KR20210092688A - Fuel supply control apparatus, fuel supply control method and recording medium recording fuel supply control program - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is to improve the fuel efficiency of a ship. According to the present invention, provided is a fuel supply control apparatus (1) comprising: a check helm determination unit (10) which determines whether steering is a check helm based on at least one of the ship's rudder angle information and the fuel supply amount to an engine; and a fuel supply control unit (11) which suppresses the fluctuation of the fuel supply amount compared to the case where the steering is not a check helm when the check helm determination unit (10) determines that the steering is a check helm. A fuel supply control method comprises: a check helm determination step (S1) of judging whether the steering is a check helm based on at least one of the ship's rudder angle information and the fuel supply amount to the engine; and a fuel supply control step (S2) of suppressing, when it is determined that the steering is a check helm, the fluctuation of the fuel supply amount compared with the case where the steering is not a check helm.

Description

A fuel supply control device, a fuel supply control method, and a recording medium for recording a fuel supply control program

The present invention relates to a fuel supply control apparatus, and a fuel supply control method and a recording medium in which a fuel supply control program is recorded.

In recent years, auto-piloting of ships which enable automatic navigation on a preset route is progressing. During normal navigation including an autopilot, in order to keep the engine speed constant, automatic control of the fuel supply amount according to the engine load is performed (for example, refer patent document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012/77648

The engine of a ship is usually widely controlled to keep the rotation speed constant. For example, when the rudder is turned, the resistance received by the rudder or the entire hull from water increases. As a result, the load on the engine increases and the rotation speed decreases. Therefore, when the key is turned, control to increase the fuel supply amount to the engine is performed. Thereby, the output of the engine rises, and the rotation speed is kept constant.

Hereinafter, the angle from the central position of the rudder when the ship is steered is called a "rudder angle". In general, the steering of a ship may be temporarily performed for the purpose of changing the course for navigating a predetermined course, or for the purpose of correcting the deviation when the ship deviates from the correct course due to currents or winds. Compared to the former, the latter has characteristics such as (1) the steering angle is small, (2) the time to turn the key is short, (3) the speed of change of the steering angle is fast, (4) the turning and returning are periodically repeated, etc. . Hereinafter, the latter, that is, temporary steering for returning to the correct course by correcting this when the ship deviates from the correct course is referred to as "check helm".

Since the check helm has the above characteristics, even if the check helm is turned, the engine speed does not decrease significantly. Moreover, even if the engine speed decreases, it recovers in a relatively short time. Therefore, with respect to the check helm, even if an increase in the fuel supply amount is suppressed, the efficiency of the engine is not greatly affected. Conversely, if the fuel supply amount is increased more than necessary each time the check helm is turned, the fuel economy will rather decrease.

The engine control apparatus described in patent document 1 predicts the fluctuation|variation of the rotation speed of an engine based on the information of rudder angle, and correct|amends a fuel supply amount, and prevents the fluctuation|variation of rotation speed. However, in this technique, control for adjusting the fuel supply amount based on whether or not the check helm is performed is not performed.

The present invention has been made in view of such a subject, and an object thereof is to improve the fuel efficiency of a ship.

In order to solve the above problems, a fuel supply control device of an aspect of the present invention includes a check helm determining unit that determines whether steering is a check helm based on at least one of rudder angle information of a ship and a fuel supply amount to an engine; and a fuel supply control unit configured to suppress fluctuations in the fuel supply amount when the check helm determination unit determines that the steering is the check helm, compared with the case where the check helm is not. Here, the increase/decrease in the fuel supply amount generated between the time the rudder starts to turn until the ship returns to the correct course is referred to as a "fluctuation in the fuel supply amount" (hereinafter the same).

Another aspect of the present invention is a fuel supply control method. The method includes a check helm determination step of determining whether the steering is a check helm based on at least one of rudder angle information of the ship and a fuel supply amount to the engine, and a fuel supply control step for suppressing fluctuations in the fuel supply amount compared with the case.

Another aspect of the present invention is a recording medium in which a fuel supply control program is recorded. This program includes a check helm determination step for determining whether the steering is a check helm based on information including the ship's rudder angle information and the fuel supply amount to the engine, and a check helm that is not a check helm when it is determined that the steering is a check helm. The computer executes fuel supply control including a fuel supply control step for suppressing fluctuations in the fuel supply amount as compared with the case.

In addition, arbitrary combinations of the above components, and those in which the components and expressions of the present invention are substituted for each other among methods, apparatuses, systems, etc. are also effective as aspects of the present invention.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the fuel efficiency of a ship can be improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the fuel supply control apparatus which concerns on 1st and 2nd embodiment.
2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a fuel supply control device according to the third and fourth embodiments.
3 is a flowchart of a fuel supply control method according to the fifth embodiment.
4 is a flowchart of a fuel supply control method according to the sixth embodiment.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, this invention is demonstrated, referring drawings based on preferable embodiment. The same or equivalent components, members, and processes shown in the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and appropriately duplicated descriptions are omitted.

[First embodiment]

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a fuel supply control device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. A control target 12 such as a fuel injection system or an engine is connected to the fuel supply control device 1 . The fuel supply control device 1 includes a check helm determination unit 10 and a fuel supply control unit 11 .

Hereinafter, information on the steering angle, for example, the size of the steering angle, the time to turn the key, the rate of change of the steering angle, the periodic change of the steering angle, and the like will be referred to as “rudder angle information”. The rudder angle information and the fuel supply amount to the control target 12 are input to the check helm determination unit 10 .

The check helm determination unit 10 determines whether the steering is a check helm based on at least one of the inputted steering angle information and the fuel supply amount to the control target 12 . The check helm determination unit 10 outputs a determination result to the fuel supply control unit 11 .

For example, the check helm determination unit 10 may determine that (1) the magnitude of the rudder angle is smaller than a predetermined value, (2) the time to turn the key is shorter than a predetermined value, and (3) the change rate of the rudder angle is a predetermined value faster, (4) the steering angle is periodically changed more than a predetermined number of times, etc., it is determined that the steering is a check helm.

When the steering is the check helm, the fluctuation of the fuel supply amount by the fuel supply control is relatively small. Accordingly, the check helm determining unit 10 may determine that the steering is the check helm when the fluctuation of the fuel supply amount is smaller than a predetermined value.

Hereinafter, the preset engine rotation speed is referred to as a "set rotation speed", the actual engine rotation speed is referred to as an "actual rotation speed", and the difference between the set rotation speed and the actual rotation speed is referred to as a "rotation speed deviation". The rotation speed deviation and the determination result of the check helm determination unit 10 are input to the fuel supply control unit 11 . The fuel supply control unit 11 determines the fuel supply amount based on the rotation speed deviation and the determination result from the check helm determination unit 10 . Specifically, the fuel supply control unit 11 determines the fuel supply amount so that the absolute value of the rotation speed deviation is reduced by varying the fuel supply amount. The fuel supply control unit 11 outputs the determined fuel supply amount to the control target 12 .

Here, when the determination result input from the check helm determination part 10 is a check helm, the fuel supply control part 11 suppresses the fluctuation|variation of the fuel supply amount compared with the case where it is not a check helm. For example, when control of fuel supply amount is performed by PID control, the fuel supply control part 11 suppresses the fluctuation|variation of fuel supply amount by reducing the gain of PID control compared with the case where it is not a check helm.

The control target 12 operates at an actual rotation speed according to the fuel supply amount input from the fuel supply control unit 11 . The control target 12 feeds back the actual rotation speed to the input side of the fuel supply control part 11 . The rotation speed deviation is calculated|required by the actual rotation speed fed back being subtracted from the set rotation speed. As described above, the rotation speed deviation is input to the fuel supply control unit 11 .

According to this embodiment, since the fluctuation|variation of the fuel supply amount is suppressed when steering is a check helm, the fuel efficiency of a ship can be improved.

[Second embodiment]

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a fuel supply control device 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The fuel supply control unit 11 of the fuel supply control device 1 of the second embodiment, when the check helm determination unit 10 determines that the steering is the check helm, the smaller the rudder angle, the greater the fuel supply amount. more strongly suppressed. Other configurations and operations are the same as those of the fuel supply control device 1 of the first embodiment. For example, when control of the fuel supply amount is performed by PID control, the fuel supply control unit 11 lowers the gain of the PID control more significantly as compared with the case of the check helm having a large rudder angle, thereby strongly reducing the fluctuation of the fuel supply amount. restrain

The smaller the steering angle when the key is turned, the smaller the load on the engine. Therefore, even if the fluctuation|variation of the fuel supply amount is suppressed more strongly when the rudder angle is small, the efficiency of an engine is not greatly affected. At this time, by suppressing the fluctuation|variation of the fuel supply amount more strongly, fuel consumption is further reduced.

According to this embodiment, since fuel supply control in the case where steering is a check helm is performed more precisely, the fuel efficiency of a ship can further be improved.

[Third embodiment]

2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a fuel supply control device 2 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The fuel supply control apparatus 2 is provided with the operation condition determination part 13 in addition to the structure of the fuel supply control apparatus 1 of FIG.

The rudder angle information and the fuel supply amount to the control target 12 are input to the check helm determination unit 10 . The check helm determination unit 10 determines whether the steering is a check helm based on at least one of the inputted steering angle information and the fuel supply amount to the control target 12 . The check helm determination unit 10 outputs a determination result to the fuel supply control unit 11 .

To the operation condition determination unit 13 , the set rotation speed, the rotation speed deviation, and the fuel supply amount to the control target 12 are input. The operating condition determination unit 13 determines whether at least one of a set rotation speed, an actual rotation speed, a rotation speed deviation, and a fuel supply amount satisfies a predetermined condition. The operation condition determination unit 13 outputs the determination result to the fuel supply control unit 11 .

It is preferable that the engine of a ship operates at a certain rotational speed or more for safety. Therefore, when the set rotation speed or the actual rotation speed is smaller than a predetermined value, it is preferable not to suppress the control in the direction of increasing the fuel supply amount even if the steering is a check helm. Accordingly, the operating condition determination unit 13 determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied, for example, when the set rotation speed or the actual rotation speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

In terms of navigation, it is not preferable that the actual rotation speed greatly deviate from the set rotation speed. That is, it is preferable that the absolute value of rotation speed deviation is less than a fixed value. Therefore, when the absolute value of the rotation speed deviation is larger than a predetermined value, it is preferable not to suppress control of the direction which increases fuel supply amount even if steering is a check helm. Accordingly, the operating condition determination unit 13 determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied, for example, when the absolute value of the rotation speed deviation is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

The rotation speed deviation, the determination result of the check helm determination unit 10 , and the determination result of the operation condition determination unit 13 are input to the fuel supply control unit 11 . The fuel supply control unit 11 determines the fuel supply amount based on the rotation speed deviation, the determination result from the check helm determination unit 10 , and the determination result from the operating condition determination unit 13 . Specifically, the fuel supply control unit 11 determines the fuel supply amount so that the absolute value of the rotation speed deviation is reduced by varying the fuel supply amount. The fuel supply control unit 11 outputs the determined fuel supply amount to the control target 12 .

Here, the fuel supply control unit 11 controls only when the check helm determination unit 10 determines that the steering is a check helm and the operating condition determination unit 13 determines that a predetermined condition is satisfied, and only when the check helm is not. By comparison, fluctuations in the fuel supply amount are suppressed.

According to the present embodiment, since the operation condition determination unit 13 makes an appropriate operation determination, it is possible to improve the fuel efficiency of the ship without causing any problems in safety or navigation.

[Fourth embodiment]

2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the fuel supply control device 2 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The operation condition determination unit 13 of the fuel supply control device 2 of the fourth embodiment determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied only when the actual rotation speed is lowered and the fuel supply amount is increasing. Other configurations and operations are the same as those of the fuel supply control device 2 according to the third embodiment.

As described above, the fuel supply control unit 11 determines the fuel supply amount so that the absolute value of the rotation speed deviation is reduced by varying the fuel supply amount. For example, since the load of the engine is increasing when the actual rotation speed is lowered, the fuel supply control unit 11 controls to increase the fuel supply amount. Conversely, since the load on the engine is decreasing when the actual rotation speed is increasing, the fuel supply control unit 11 controls the fuel supply amount to decrease.

Suppressing the control in the direction of increasing the fuel supply amount when the steering is a check helm is preferable for improving fuel efficiency. Conversely, suppressing the control in the direction of reducing the fuel supply amount is undesirable because it rather causes deterioration of fuel efficiency.

According to this embodiment, since the judgment criteria of the operating condition determination part 13 are specified appropriately, the fuel efficiency of a ship can be improved more reliably.

[Fifth embodiment]

3 is a flowchart of a fuel supply control method according to the fifth embodiment. The method includes a check helm determination step S1 and a fuel supply control step S2.

In the check helm determination step S1, the present method determines whether the steering is the check helm based on at least one of the ship's rudder angle information and the fuel supply amount to the engine.

For example, in the check Helm determination step S1, (1) the magnitude of the rudder angle is smaller than the predetermined value, (2) the key turning time is shorter than the predetermined value, and (3) the speed of change of the rudder angle is faster than the predetermined value , (4) the steering angle is periodically changed more than a predetermined number of times, etc., it is determined that the steering is a check helm.

When the steering is a check helm, the fluctuation of the fuel supply amount by the fuel supply control is relatively small. Therefore, in check helm determination step S1, when the fluctuation|variation of the fuel supply amount is smaller than a predetermined value, it may be judged that steering is a check helm, for example.

When the determination result in check-helm determination step S1 is positive, the process shifts to fuel supply control step S2. On the other hand, when the determination result in the check helm determination step S1 is negative, the flow is terminated and the normal fuel supply control is continued.

In fuel supply control step S2, this method suppresses the fluctuation|variation of the fuel supply amount compared with the case where it is not a check helm. For example, when control of fuel supply amount is performed by PID control, the fluctuation|variation of fuel supply amount is suppressed by reducing the gain of PID control in fuel supply control step S2 compared with the case where it is not a check helm.

According to this embodiment, since the fluctuation|variation of the fuel supply amount is suppressed when steering is a check helm, the fuel efficiency of a ship can be improved.

[Sixth embodiment]

4 is a flowchart of a fuel supply control method according to the sixth embodiment. This method includes the operation condition determination step S3 in addition to the fuel supply control method of the fifth embodiment.

In the check helm determination step S1, the present method determines whether the steering is the check helm based on at least one of the ship's rudder angle information and the fuel supply amount to the engine.

When the determination result in the check helm determination step S1 is positive, the process shifts to the operation condition determination step S3. On the other hand, when the determination result in the check helm determination step S1 is negative, the flow is terminated and the normal fuel supply control is continued.

In the operation condition determination step S3, the method determines whether at least one of a set rotation speed, an actual rotation speed, a rotation speed deviation, and a fuel supply amount satisfies a predetermined condition. For example, when the set rotation speed or the actual rotation speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied. Moreover, for example, when the absolute value of the number of rotation speed deviations is below a predetermined value, it is judged that the said predetermined condition is satisfied.

When the determination result in the operating condition determination step S3 is positive, the process shifts to the fuel supply control step S2. On the other hand, when the determination result in the operating condition determination step S3 is negative, the flow is terminated and the normal fuel supply control is continued.

In fuel supply control step S2, this method suppresses the fluctuation|variation of the fuel supply amount compared with the case where it is not a check helm.

According to this embodiment, since an appropriate operation determination is made in operation condition determination step S3, the fuel efficiency of a ship can be improved without causing a problem to safety or navigation.

As mentioned above, this invention was demonstrated based on some embodiment. These embodiments are illustrative, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the claims of the present invention, and that such modifications and changes are also within the scope of the claims of the present invention. Accordingly, the description and drawings herein are to be treated as illustrative and not restrictive. In particular, although the above-mentioned embodiment mainly mentioned the application example to the auto-piloted ship, it is not limited to this, For example, it is widely applicable also to the ship etc. which are manually operated.

[Seventh embodiment]

A seventh embodiment is a recording medium in which a fuel supply control program is recorded. This program causes the computer to execute the fuel supply control of the fifth embodiment. Since the specific fuel control content is as described in the fifth embodiment, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

According to the present embodiment, a program for improving the fuel efficiency of a ship can be implemented in computer software.

[Eighth embodiment]

The eighth embodiment is also a recording medium on which a fuel supply control program is recorded. This program causes the computer to execute the fuel supply control of the sixth embodiment. Since the specific fuel control content is as described in the sixth embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted.

According to this embodiment, a program for improving the fuel efficiency of a ship can be implemented in computer software without causing any problems in safety or navigation.

Hereinafter, a modified example is demonstrated. In the description of the modified example, the same reference numerals are given to the same or equivalent components and members as in the embodiment. The description overlapping with embodiment is abbreviate|omitted suitably, and the structure different from embodiment is mainly demonstrated.

[Modified Example 1]

Hereinafter, in the third embodiment, a state when a predetermined condition is satisfied and control for suppressing fluctuations in the fuel supply is performed is referred to as a "checked Helm mode", and a state when it is not is referred to as a "non-checked Helm mode". The operation condition determination unit 13 is configured to determine transition from the non-check Helm mode to the checked Helm mode based on at least one of a past fuel injection pattern, a periodic change of the steering angle, a set rotation speed, a rotation speed deviation, and a fuel supply amount. You can do it. On the other hand, the operating condition determination unit 13 may determine to shift from the checked Helm mode to the non-check Helm mode based on at least one of the rotation speed deviation, the magnitude of the steering angle, and the speed of change of the steering angle. According to the present modification, it is possible to clarify the criteria for determining the transition from the unchecked Helm mode to the checked Helm mode and the transition from the checked Helm mode to the unchecked Helm mode.

[Modified Example 2]

The fuel supply control part 11 may promote the fluctuation|variation of the fuel supply amount when the check helm determination part 10 determines that the steering is a check helm, and the actual rotation speed increases and the fuel supply amount is decreasing. Since the load of the engine is decreasing when the actual rotation speed is increasing, the fuel supply control unit 11 controls the fuel supply amount to decrease. According to this modified example, when it is determined that the rotation speed is decreased and the fuel supply amount is in the increasing direction, and it is determined that the check helm is checked, fuel efficiency can be further improved by suppressing the fuel amount rate.

Any combination of each of the above-described embodiments and modifications is also useful as an embodiment of the present invention. The new embodiment generated by the combination has both the effects of each of the combined embodiments and the modified examples.

1: Fuel supply control unit
2: Fuel supply control unit
10: Check Helm judging unit
11: fuel supply control
12: Control target
13: operating condition determination unit
S1: Check Helm Judgment Step
S2: fuel supply control step
S3: Operation condition judgment step

Claims (8)

a check helm judging unit for judging whether the steering is a check helm based on the information including the ship's rudder angle information and the fuel supply amount to the engine;
and a fuel supply control unit configured to suppress a change in the fuel supply amount when the check helm determination unit determines that the check helm is not the check helm, compared to a case where the check helm is not.
fuel supply control. The fuel supply control device according to claim 1, wherein the fuel supply control unit suppresses the fluctuation of the fuel supply amount more strongly as the steering angle is smaller when the check helm determination unit determines that the steering is a check helm. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: an operating condition determination unit for determining whether at least one of a set engine speed, an actual engine speed, a rotation speed deviation, and a fuel supply amount satisfies a predetermined condition;
The fuel supply control unit is configured to detect a change in the fuel supply amount compared to a case where the check helm is not the check helm only when the check helm judging unit determines that the steering is a check helm, and the operating condition judgment unit determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied. Restrictive, fuel supply control device. The fuel supply control device according to claim 3, wherein the operating condition determining unit determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied only when the actual rotation speed is lowered and the fuel supply amount is increasing. a check helm determining step of judging whether the steering is a check helm based on the information including the ship's rudder angle information and the fuel supply amount to the engine;
and a fuel supply control step of suppressing a change in the fuel supply amount when it is determined that the steering is a check helm compared with a case where the steering is not a check helm. 6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising: an operating condition determination step of determining whether at least one of a set engine speed, an actual engine speed, a speed deviation, and a fuel supply amount satisfies a predetermined condition;
The fuel supply control method, wherein the fuel supply control step suppresses a change in the fuel supply amount compared to a case where the fuel supply amount is not the check helm only when it is determined that the steering is a check helm and satisfies the predetermined condition. a check helm determining step of judging whether the steering is a check helm based on the information including the ship's rudder angle information and the fuel supply amount to the engine;
A recording medium recording a fuel supply control program for causing a computer to execute fuel supply control including a fuel supply control step for suppressing a fluctuation of the fuel supply amount when it is determined that the steering is a check helm, compared with a case where the steering is not a check helm. . an operating condition determination step of determining whether at least one of a set engine speed, an actual engine speed, a speed deviation, and a fuel supply amount satisfies a predetermined condition;
The fuel supply according to claim 7, wherein the fuel supply control step suppresses the fluctuation of the fuel supply amount compared to the case where the fuel supply control step is not the check helm only when it is determined that the steering is a check helm and it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied. A recording medium in which a fuel supply control program for causing a computer to control is recorded.

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