Vehicle Trip Plan Revision for Fuel Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy management systems for vehicle systems often fail to adapt effectively when actual operational conditions deviate from planned settings, leading to increased fuel consumption and emissions due to rapid adjustments or unrealistic operational demands.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that revise trip plans by matching initial operational settings to current actual conditions, reducing the need for rapid changes and minimizing fuel consumption and emissions by starting with current operational parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the trip plan is revised to return the vehicle system to the prior trip plan, then the vehicle system can resume scheduled operation, but the operational settings must rapidly increase causing significant fuel consumption and emissions
Solution Approach 1:
The revised trip plan preemptively sets the initial operational settings to match the current actual operation of the vehicle system, rather than requiring rapid adjustments later. This preliminary alignment prevents the need for sudden increases in operational settings that would cause fuel consumption and emissions spikes.
Solution Approach 2:
The trip plan revision dynamically adapts to the current actual operation state of the vehicle system. By making the initial designated operational setting responsive to the current state, the system creates a flexible transition that avoids rigid, fuel-intensive adjustments while maintaining progress toward schedule adherence.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the trip plan is revised with significantly different operational settings from the prior plan, then the vehicle system can address the deviation, but the rapid increase in output requires significantly more fuel and generates more emissions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary alignment by setting the initial operational settings of the revised trip plan to match the current actual operation. This prevents the need for subsequent rapid increases in output that would consume additional fuel, while still maintaining the adaptability needed to respond to operational deviations.
Solution Approach 2:
The trip plan revision changes the parameter of initial designated operational settings to specifically match the current actual operation state. This parameter adjustment creates a seamless transition that maintains adaptability to deviations while avoiding the energy-intensive rapid changes that would otherwise be required.
3Loss of time
If the vehicle system attempts to return to the prior trip plan quickly, then schedule adherence is restored, but the transitional plan causes operations to rapidly increase
Solution Approach 1:
By preemptively setting the initial operational settings to match current actual operation, the system eliminates the need for rapid transitional adjustments. This allows the vehicle system to maintain efficient operation while still progressing toward schedule adherence, avoiding the emissions-intensive quick return approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The system accepts the current deviation from the prior trip plan as a beneficial starting point rather than treating it as a problem to be quickly corrected. By using the current actual operation as the basis for the revised plan, the system converts what would normally be a harmful deviation into a foundation for efficient, low-emissions operation that still achieves schedule adherence.
Data Source
AI summary
An energy management system and method for a vehicle system operate the vehicle system according to a current trip plan as the vehicle system travels along a route during a trip. The current trip plan designates operational settings of the vehicle system. The system and method also revise the current trip plan into a revised trip plan responsive to current, actual operation of the vehicle system differing from the current trip plan by at least a designated threshold amount. The revised trip plan designates operational settings of the vehicle system and includes an initial designated operational setting that matches the current, actual operation of the vehicle system.