Patent Description:
A transport climate control system can include, for example, a transport refrigeration system (TRS) and/or a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. A TRS is generally used to control an environmental condition (e.g., temperature, humidity, air quality, and the like) within a cargo space of a transport unit (e.g., a truck, a container (such as a container on a flat car, an intermodal container, etc.), a box car, a semi-tractor, a bus, or other similar transport unit). The TRS can maintain environmental condition(s) of the cargo space to maintain cargo (e.g., produce, frozen foods, pharmaceuticals, etc.). In some embodiments, the transport unit can include a HVAC system to control a climate within a passenger space of the vehicle.

A power system can be used to power a transport climate control system, stationary equipment (such as a construction lift), etc. A power system can be used to provide power when a utility power source (e.g., power grid, shore power, etc.) is not available such as, for example, during transport. In some embodiments, the power system can be a generator set ("genset").

Some existing transport units may include a generator set that supplies power to components of the transport climate control system. These generator sets are typically attached directly to the transport unit or transport unit chassis, and include a prime mover to power a generator, as well as a genset controller configured to control operation of the generator set.

<CIT> describes a system for monitoring the water level in a fuel filter for a vehicle engine. <CIT> discloses fuel quality sensors in relation with a fluid filter monitoring system.

This disclosure relates generally to a power system used to power, for example, a transport climate control system. More specifically, this disclosure relates to methods and systems for monitoring fuel quality and service issues of a fuel system of a power system used in transport.

In particular, the embodiments described herein provide methods and systems for determining and reporting fuel quality issues, a filter condition of a fuel filter (e.g., a fuel/water separator), and adherence to preventative maintenance processes of a fuel system of the power system that is used in transport. Accordingly, the embodiments provided herein can provide an indicator of the condition of the power system and give visibility to measures needed to correct issues prior to power system failure.

It will be appreciated that compression ignition prime movers can have strict limits on the amount of water that can be present in the fuel delivered to and used by the prime mover. If the water content in the fuel is above a prescribed threshold level, performance of the prime mover can be compromised, emissions compliance could be at risk, and potential prime mover damage can occur.

The amount of water in the fuel can be regulated via a filter (e.g., a fuel/water separator). In some embodiments, the filter may require maintenance to keep functioning as intended and may be part of a pre-trip test of the power system. A controller of the power system can monitor the amount of water in the fuel and alert a user if service is required.

The embodiments described herein allows for the ability to track if service procedures are executed properly, if the fuel system (including, for example, a fuel tank of the fuel system) is maintained, and/or if quality fuel (e.g., fuel with a water content that is less than the prescribed threshold level) is being used. In some embodiments, data from the prime mover (e.g., prime mover operation data), data from one or more user inputs (e.g. the user initiating a pre-trip test), and data from a water-in-fuel (WIF) sensor can be used to determine and report fuel quality issues, a filter condition of a fuel filter (e.g., a fuel/water separator), and adherence to preventative maintenance processes of a fuel system of the power system that is used in transport. Access to this data can be used to predict poor service procedures, low quality fuel usage, and needed repair.

The embodiments described herein can use data from a WIF sensor and compare it to a pre-trip test inspection and prime mover run hours to determine the condition of the fuel system of the power system used in transport.

In one embodiment, a method for monitoring fuel quality of a power system used in transport is provided. The method includes a controller of the power system determining that the prime mover is actively running. The method also includes the controller monitoring an output of a WIF sensor configured to measure an amount of water accumulated in a water collection reservoir of a fuel/water separator that separates water from fuel passing there through. Also, the method includes the controller determining an amount of fuel passing through the fuel/water separator. Further, the method includes the controller calculating a fuel quality score of the fuel based on the output of the WIF sensor and the amount of fuel having passed through the fuel/water separator. The method further includes the controller triggering different alerts based on the calculated fuel quality score.

In another embodiment, a power system for use in transport is provided. The power system includes a fuel system that includes: a fuel tank for storing fuel, a fuel/water separator configured to separate water from the fuel as the fuel is being directed to a prime mover of the power system, wherein the fuel/water separator includes a water collection reservoir configured to collect water separated from the fuel by the fuel/water separator, and a WIF sensor configured to measure an amount of the water accumulated in the water collection reservoir. The power system also includes a prime mover and a controller. The prime mover is configured to receive fuel downstream of the fuel/water separator. The controller is configured to control operation of the power system including a speed of the prime mover. The controller is also configured to: determine that the prime mover is actively running, monitor an output of the WIF sensor, determine an amount of fuel passing through the fuel/water separator, calculate a fuel quality score of the fuel based on the output of the WIF sensor and the amount of fuel having passed through the fuel/water separator, and trigger different alerts based on the calculated fuel quality score.

In yet another embodiment, a method for monitoring a service level of a power system used in transport is provided. The method includes a controller of the power system determining that the prime mover has been powered on. The method also includes the controller monitoring an output of a WIF sensor configured to measure an amount of water accumulated in a water collection reservoir of a fuel/water separator that separates water from fuel passing there through. Also, the method includes the controller waiting a predetermined time period after monitoring the output of the WIF sensor. Further, the method includes, after the predetermined time period, the controller determining whether a pre-trip test has been run and obtaining an updated output of the WIF sensor. The method further includes the controller triggering an alert based on the whether the pre-trip test has been urn and the updated output of the WIF sensor.

References are made to the accompanying drawings that form a part of this disclosure, and which illustrate embodiments in which the systems and methods described in this Specification can be practiced.

In some embodiments, the power system can be a generator set. A generator set ("genset") generally includes the combination of a prime mover (e.g., an engine such as an internal combustion engine like a diesel engine) with an electrical machine (e.g., a generator) that can be used to generate electrical power. As described in more detail below, a generator set can also include a battery source that can also be used to generate electrical power. A genset can be used to power one or more loads (e.g., a transport climate control system) when a utility power source is unavailable.

A transport climate control system is generally used to control one or more environmental conditions such as, but not limited to, temperature, humidity, air quality, or combinations thereof, of a transport unit. Examples of transport units include, but are not limited to a truck, a container (such as a container on a flat car, an intermodal container, a marine container, a rail container, etc.), a box car, a semi-tractor, a passenger vehicle, or other similar transport unit. A climate controlled transport unit can be used to transport perishable items such as pharmaceuticals, produce, frozen foods, and meat products and/or can be used to provide climate comfort for passengers in a passenger space of a passenger vehicle. The transport climate control system may include a vapor-compressor type climate controlled system, a thermal accumulator type system, or any other suitable climate controlled system that can use a working fluid (e.g., refrigerant, etc.), cold plate technology, or the like.

A transport climate control system can include a climate control unit (CCU) attached to a transport unit to control one or more environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity, air quality, etc.) of a climate controlled space of the climate controlled transport unit. The CCU can include, without limitation, a climate control circuit (including, for example, a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator), and one or more fans or blowers to control the heat exchange between the air within the climate controlled space and the ambient air outside of the climate controlled transport unit.

<FIG> show various transport climate control systems. It will be appreciated that the embodiments described herein are not limited to the examples provided below, but can apply to any type of transport unit (e.g., a truck, a container (such as a container on a flat car, an intermodal container, a marine container, etc.), a box car, a semi-tractor, a passenger bus, or other similar transport unit), etc..

<FIG> illustrates one embodiment of an intermodal container <NUM> with a transport climate control system <NUM> and a power system <NUM>. The intermodal container <NUM> can be used across different modes of transport including, for example, ship, rail, tractor-trailer, etc..

The transport climate control system <NUM> includes a climate control unit (CCU) <NUM> that provides environmental control (e.g. temperature, humidity, air quality, etc.) within a climate controlled space <NUM> of the intermodal container <NUM>. The climate control system <NUM> also includes a programmable climate controller <NUM> and one or more sensors (not shown) that are configured to measure one or more parameters of the climate control system <NUM> (e.g., an ambient temperature outside of the intermodal container <NUM>, a space temperature within the climate controlled space <NUM>, an ambient humidity outside of the intermodal container <NUM>, a space humidity within the climate controlled space <NUM>, etc.) and communicate parameter data to the climate controller <NUM>.

When operating in a continuous cooling mode and/or a start-stop cooling mode, the transport climate control system <NUM> can operate in a pulldown setting and in a steady-state setting. The pulldown setting generally occurs when, for example, the climate controlled space <NUM> is being cooled from an ambient temperature down to a desired set-point temperature so that the transport climate control system <NUM> can bring the temperature down to the desired set-point temperature as quickly as possible. The steady-state setting generally occurs when, for example, the climate in the climate controlled space <NUM> has already reached or is close to approaching a desired set-point temperature and the transport climate control system <NUM> is working to maintain the desired set-point temperature.

The CCU <NUM> is disposed on a front wall <NUM> of the intermodal container <NUM>. In other embodiments, it will be appreciated that the CCU <NUM> can be disposed, for example, on a rooftop or another wall of the intermodal container <NUM>. The CCU <NUM> includes a transport climate control circuit (not shown) that connects, for example, a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator and an expander (e.g., expansion valve) to provide conditioned air within the climate controlled space <NUM>.

The climate controller <NUM> may comprise a single integrated control unit or may comprise a distributed network of climate controller elements (not shown). The number of distributed control elements in a given network can depend upon the particular application of the principles described herein. The climate controller <NUM> is configured to control operation of the climate control system <NUM> including the transport climate control circuit.

The climate control system <NUM> is powered by the power system <NUM> that can distribute power to the climate control system <NUM> when a utility power source is unavailable. In this embodiment, the power system <NUM> is a generator set disposed on a bottom wall <NUM> of the intermodal container <NUM> and connected to one or more components of the climate control system <NUM> (e.g., a compressor, one or more fans and/or blowers, the climate controller <NUM>, one or more sensors, etc.).

In this embodiment, the power system <NUM> includes a housing <NUM> attached to a frame <NUM> by a mounting assembly <NUM>. The mounting assembly <NUM> can extend between the housing <NUM> and cross members <NUM> that are part of the frame <NUM>. The mounting assembly <NUM> can be made of a high-strength material (e.g., steel, etc.) to rigidly attach the power system <NUM> to the intermodal container <NUM>. The power system <NUM> includes a power system controller <NUM> that is configured to control operation of the power system <NUM>.

A fuel tank <NUM> is also provided and configured to supply fuel to the power system <NUM>. The fuel tank <NUM> can be part of or separate from the power system <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates one embodiment of a climate controlled transport unit <NUM> attached to a tractor <NUM>. The climate controlled transport unit <NUM> includes a climate control system <NUM> for a transport unit <NUM>. The tractor <NUM> is attached to and is configured to tow the transport unit <NUM>. The transport unit <NUM> shown in <FIG> is a trailer.

The transport climate control system <NUM> includes a climate control unit (CCU) <NUM> that provides environmental control (e.g. temperature, humidity, air quality, etc.) within a climate controlled space <NUM> of the transport unit <NUM>. The climate control system <NUM> also includes a programmable climate controller <NUM> and one or more sensors (not shown) that are configured to measure one or more parameters of the climate control system <NUM> (e.g., an ambient temperature outside of the transport unit <NUM>, a space temperature within the climate controlled space <NUM>, an ambient humidity outside of the transport unit <NUM>, a space humidity within the climate controlled space <NUM>, etc.) and communicate parameter data to the climate controller <NUM>.

The transport climate control system <NUM> can operate in multiple operation modes including, for example, a continuous cooling mode, a start/stop cooling mode, a heating mode, a defrost mode, a null mode, etc. When operating in a continuous cooling mode and/or a start-stop cooling mode, the transport climate control system <NUM> can operate in a pulldown setting and in a steady-state setting. The pulldown setting generally occurs when, for example, the climate controlled space <NUM> is being cooled from an ambient temperature down to a desired set-point temperature so that the transport climate control system <NUM> can bring the temperature down to the desired set-point temperature as quickly as possible. The steady-state setting generally occurs when, for example, the climate in the climate controlled space <NUM> has already reached or is close to approaching a desired set-point temperature and the transport climate control system <NUM> is working to maintain the desired set-point temperature.

The CCU <NUM> is disposed on a front wall <NUM> of the transport unit <NUM>. In other embodiments, it will be appreciated that the CCU <NUM> can be disposed, for example, on a rooftop or another wall of the transport unit <NUM>. The CCU <NUM> includes a transport climate control circuit (not shown) that connects, for example, a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator and an expander (e.g., expansion valve) to provide conditioned air within the climate controlled space <NUM>.

The climate controller <NUM> may comprise a single integrated control unit <NUM> or may comprise a distributed network of climate controller elements <NUM>, <NUM>. The number of distributed control elements in a given network can depend upon the particular application of the principles described herein. The climate controller <NUM> is configured to control operation of the climate control system <NUM> including the transport climate control circuit.

The climate control system <NUM> is powered by a power system that can distribute power to the climate control system <NUM> when a utility power source is unavailable. In some embodiments, the power system can be housed within the CCU <NUM>. In some embodiments, the power system can be a generator set (not shown) attached to the transport unit <NUM> and connected to one or more components of the climate control system <NUM> (e.g., a compressor, one or more fans and/or blowers, the climate controller <NUM>, one or more sensors, etc.). In some embodiments, a fuel tank (not shown) can be provided for supplying fuel to the power system. The fuel tank can be part of or separate from the power system.

<FIG> is a side view of a truck <NUM> with a transport climate control system <NUM>, according to an embodiment. The truck <NUM> includes a climate controlled space <NUM> for carrying cargo. The transport climate control system <NUM> includes a CCU <NUM> that is mounted to a front wall <NUM> of the climate controlled space <NUM>. The CCU <NUM> can include, among other components, a climate control circuit (not shown) that connects, for example, a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and an expander (e.g., expansion valve) to provide climate control within the climate controlled space <NUM>. In an embodiment, the CCU <NUM> can be a transport refrigeration unit.

The transport climate control system <NUM> also includes a programmable climate controller <NUM> and one or more climate control sensors (not shown) that are configured to measure one or more parameters of the transport climate control system <NUM> (e.g., an ambient temperature outside of the truck <NUM>, an ambient humidity outside of the truck <NUM>, a compressor suction pressure, a compressor discharge pressure, a supply air temperature of air supplied by the CCU <NUM> into the climate controlled space <NUM>, a return air temperature of air returned from the climate controlled space <NUM> back to the CCU <NUM>, a humidity within the climate controlled space <NUM>, etc.) and communicate climate control data to the climate controller <NUM>. The one or more climate control sensors can be positioned at various locations outside the truck <NUM> and/or inside the truck <NUM> (including within the climate controlled space <NUM>).

The climate controller <NUM> is configured to control operation of the transport climate control system <NUM> including components of the climate control circuit. The climate controller <NUM> may include a single integrated control unit or may include a distributed network of climate controller elements (not shown). The number of distributed control elements in a given network can depend upon the particular application of the principles described herein. The measured parameters obtained by the one or more climate control sensors can be used by the climate controller <NUM> to control operation of the climate control system <NUM>.

The climate control system <NUM> is powered by a power system that can distribute power to the climate control system <NUM> when a utility power source is unavailable. In some embodiments, the power system can be housed within the CCU <NUM>. In some embodiments, the power system can be housed within the truck <NUM> and connected to one or more components of the climate control system <NUM> (e.g., a compressor, one or more fans and/or blowers, the climate controller <NUM>, one or more sensors, etc.). In some embodiments, the power system can be a generator set (not shown) attached to the truck <NUM> and connected to one or more components of the climate control system <NUM> (e.g., a compressor, one or more fans and/or blowers, the climate controller <NUM>, one or more sensors, etc.). In some embodiments, a fuel tank (not shown) can be provided for supplying fuel to the power system. The fuel tank can be part of or separate from the power system.

<FIG> depicts a side view of a van <NUM> with a transport climate control system <NUM> for providing climate control within a climate controlled space <NUM>, according to one embodiment. The transport climate control system <NUM> includes a climate control unit (CCU) <NUM> that is mounted to a rooftop <NUM> of the van <NUM>. In an embodiment, the CCU <NUM> can be a transport refrigeration unit. The climate control system <NUM> also includes a programmable climate controller <NUM> and one or more sensors (not shown) that are configured to measure one or more parameters of the climate control system <NUM> (e.g., an ambient temperature outside of the van <NUM>, a space temperature within the climate controlled space <NUM>, an ambient humidity outside of the van <NUM>, a space humidity within the climate controlled space <NUM>, etc.) and communicate parameter data to the climate controller <NUM>.

The transport climate control system <NUM> can include, among other components, a transport climate control circuit (not shown) that connects, for example, a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and an expander (e.g., an expansion valve) to provide climate control within the climate controlled space <NUM>.

The climate control system <NUM> is powered by a power system that can distribute power to the climate control system <NUM> when a utility power source is unavailable. In some embodiments, the power system can be housed within the CCU <NUM>. In some embodiments, the power system can be housed within the van <NUM> and connected to one or more components of the climate control system <NUM> (e.g., a compressor, one or more fans and/or blowers, the climate controller <NUM>, one or more sensors, etc.). In some embodiments, the power system can be a generator set (not shown) attached to the van <NUM> and connected to one or more components of the climate control system <NUM> (e.g., a compressor, one or more fans and/or blowers, the climate controller <NUM>, one or more sensors, etc.). In some embodiments, a fuel tank (not shown) can be provided for supplying fuel to the power system. The fuel tank can be part of or separate from the power system.

<FIG> is a perspective view of a passenger vehicle <NUM> including a transport climate control system <NUM>, according to one embodiment. In the embodiment illustrated in <FIG>, the passenger vehicle <NUM> is a mass-transit bus that can carry passenger(s) (not shown) to one or more destinations. In other embodiments, the passenger vehicle <NUM> can be a school bus, railway vehicle, subway car, or other commercial vehicle that carries passengers. Hereinafter, the term "vehicle" shall be used to represent all such passenger vehicles, and should not be construed to limit the scope of the application solely to mass-transit buses. The transport climate control system <NUM> can provide climate control within a climate controlled space which in this embodiment is a passenger compartment <NUM>.

The passenger vehicle <NUM> includes a frame <NUM>, a passenger compartment <NUM> supported by the frame <NUM>, wheels <NUM>, and a compartment <NUM>. The frame <NUM> includes doors <NUM> that are positioned on a side of the passenger vehicle <NUM>. A first door 158a is located adjacent to a forward end of the passenger vehicle <NUM>, and a second door 158b is positioned on the frame <NUM> toward a rearward end of the passenger vehicle <NUM>. Each door <NUM> is movable between an open position and a closed position to selectively allow access to the passenger compartment <NUM>.

The transport climate control system <NUM> includes a climate control unit (CCU) <NUM> that is mounted to a rooftop <NUM> of the passenger vehicle <NUM>. In an embodiment, the CCU <NUM> can be a HVAC unit. The climate control system <NUM> also includes a programmable climate controller <NUM> and one or more sensors (not shown) that are configured to measure one or more parameters of the transport climate control system <NUM> (e.g., an ambient temperature outside of the passenger vehicle <NUM>, a space temperature within the passenger compartment <NUM>, an ambient humidity outside of the passenger vehicle <NUM>, a space humidity within the passenger compartment <NUM>, etc.) and communicate parameter data to the climate controller <NUM>.

The transport climate control system <NUM> can include, among other components, a transport climate control circuit (not shown) that connects, for example, a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and an expander (e.g., an expansion valve) to provide climate control within the passenger compartment <NUM>.

The transport climate control system <NUM> can operate in multiple operation modes including, for example, a continuous cooling mode, a start/stop cooling mode, a heating mode, a defrost mode, a null mode, etc. When operating in a continuous cooling mode and/or a start-stop cooling mode, the transport climate control system <NUM> can operate in a pulldown setting and in a steady-state setting. The pulldown setting generally occurs when, for example, the passenger compartment <NUM> is being cooled from an ambient temperature down to a desired set-point temperature so that the transport climate control system <NUM> can bring the temperature down to the desired set-point temperature as quickly as possible. The steady-state setting generally occurs when, for example, the climate in the passenger compartment <NUM> has already reached or is close to approaching a desired set-point temperature and the transport climate control system <NUM> is working to maintain the desired set-point temperature.

The climate control system <NUM> is powered by a power system that can distribute power to the climate control system <NUM> when a utility power source is unavailable. In some embodiments, the power system can be housed within the CCU <NUM>. In some embodiments, the power system can be housed within the vehicle <NUM> and connected to one or more components of the climate control system <NUM> (e.g., a compressor, one or more fans and/or blowers, the climate controller <NUM>, one or more sensors, etc.). In some embodiments, the power system can be a generator set (not shown) attached to the passenger vehicle <NUM> and connected to one or more components of the climate control system <NUM> (e.g., a compressor, one or more fans and/or blowers, the climate controller <NUM>, one or more sensors, etc.). In some embodiments, a fuel tank (not shown) can be provided for supplying fuel to the power system. The fuel tank can be part of or separate from the power system.

The compartment <NUM> is located adjacent the rear end of the passenger vehicle <NUM>, can include the power system. In some embodiments, the compartment <NUM> can be located at other locations on the vehicle <NUM> (e.g., adjacent the forward end, etc.).

<FIG> illustrates a schematic view of an embodiment of a power system that is a generator set <NUM>. The power system may be configured to provide power to a transport climate control system, such as the transport climate control systems <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. The generator set <NUM> generally includes a prime mover <NUM> with an engine control unit (ECU) <NUM>, a genset controller <NUM>, a fuel tank <NUM> and a generator <NUM>. In some embodiments, the prime mover <NUM> may not include the ECU <NUM>. The generator set <NUM> (or portions thereof) can be disposed in the housing <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. The prime mover <NUM> with the fuel tank <NUM> together form a fuel system <NUM>. One embodiment of the fuel system <NUM> is described below with respect to <FIG>.

The illustrated prime mover <NUM> may be an internal combustion engine (e.g., diesel engine, etc.) that may generally have a cooling system (e.g., water or liquid coolant system), an oil lubrication system, and an electrical system (none shown). An air filtration system (not shown) filters air directed into a combustion chamber (not shown) of the prime mover <NUM>. The prime mover <NUM> may also be an engine that is configured specifically for a transport climate control system. The fuel tank <NUM> is in fluid communication with the prime mover <NUM> to deliver a supply of fuel to the prime mover <NUM>.

The prime mover <NUM> can be controlled by the ECU <NUM>. The ECU <NUM> can be configured to regulate an amount of fuel delivered to the prime mover <NUM> and can be configured to operate the prime mover <NUM> at least at a first non-zero speed (e.g., high speed) and a second non-zero speed (e.g., low speed). The ECU <NUM> is configured so that the prime mover <NUM> can be maintained at least at either the first non-zero speed or the second non-zero speed in a range of prime mover loads on the prime mover <NUM>.

The ECU <NUM> is coupled with the controller <NUM>. The genset controller <NUM> is configured to receive information from the ECU <NUM>, and command the ECU <NUM> to vary the prime mover <NUM> between the first non-zero speed and the second non-zero speed. In some embodiments, the first non-zero speed can be ~<NUM> RPM, and the second non-zero speed can be ~<NUM> RPM. In other embodiments, the first and second non-zero speeds may be different from ~<NUM> RPM and ~<NUM> RPM.

A generator <NUM> can be coupled to the prime mover <NUM> by a flex disk <NUM> that transfers mechanical energy from the prime mover <NUM> to the generator <NUM>. In some embodiments, the generator <NUM> can also be coupled to the prime mover <NUM> indirectly by a driving belt. The generator <NUM> includes a power receptacle <NUM> that is in electrical communication with, for example, a CCU <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>) via a power cable (not shown) to provide electrical power to the transport climate control system <NUM>.

The generator <NUM> may be a <NUM>-phase AC generator that generally includes a rotor <NUM>, a stator <NUM>, and a voltage regulator <NUM>. The rotor <NUM> is coupled to the flex disk <NUM> such that the prime mover <NUM> is operable to rotatably drive the rotor <NUM> at least at the first non-zero speed and the second non-zero speed. The stator <NUM> is usually a stationary component of the generator <NUM> that includes magnetic pole pairs (e.g., two pole pairs).

The voltage regulator <NUM> includes a field voltage and a field current that are generated by a regulation element (not shown) coupled to the voltage regulator <NUM>. In some embodiments, the regulation element may include batteries or other solid-state components that generate a direct current through the voltage regulator <NUM>. The field voltage and the field current define a field excitation. The field excitation of the generator <NUM> is generally considered a field of the generator <NUM>. The field can be one part of the rotor <NUM> and the stator <NUM>.

Rotation of the rotor <NUM> through the magnetic field induces an output current from the generator <NUM>. The induced output current produces an output voltage of the generator <NUM> that is directed through the power receptacle <NUM> to the transport climate control system. It is to be noted that other types of generators can be used in place of the generator <NUM>. The generator <NUM> as described herein is exemplary only.

The generator <NUM> further includes an output frequency that can be affected by the speed of the prime mover <NUM> or the field voltage of the generator <NUM>. In some embodiments, the generator <NUM> can provide a first output frequency (e.g., ~<NUM> Hertz) when the prime mover <NUM> is operated at the first non-zero speed, and can provide a second output frequency (e.g., ~<NUM> Hertz) when the prime mover <NUM> is operated at the second non-zero speed. The transport climate control system may be operated at both frequencies.

The output voltage of the generator <NUM> may be affected by the output frequency. As such, the generator <NUM> can provide a first output voltage in response to operation of the generator <NUM> at the first frequency. The generator <NUM> can provide a second output voltage in response to operation of the generator <NUM> at the second frequency. For example, when the generator <NUM> is operated at the first non-zero speed/frequency (e.g., ~1800rpm/<NUM> Hertz), the first output voltage can be about <NUM> volts. When the generator <NUM> is operated at the second non-zero speed/frequency (e.g., ~1500rpm/<NUM> Hertz), the second output voltage can be about <NUM> volts. Thus, the speed of the prime mover <NUM> can affect the frequency and output voltage of the generator <NUM>.

The generator <NUM> can be configured to provide a relatively constant load capacity that is sufficient to provide power to the transport climate control system under various loads. A load on the generator <NUM> corresponds to, for example, the cooling demand or load on the transport climate control system (e.g., electrical power needed by the transport climate control system), and is variable in response to changes in the load on the transport climate control system.

The ECU <NUM> is configured to control the operation of the prime mover <NUM> and monitor/obtain prime mover operation data. The ECU <NUM> may have a microprocessor that can communicate with an array of sensors that are configured to obtain prime mover speed, prime mover run hours, oil temperatures, piston positions, etc. By analyzing the readings from the array of sensors, the ECU <NUM> can obtain the operation data of the prime mover <NUM>. In some embodiments, the ECU <NUM> can obtain the operation data of the prime mover <NUM> almost in real-time. The ECU <NUM> can be, for example, configured to control an injection pump so that an amount of fuel delivered to combustion chambers of the prime mover <NUM> can be controlled by the ECU <NUM>. By regulating the amount of fuel delivered, the ECU <NUM> can be configured to maintain the prime move <NUM> at an operational speed relatively constantly even when the load on the prime mover <NUM> may change. In the illustrated embodiment as shown in <FIG>, the ECU <NUM> is configured so that the ECU <NUM> can maintain the prime move <NUM> at least at two relatively constant operational speeds, for example ~<NUM> RPM and ~<NUM> RPM.

As described above, the genset controller <NUM> is coupled with the ECU <NUM>. The couple between the genset controller <NUM> and the ECU <NUM> can be a two-way electronic communication system. The ECU <NUM> can be configured to obtain the prime mover operation data. The ECU <NUM> can then send the prime mover operation data to the genset controller <NUM>.

The genset controller <NUM> may have a microprocessor that is configured to make various operating decisions in response to the prime mover operation data received from the ECU <NUM>. The operating decisions generated by the genset controller <NUM> can then be transmitted back to the ECU <NUM> via the coupling between the ECU <NUM> and the controller <NUM>. After receiving the operating decisions transmitted from the genset controller <NUM>, the ECU <NUM> may then operate the prime mover <NUM> in accordance with the operating decisions transmitted from the genset controller <NUM>.

<FIG> further shows that the genset controller <NUM> can be configured to be in electrical communication with a timer <NUM>, a memory unit <NUM>, and/or an operator interface <NUM>. The genset controller <NUM>, the timer <NUM>, the memory unit <NUM> and the operator interface <NUM> can be incorporated into a controller panel <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the memory unit <NUM> may be a Random Access Memory ("RAM") that can maintain a data log related to parameters of the prime mover <NUM> and the generator <NUM>, as a well as other data.

The operator interface <NUM> includes a controller display <NUM> and a controller human machine interface (not shown) for viewing and entering commands into the genset controller <NUM>. The timer <NUM> may separately measure a duration time that the prime mover <NUM> operates at the first non-zero speed and/or a duration time that the prime mover <NUM> operates at the second non-zero speed.

In operation, the genset controller <NUM> and the ECU <NUM> can work together to operate the prime mover <NUM>. For example, the ECU <NUM> can be configured to operate/maintain the prime mover <NUM> at the first non-zero speed or the second non-zero speed that is lower than the first non-zero speed. In some embodiments, for example as shown above, the first non-zero speed can be ~<NUM> RPM and the second non-zero speed can be ~<NUM> RPM.

It is to be noted that in some embodiments, the ECU <NUM> can be configured to transmit values measured by the array of sensors to the genset controller <NUM>. The genset controller <NUM> can be configured to determine/calculate, for example, fuel quality issues, a filter condition of a fuel filter (e.g., a fuel/water separator), and adherence to preventative maintenance processes of the fuel system <NUM> of the generator set <NUM> based on the values transmitted by the ECU <NUM> and data from, for example, a WIF sensor (e.g., the WIF sensor <NUM> shown in <FIG>).

It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, the prime mover condition data is not required to be obtained by the ECU <NUM> and can be obtained by one or more sensors of the generator set <NUM>.

The memory unit <NUM> can be configured to store one or more pre-entered processes. The one or more processes may be entered by an operator through the operator interface <NUM>. Or the one or more processes may be entered into the memory unit <NUM> during a manufacturing process of the controller panel <NUM>. The one or more processes can contain various ranges and thresholds that can be set, for example, by an operator or a manufacturer. The microprocessor of the genset controller <NUM> can be configured to monitor for and detect fuel quality issues, a filter condition of a fuel filter (e.g., a fuel/water separator), and adherence to preventative maintenance processes of the fuel system <NUM> of the generator set <NUM>. For example, <FIG> illustrates one embodiment of a method for monitoring fuel quality of the generator set <NUM> run by the microprocessor. In another example, <FIG> illustrates one embodiment of a method for monitoring service level run by the microprocessor. A detailed example of the fuel system <NUM> is provided below with respect to <FIG>, according to one embodiment.

<FIG> shows a schematic of one embodiment of a fuel system <NUM> (e.g., the fuel system <NUM> shown in <FIG>) for providing fuel to a common rail prime mover. Fuel (e.g., diesel fuel) may be supplied a fuel tank <NUM>. The amount of fuel in the fuel tank <NUM> can be measured, using, for example, a mechanical float gauge (not shown). In some embodiments, the fuel system <NUM> can include an optional fuel tank sensor <NUM> that can measure a fuel amount in fuel tank <NUM> and communicate the measured fuel amount to, for example, a transport climate control system controller (not shown), a third party telematics device, a controller <NUM> (e.g., the genset controller <NUM> shown in <FIG>), etc. The fuel travels from fuel tank <NUM> to a fuel/water separator <NUM> where water-based fluid (including, for example, free water and emulsified water) may be separated from the fuel to prevent said water-based fluid from being injected into the prime mover. The separated fuel may then exit the fuel/water separator and travel to supply pump <NUM>. The fuel may then pass through another filter <NUM>. The order of filtering and water separating may be interchanged. Filtered fuel is then pumped via injection pump <NUM> into a fuel rail <NUM>. A fuel rail <NUM> may distribute fuel to a set of fuel injectors <NUM>. Four fuel injectors are shown in <FIG>; however, there may be any number depending on the number of cylinders required by the prime mover (e.g., the prime mover <NUM> shown in <FIG>). A fuel injector <NUM> may inject fuel into a combustion chamber of the prime mover.

In some embodiments, the fuel system <NUM> can include a fuel amount sensor <NUM> that can monitor the amount of fuel directed from the fuel tank <NUM> through the water/fuel separator <NUM> and all the way to the fuel rail <NUM>. The optional fuel amount sensor <NUM> can send a signal to a controller <NUM> indicative of the amount of fuel passing through the fuel system <NUM> (e.g., from the fuel tank <NUM> through fuel/water separator <NUM> and to ultimately to the fuel rail <NUM>). While the optional fuel amount sensor <NUM> is shown in <FIG> as disposed between the fuel/water separator <NUM>, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments the optional fuel amount sensor <NUM> can be disposed anywhere between the fuel/water separator <NUM> and the fuel rail <NUM>. Also, in some embodiments the optional fuel amount sensor <NUM> can be positioned before the fuel/water separator <NUM>. In these embodiments, the measured flow from the optional fuel amount sensor <NUM> would be a total flow amount instead of a filtered fuel (e.g., fuel without water separated by the fuel/water separator <NUM>) directed to the fuel rail <NUM>.

Returning to the fuel/water separator <NUM>, the separated water-based fluid (herein referred to as water) may drain into a water collection reservoir <NUM> at the bottom of the fuel/water separator. It will be appreciated that the volume of the water collection reservoir <NUM> is known and constant. The fuel/water separator <NUM> may further include a water-in-fuel (WIF) sensor <NUM> to detect the amount of water in the water collection reservoir <NUM>. The WIF sensor <NUM> may be any suitable sensor (e.g., optical, thermal, or electric conductivity, etc.) and may be, for example, coupled to an inner surface of water collection reservoir <NUM>. In some embodiments, the WIF sensor <NUM> may be positioned at a threshold level that corresponds to a pre-determined threshold volume of water that has been separated from the fuel system. The threshold level may be pre-determined so as to correspond to, for example, a volume of fluid beyond which the probability of introducing water into the high pressure fuel system on the prime mover (with the fuel) is significantly increased. As such, if water is introduced with the fuel, fuel system degradation may result. Thus, the WIF sensor <NUM> can indicate when a threshold level of water has accumulated in the reservoir <NUM>, so that a controller <NUM> can take actions to reduce degradation to the fuel system and/or prime mover. For example, when the sensor detects that a threshold level of water has been reached or exceeded, a raw voltage signal may be produced by the sensor <NUM> indicating a water-in-fuel condition. This signal may be received by the controller <NUM>, indicating that water should be drained from the water collection reservoir <NUM>. For example, in some embodiments, the WIF sensor <NUM> can output a "low" signal when the threshold level of water has not accumulated in the water collection reservoir <NUM> and can output a "high" signal when the threshold level of water has accumulated in the water collection reservoir <NUM>.

Water may be drained from the water collection reservoir <NUM> via a valve <NUM>. In some embodiments, the valve <NUM> can be, for example, an electronically controlled transfer valve, a manual drain valve, etc. In some embodiments, the valve <NUM> can be manually or automatically opened when the prime mover is off.

<FIG> illustrates a flowchart of a method <NUM> for monitoring fuel quality of a power system (e.g., the generator set <NUM> shown in <FIG>), according to a first embodiment. The method <NUM> monitors fuel quality while a prime mover (e.g., the prime mover <NUM>) of the power system is actively running. The method <NUM> begins at <NUM> whereby a controller of the power system (e.g., the controller <NUM>, <NUM> shown in <FIG> and <FIG>) waits until the prime mover is actively running. A prime mover is actively running when the prime mover is operating under a stable running condition. That is, the prime mover is not in an initial startup phase and has been continuously running. In some embodiments, the controller can determine that the prime mover is not in an initial startup phase and has been continuously running by monitoring, for example, a RPM of the prime mover. For example, the controller can determine that the prime mover is continuously running when the RPM of the prime mover is above a RPM threshold (e.g., over <NUM> RPM) The method <NUM> then proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller determines the amount of fuel having passed through a fuel/water separator (e.g. the fuel/water separator <NUM> shown in <FIG>) towards the fuel rail <NUM> over a set period of time. In some embodiments, the flow amount can be obtained from, for example, an ECU (e.g., the ECU <NUM> shown in <FIG>) of the prime mover that is in communication with the controller. For example, as the flow amount through the fuel/water separator has been found to be directly proportional to a speed (e.g., RPM) of the prime mover, the controller can determine the flow amount by obtaining prime mover run hours (for example, the number of prime mover run hours while the prime mover is operating at a first non-zero speed and the number of prime mover run hours while the prime mover is operating at a second non-zero speed) from the ECU since the last time the WIF sensor was reset after indicating that the threshold level of water had accumulated in the water collection reservoir. In another example, the controller can determine the flow amount by receiving an amount of time an injection pump (e.g., the injection pump <NUM> shown in <FIG>) has been running from the ECU, when the injection pump is a constant displacement injection pump. In some embodiments, the amount of fuel passing through the fuel/water separator can be obtained by a fuel amount sensor (e.g., the fuel amount sensor <NUM> shown in <FIG>). In some embodiments, the amount of fuel passing through the fuel/water separator can be obtained by determining an injection quantity/ fuel consumption. For example, when the prime mover is a common rail prime mover (e.g., a prime mover with electronically controlled injectors) the ECU can calculate and report a fuel consumption of the prime mover. The ECU can calculate fuel consumption based on a measured fuel pressure and a controlled injector open time When the injection quantity is used to determine the amount of fuel passing through the fuel/water separator it can be assumed that all fuel filtered by the fuel/water separator is used by the prime mover.

For example, in one embodiment, the amount of fuel having passed through the fuel/water separator <NUM> can be calculated by the formula: <MAT>.

The controller can, for example, monitor the amount of time the prime mover is operating at a first speed (e.g., <NUM> RPM) and the amount of time that the prime mover is operating at a second speed (e.g., <NUM> RPM). That is, the controller can start a timer when, for example, the prime mover is operating at the first speed and can stop the timer when, for example, the prime mover is no longer operating at the first speed (e.g., switched to the second speed or turned off). The amount of time that the prime mover is operating at the first speed can then be multiplied by the flowrate at that speed. This calculation can be performed for each speed condition, and the results summated to provide the total volume through the fuel/water separator <NUM>.

In another embodiment, when the injection pump is a constant displacement injection pump, the amount of fuel having passed through the fuel/water separator <NUM> can be calculated by the formula: <MAT>.

In yet another embodiment, the amount of fuel having passed through the fuel/water separator <NUM> can be calculated by the formula: <MAT>.

In another embodiment, the amount of fuel having passed through the fuel/water separator <NUM> can be calculated by the formula: <MAT>.

Also, in some other embodiments, the amount of fuel having passed through the fuel water separator <NUM> can be calculated using the fuel tank sensor <NUM> in the fuel tank <NUM>. In particular, the fuel level in the fuel tank <NUM> can be evaluated over time to determine the amount of fuel passing through the fuel/water separator <NUM>.

The method <NUM> then proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller monitors output from a WIF sensor (e.g., the WIF sensor <NUM> shown in <FIG>) indicating the amount of water accumulated in a water collection reservoir of the fuel/water separator (e.g., the water collection reservoir <NUM> of the fuel/water separator <NUM> shown in <FIG>). The method <NUM> the proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, when the controller determines whether the amount of water that has accumulated in the water collection reservoir of the fuel/water separator is above a threshold level based on the output of the WIF sensor, the method <NUM> proceeds to <NUM>. It will be appreciated that the threshold level can vary and be based on the size of the water collection reservoir. When the controller determines that the amount of water that accumulated in the water collection reservoir of the fuel/water separator is below the threshold level based on the output of the WIF sensor, the method <NUM> proceeds back to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller stores a value indicating the number of prime mover run hours since the last time the output of the WIF sensor indicated that the threshold level of water accumulated in the water collection reservoir has been reached. The controller also stores a value indicating the amount of fuel having passed through the fuel/water separator determined at <NUM>. The method <NUM> then proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller calculates a fuel quality score based on the values stored at <NUM>. That is, the controller calculates the fuel quality score based on the number of prime mover run hours since the last time the output of the WIF sensor indicated that the threshold level of water accumulated in the water collection reservoir had been reached and based on the amount of fuel having passed through the fuel/water separator. Based on the flow amount and the number of prime mover run hours, the controller can determine a flowrate of the fuel through the fuel/water separator. The controller can calculate the fuel quality score by correlating the amount of fuel passing through the fuel/water separator with the amount of time since the water collection reservoir was last drained (e.g., a drainage interval). The controller can compare the amount of fuel passing through the fuel/water separator to a known volume of the water collection reservoir to determine the fuel quality score.

For example, in one embodiment the fuel quality score can be calculated by the formula: <MAT>.

At <NUM>, the controller determines whether the fuel quality score calculated at <NUM> is above a range A. In one embodiment, the range A can be defined as resulting from a water content in the fuel between, for example, ~<NUM> and ~<NUM> parts per million (ppm) by volume. In this embodiment, the controller can determine whether the fuel quality score reflects a water content in the fuel of less than, for example, ~<NUM> ppm.

When the controller determines that the calculated fuel quality score is above range A, the method <NUM> proceeds to <NUM>. When the controller determines that the calculated fuel quality score is not above range A, the method <NUM> proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller determines whether the fuel quality score calculated at <NUM> is within the range A. For example, the controller can determine whether the fuel quality score reflects a water content in the fuel of between, for example, ~<NUM> and ~<NUM> ppm. When the controller determines that the calculated fuel quality score is within the range A, the method <NUM> proceeds to <NUM>. When the controller determines that the calculated fuel quality score is not within the range A, the method <NUM> proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller determines whether the fuel quality score calculated at <NUM> is within a range B. In one embodiment, the range B can be defined as resulting from a water content in the fuel between, for example, ~<NUM> and ~<NUM> ppm by volume. Accordingly, the controller can determine whether the fuel quality score reflects a water content in the fuel of between, for example, ~<NUM> and ~<NUM> ppm. When the controller determines that the calculated fuel quality score is within the range B, the method <NUM> proceeds to <NUM>. When the controller determines that the calculated fuel quality score is not within the range B, the method <NUM> proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller has determined that the calculated fuel quality score is above range A and therefore has very little water mixed in the fuel (e.g., less than ~<NUM> ppm). For example, if the WIF sensor is configured to trigger when the volume in the water collection reservoir reaches <NUM>, a total flowed volume of fuel passing through the fuel/water separator is at or above ~<NUM> gallons. That is, the controller has determined that the water collection reservoir is filling too slowly based on the amount of fuel being used to be trustworthy. Accordingly, the controller determines that the low amount of water in the fuel is impractical and there may be an error in the fuel system (e.g., a damaged separation membrane of the fuel/water separator; a disconnected WIF sensor; a damaged WIF sensor; etc.). The controller is configured to trigger multiple alerts including an alert to drain the water collection reservoir, an alert to check the water collection reservoir, an alert to check the WIF sensor, and an alert to check the WIF sensor connection to the controller. The alerts can be, for example, sent to an operator via a text message from the controller, displayed on a display on the controller, reported to a website through a telematics device, etc. In some embodiments, the alerts can be recorded in a datalogger. The method <NUM> then proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller has determined that the calculated fuel quality score is within the range A and therefore has an acceptable amount of water mixed in the fuel (e.g., between ~<NUM> and ~<NUM> ppm). For example, if the WIF sensor is configured to trigger when the volume in the water collection reservoir reaches <NUM>, a total flowed volume of fuel passing through the fuel/water separator is between ~<NUM> gallons and ~<NUM> gallons. That is, the controller determines that the amount of water in the fuel is within an acceptable range and acceptable for use. Accordingly, the controller is configured to trigger an alert to drain the water collection reservoir to continue proper operation of the power system. In some embodiments, the alerts can be recorded in a datalogger. The method <NUM> then proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller has determined that the calculated fuel quality score is within the range B and therefore has an unacceptable amount of water mixed in the fuel (e.g., between ~<NUM> and ~<NUM> ppm). For example, if the WIF sensor is configured to trigger when the volume in the water collection reservoir reaches <NUM>, a total flowed volume of fuel passing through the fuel/water separator is between ~<NUM> gallons and ~<NUM> gallons. That is, the controller determines that the quality of the fuel being used may not be acceptable. Accordingly, the controller is configured to trigger multiple alerts including an alert to drain the water collection reservoir, and an alert indicating low quality fuel is being used by the prime mover. In some embodiments, the alerts can be recorded in a datalogger. The method <NUM> then proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller has determined that the calculated fuel quality score is below the range B and therefore has an excessive amount of water mixed in the fuel (e.g., more than ~<NUM> ppm). For example, if the WIF sensor is configured to trigger when the volume in the water collection reservoir reaches <NUM>, a total flowed volume of fuel passing through the fuel/water separator is less than ~<NUM> gallons. That is, the controller determines that the high amount of water in the fuel indicative of separated water in the fuel tank and/or an unmaintained fuel tank. Accordingly, the controller is configured to trigger multiple alerts including an alert to drain the water collection reservoir, and an alert to service the fuel tank (e.g., drain water contained in the fuel tank). In some embodiments, the alerts can be recorded in a datalogger. The method <NUM> then proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller continues to monitor output from the WIF sensor until the controller determines that the amount of water accumulated in the water collection reservoir of the fuel/water separator is below the threshold level. Once the controller determines that the amount of water accumulated in the water collection reservoir is below the threshold level, the method <NUM> proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller waits until a time threshold, for the amount of time that the water accumulated in the water collection reservoir is below the threshold level, has been satisfied. The time threshold is set to a period of time to provide hysteresis to take into account, for example, fuel sloshing that can occur while the power system is in transport and thereby provide an output of the WIF sensor indicating that the amount of water in the water collection reservoir is above the threshold level. The time threshold can be dependent on whether the method <NUM> is proceeding to <NUM> from <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> or <NUM>. For example, when the method <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> from one of <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, the time threshold can be about <NUM> minutes. When the method <NUM> proceeds to <NUM> from <NUM>, the time threshold can be about <NUM> minutes or lower (e.g., about <NUM> minute).

By providing a time threshold, the method <NUM> can prevent false triggering that the output of the WIF sensor is above the threshold level during transport. When the controller determines that the timing threshold has been satisfied, the method <NUM> proceeds to <NUM>. When the controller determines that the timing threshold has not been satisfied, the method <NUM> proceeds back to <NUM> to wait until the output of the WIF sensor is below the threshold level.

At <NUM>, the controller resets a fuel counter that can is used to assist in tracking fuel use over a set period of time. The method <NUM> then proceeds back to <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a flowchart of a method <NUM> for monitoring service level of a power system (e.g., the generator set <NUM> shown in <FIG>), according to one embodiment. The method <NUM> occurs during a pre-trip test of the power system (e.g., while a prime mover (e.g., the prime mover <NUM>) of the power system is not actively running) and can evaluate data outputted by a WIF sensor (e.g., the WIF sensor <NUM> shown in <FIG>) with respect to a last recorded pre-trip test report and determine a service level of the power system. The method <NUM> begins at <NUM> whereby a controller of the power system (e.g., the controller <NUM>, <NUM> shown in <FIG> and <FIG>) is powered on. The method <NUM> then proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller monitors output from the WIF sensor indicating the amount of water accumulated in a water collection reservoir of a fuel/water separator (e.g., the water collection reservoir <NUM> of the fuel/water separator <NUM> shown in <FIG>). The method <NUM> the proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller determines whether the amount of water that has accumulated in the water collection reservoir of the fuel/water separator is at or above a threshold level based on the output of the WIF sensor. When the controller determines that the amount of water that has accumulated in the water collection reservoir of the fuel/water separator is below the threshold level based on the output of the WIF sensor, the method <NUM> proceeds to <NUM>. When the controller determines that the amount of water that has accumulated in the water collection reservoir of the fuel/water separator is at or above the threshold level based on the output of the WIF sensor, the method <NUM> proceeds to <NUM>. It will be appreciated that the threshold level can vary and be based on the size of the water collection reservoir.

At <NUM>, the controller determines whether a pre-trip test of the power system has been run by the user. A pre-trip test can be a test run by the controller for a brief period of time while the power system is operating that checks if any alarm conditions are found. In some embodiments, the controller can include an event logger that records each time a pre-trip test is run. If a pre-trip has been run, the method proceeds to <NUM>. If a pre-trip test has not been run, the method proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller determines and stores a value indicating the number of prime mover run hours since the last pre-trip test. The number of prime mover run hours since the last pre-trip test can be used as a timestamp for when a subsequent alarm code is generated at <NUM>. The method <NUM> then proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller monitors an updated output from the WIF sensor and determines whether the amount of water that has accumulated in the water collection reservoir of the fuel/water separator is at or above the threshold level based on the output of the WIF sensor. When the controller determines that the amount of water that has accumulated in the water collection reservoir of the fuel/water separator is at or above the threshold level based on the output of the WIF sensor, the method <NUM> proceeds to <NUM>. When the controller determines that the amount of water that has accumulated in the water collection reservoir of the fuel/water separator is below the threshold level based on the output of the WIF sensor, the method <NUM> proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller has determined that there is an issue with the fuel system (e.g., during the pre-trip test, the water collection reservoir is nearly full and has reached a level in which the WIF sensor is triggered as the amount of water in the water collection reservoir has reached a threshold level; an empty water collection reservoir is rapidly filled thus requiring a fuel tank check or a faulty WIF sensor check). That is, the controller determines that the high amount of water in the fuel upon pre-trip testing indicates that there is an issue with the fuel system. Accordingly, the controller is configured to trigger multiple alerts including an alert to drain the water collection reservoir, an alert to check the WIF sensor, and an alert to check the water collection reservoir. In some embodiments, the alerts can be recorded in a datalogger. The method <NUM> can then proceed to <NUM> in <FIG> or can return to <NUM> when the power system is restarted.

At <NUM>, the controller determines that no conclusion can be made and logs this information into a datalogger. The controller is configured to log and store the number of prime mover hours accumulated since the last shutdown of the power system. The method then proceeds to <NUM> in <FIG> or can return to <NUM> when the power system is restarted.

At <NUM>, the controller is configured to determine whether the power system has transitioned into actively running. As discussed above with respect to <FIG>, a prime mover is actively running when the prime mover is operating under a stable running condition. If the controller determines that the power system has transitioned into actively running, the method <NUM> proceeds to <NUM>. If the controller determines that the power system has not transitioned into actively running, the method <NUM> proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller has determined that the power system has not undergone a pre-trip test prior to actively running. Accordingly, the controller is configured to trigger an alert that the power system is running without a pre-trip test. In some embodiments, the alerts can be recorded in a datalogger. The method <NUM> can then proceed to <NUM> in <FIG> or can return to <NUM> when the power system is restarted.

At <NUM>, the controller determines that no conclusion can be made and logs this information into a datalogger. In some embodiments, the controller can determine, for example, that the power system has been turned on and then immediately off. The method <NUM> can remain at <NUM> until the controller determines that the prime mover has started at which point the method <NUM> can proceed to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller the controller determines whether a pre-trip test of the power system has been run by the user. A pre-trip test can be a test run by the controller for a brief period of time while the power system is operating that checks if any alarm conditions are found. In some embodiments, the controller can include an event logger that records each time a pre-trip test is run. If a pre-trip has been run, the method proceeds to <NUM>. If a pre-trip test has not been run, the method proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller determines and stores a value indicating the number of prime mover run hours since the last pre-trip test. The number of prime mover run hours since the last pre-trip test can be used as a timestamp for when a subsequent alarm code is generated at <NUM> or can be used as a reset time at <NUM> in <FIG>. The method <NUM> then proceeds to <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the controller has determined that there is an issue with the fuel system. That is, the controller determines that the high amount of water in the fuel upon pre-trip testing indicates that there is an issue with the fuel system. Accordingly, the controller is configured to trigger multiple alerts including an alert noting an unmaintained power system, and an alert to check the WIF sensor. The method <NUM> can then proceed to <NUM> in <FIG> or can return to <NUM> when the power system is restarted.

At <NUM>, the controller determines that the water collection reservoir of the fuel/water container has been drained and stores a value indicating the number of prime mover run hours since the last time the water collection reservoir was drained. The method <NUM> can then proceed to <NUM> in <FIG>.

At <NUM>, the controller has determined that the power system has not undergone a pre-trip test prior to actively running. Accordingly, the controller is configured to trigger an alert of an unmaintained power system. The controller is also configured to store data indicating that the power system is running without a pre-trip test. The method <NUM> can then proceed to <NUM> in <FIG> or can return to <NUM> when the power system is cycled off then back on.

Claim 1:
A method (<NUM>) for monitoring fuel quality of a power system (<NUM>) used in transport, the method (<NUM>) comprising:
a controller (<NUM>) of the power system (<NUM>) determining that the prime mover (<NUM>) is actively running;
the controller (<NUM>) monitoring (<NUM>) an output of a water-in-fuel (WIF) sensor (<NUM>) configured to determine whether a threshold level of water has accumulated in a water collection reservoir (<NUM>) of a fuel/water separator (<NUM>) that separates water from fuel passing there through;
the controller (<NUM>) determining (<NUM>) an amount of fuel passing through the fuel/water separator (<NUM>);
the controller (<NUM>) calculating (<NUM>) a fuel quality score of the fuel based on the output of the WIF sensor (<NUM>) and the amount of fuel having passed through the fuel/water separator (<NUM>); and
the controller (<NUM>) triggering different alerts based on the calculated fuel quality score, including:
the controller (<NUM>) triggering (<NUM>) an alert to check the water collection reservoir (<NUM>), an alert to check the WIF sensor (<NUM>), and an alert to check a WIF sensor connection to the controller (<NUM>) when the fuel quality score is above a first fuel quality score range;
the controller (<NUM>) triggering (<NUM>) an alert to drain the water collection reservoir (<NUM>) when the fuel quality score is within the first fuel quality score range;
the controller (<NUM>) triggering (<NUM>) an alert to indicate low quality fuel when the fuel quality score is within a second fuel quality score range, the second fuel quality score range being a lower fuel quality score range than the first fuel quality score range; and
the controller (<NUM>) triggering (<NUM>) an alert to service a fuel tank (<NUM>) for storing the fuel when the fuel quality score is below the second fuel quality score range.