Field current profile
View Patent ↗An output of a generator may vary according to the speed of the engine, physical characteristics of the engine, or other factors. A profile for a generator that describes a periodic fluctuation in an operating characteristic for the generator is identified. A field current of an alternator associated with the generator is modified based on the profile for the generator in order to counter variations in the output of the generator.
1. A method comprising:
receiving data indicative of an operating characteristic for a generator; and
generating a profile for the generator based on the data indicative of the operating characteristic for the generator;
wherein the profile indicates a level of a field current for an alternator associated with the generator.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating characteristic describes an output of the alternator including harmonics caused by operation of the alternator.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating characteristic at least in part represents a load on the generator.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the profile is a first profile corresponding to a first load on the generator, the method further comprising:
generating a second profile for the generator based on data indicative of the operating characteristic for the generator at a second load.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
storing, in memory, the first profile associated with the first load; and
storing, in memory, the second profile associated with the second load.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing the profile in memory.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the profile fluctuates according to combustion cycles of an engine associated with the generator.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a shape of the profile varies corresponds to a number of cylinders of an engine associated with the generator.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating characteristic is a speed of the alternator.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating characteristic is a voltage value for the alternator, a current value for the alternator, or a power value for the alternator.
11. An apparatus comprising:
a controller configured to receive data indicative of an operating characteristic for a generator and generate a profile for the generator based on the data indicative of the operating characteristic for the generator; and
a memory configured to store the profile for the generator,
wherein the profile indicates a level of a field current for an alternator associated with the generator.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the operating characteristic describes an output of the alternator including harmonics caused by operation of the alternator.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the operating characteristic corresponds to a load on the generator.
14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the profile is a first profile corresponding to a first load on the generator, the controller further configured to generate a second profile for the generator based on data indicative of the operating characteristic for the generator at a second load.
15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the profile fluctuates according to combustion cycles of an engine associated with the generator.
16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein a shape of the profile varies according to a number of cylinders of an engine associated with the generator.
17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the operating characteristic is a speed of the alternator.
18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the operating characteristic is a voltage value for the alternator, a current value for the alternator, or a power value for the alternator.
19. A method comprising:
receiving sensor data for a generator; and
generating a profile for the generator based on the sensor data for the generator;
wherein the profile indicates a level of a field current for an alternator associated with the generator.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the profile describes an output of the alternator including harmonics caused by operation of the alternator.