include target power and target torque. Determining the rate of change of the operating parameters of the range extender during the first time period includes: Based on the reference power and the target power, a second rate of change of the power of the range extender is determined within the first time period, such that the power of the range extender is the target power at the third time point, and the time interval between the third time point and the first time point is less than a time threshold. Based on the reference torque and the target torque, a third rate of change of the range extender's torque is determined within the first time period, such that the torque of the range extender at a fourth time point is the target torque, and the time interval between the fourth time point and the first time point is less than the time threshold.

8. The control method according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein, The second time period is divided into a first sub-time period and a second sub-time period. Determining the length of the second time period based on the operating condition information of the range extender at the first time point includes: The length of the second time period is determined based on the operating condition information of the range extender at the first time point and the temperature information of the engine in the range extender at the end of the first sub-time period.

9. The control method according to claim 8, wherein, Determining the length of the second time period includes: The length of the first sub-time period is determined based on the operating condition information of the range extender at the first time point; The length of the second sub-time period is determined based on the engine's temperature information at the end of the first sub-time period.

10. The control method according to claim 9, wherein, Determining the length of the first sub-time period includes: In response to the range extender being in warm-up mode or diesel particulate filter regeneration mode at the first time point, the length of the first sub-time period is a first value. In response to the fact that the range extender is not in the warm-up condition and not in the diesel particulate filter regeneration condition at the first time point, the length of the first sub-time period is a second value, which is greater than the first value.

11. The control method according to claim 9, wherein, Determining the length of the second sub-time period includes: Based on the engine's temperature information at the end of the first sub-time period, the length of the second sub-time period is determined using the correspondence between the temperature information and the length of the second sub-time period.

12. The control method according to any one of claims 1-7, further comprising: In response to receiving a second shutdown request, the range extender is controlled to enter the shutdown state.

13. A control device for a range extender, comprising: A first control unit is configured to, in response to receiving a first shutdown request, control the range extender to operate in a first time period, such that the speed of the range extender at the first time point is reduced to the idle speed, the first time point being the end of the first time period; The determining unit is used to determine the length of the second time period based on the operating condition information of the range extender at the first time point, wherein the second time period is the next time period adjacent to the first time period; The second control unit is used to control the range extender to enter a shutdown state after the second time period.

14. A control device for a range extender, comprising: Memory; and A processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to execute the control method of any one of claims 1-12 based on instructions stored in the memory.

15. A range extender, comprising: The control device as described in claim 13 or 14.

16. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the control method according to any one of claims 1-12.

17. A computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the control method according to any one of claims 1-12.

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