Genset Load-Dependent Start-Stop Control for Oil Rig Efficiency
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Oil/gas drilling rigs with load-sharing gensets face inefficiencies and increased maintenance costs due to continuous starting and stopping, as well as suboptimal operation when the number of gensets online varies with load demands, leading to excessive wear and decreased equipment life.
Innovation Solution
A load-dependent start-stop (LDSS) controller dynamically adjusts the operation of gensets by determining genset-addition and removal loads based on actual loads, human-selected dynamism levels, and the number of operating gensets, automatically starting or stopping gensets to maintain efficient operation and reserve power, thereby optimizing fuel usage and reducing maintenance costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If gensets are continuously started and stopped to match load demands, then fuel costs are reduced, but excessive wear occurs resulting in increased maintenance time and decreased equipment life
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the genset operation strategy by implementing a hysteresis band between addition load and removal load thresholds. This dynamic approach prevents continuous cycling by requiring the load to cross these adaptive thresholds before triggering start-stop actions, thereby reducing wear while maintaining fuel efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller modifies operational parameters (addition load threshold, removal load threshold, and dynamism level) based on system state and human-selected preferences. By changing these parameters dynamically, the system optimizes the balance between fuel consumption and equipment wear without requiring continuous genset cycling.
2Adaptability or versatility
If gensets operate at variable loads to match demand, then adaptability is improved, but operation efficiency decreases as gensets move away from manufacturer load ratings
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors actual loads on operating gensets and uses this feedback to determine whether to add or remove gensets. By comparing cumulative load against dynamically adjusted thresholds, the feedback mechanism ensures gensets operate near optimal efficiency points while adapting to changing load demands.
Solution Approach 2:
The hysteresis band creates dynamic thresholds for genset addition and removal that adapt to system conditions. This dynamic adjustment prevents operation at inefficient partial loads while maintaining the ability to adapt to varying demand patterns.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the number of operating gensets varies with load demands, then adaptability is improved, but maintenance costs increase due to excessive wear from frequent starting and stopping
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic thresholds with hysteresis that adapt to system conditions and prevent excessive cycling. This dynamic approach maintains load response adaptability while reducing the frequency of start-stop events that cause wear and increase maintenance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Continuous monitoring of load conditions and dynamic adjustment of addition/removal thresholds provide feedback control that optimizes genset operation. This feedback mechanism ensures adaptability to load changes while minimizing unnecessary start-stop cycles that would increase maintenance costs.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for automatic, dynamically adjusted operation of load-sharing gensets. An example of such operation may include determining an updated genset-removal load based on a genset-addition load, an initial genset-removal load, a human-selected one of predetermined levels of dynamism, and the number of operating ones of the gensets. An operating genset is halted in response to the actual loads of each operating genset simultaneously being at or below the updated genset-removal load. In another example, while two or more gensets are operating, an updated genset-removal load is determined based on the genset-addition load and a hysteresis setpoint, and an operating genset is halted in response to actual loads of each operating genset simultaneously being at or below the updated genset-removal load.