U.S. patent application number 11/854817 was filed with the patent office on 2008-03-13 for method for increasing the efficiency of diesel-electric driven vehicles, and vehicle for carrying out the method.
This patent application is currently assigned to Siemens Aktiengesellschaft. Invention is credited to Mark-Matthias Bakran, Joachim Brandt, Hans-Gunter Eckel.
Application Number | 20080060542 11/854817 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39133921 |
Filed Date | 2008-03-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080060542 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bakran; Mark-Matthias ; et
al. |
March 13, 2008 |
METHOD FOR INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF DIESEL-ELECTRIC DRIVEN
VEHICLES, AND VEHICLE FOR CARRYING OUT THE METHOD
Abstract
In a method for increasing the efficiency of a consist comprised
of a plurality of linked diesel-electric driven vehicles, with each
vehicle including a diesel assembly and an intermediate circuit
which is operatively connected to the diesel assembly and a drive
motor which is operatively connected to the intermediate circuit,
the operation of the diesel assembly of a vehicle is deactivated,
when the vehicle requires a reduced level of power, while the
vehicle is in travel mode. The drive motor is hereby operated in a
regenerative mode and solely responsible, when operating in the
regenerative mode, to feed electric energy to the intermediate
circuit of the deactivated diesel assembly and an auxiliary
operating device, connected to the intermediate circuit.
Inventors: |
Bakran; Mark-Matthias;
(Erlangen, DE) ; Brandt; Joachim; (Herzogenaurach,
DE) ; Eckel; Hans-Gunter; (Erlangen, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HENRY M FEIEREISEN, LLC
350 FIFTH AVENUE
SUITE 4714
NEW YORK
NY
10118
US
|
Assignee: |
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Munchen
DE
|
Family ID: |
39133921 |
Appl. No.: |
11/854817 |
Filed: |
September 13, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
105/61 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60L 7/14 20130101; Y02T
10/72 20130101; Y02T 10/70 20130101; B60L 50/14 20190201; B60L
2200/26 20130101; B60L 2240/527 20130101; B60L 1/02 20130101; Y02T
10/7072 20130101; B60L 2210/10 20130101; B60L 2240/445 20130101;
B60L 15/32 20130101; B60L 2210/40 20130101; B60L 15/2009 20130101;
B60L 2210/30 20130101; B60L 2260/26 20130101; B60L 2220/14
20130101; B60L 15/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
105/061 |
International
Class: |
B61C 3/00 20060101
B61C003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 13, 2006 |
DE |
10 2006 042 945.1 |
Claims
1. A method for increasing the efficiency of a consist comprised of
a plurality of linked diesel-electric driven vehicles, each vehicle
including a diesel assembly and an intermediate circuit which is
operatively connected to the diesel assembly and a drive motor
which is operatively connected to the intermediate circuit, said
method comprising the steps of: a) deactivating operation of the
diesel assembly of a vehicle, when the vehicle requires a reduced
level of power, while the vehicle is in travel mode; b) operating
the drive motor in a regenerative mode; and c) feeding electric
energy to the intermediate circuit of the deactivated diesel
assembly and an auxiliary operating device, connected to the
intermediate circuit, solely by the drive motor, as it operates in
the regenerative mode.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the diesel assembly is
deactivated automatically when the level of power reaches a lower
limit.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the drive motor provides electric
energy that is commensurate with a power demand consumed by the
auxiliary operating device.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using a
control unit for a realizing a controlled operation of steps a) to
c).
5. A vehicle, comprising: at least one diesel assembly; a generator
connected to the diesel assembly for feeding electric energy to an
intermediate circuit; at least one converter coupled to the
intermediate circuit; at least one auxiliary operating device
coupled to the intermediate circuit, and a drive motor receiving
electric energy from the converter and constructed for operation in
a motor mode and regenerative mode, wherein the drive motor
operates in the regenerative mode, when the diesel assembly is
deactivated while the vehicle is in travel mode, so that the
intermediate circuit and the auxiliary operating device are fed
exclusively by the drive motor with electric energy.
6. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a control level with
at least one connection for connecting the control level to a
control level of a further said vehicle in the absence of a high
voltage connection of the intermediate circuit to an intermediate
circuit of the further vehicle.
7. The vehicle of claim 6, further comprising a control unit for
switching the diesel assembly on or off via the control level in
dependence on the power demand, and for controlling the drive motor
in the regenerative mode such that the drive motor provides only
power that is commensurate with a need by the auxiliary operating
devices.
8. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising two of said diesel
assembly, wherein the generators of the diesel assemblies jointly
feed the intermediate circuit with is common to both diesel
assemblies.
9. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising two inverters
arranged at the intermediate circuit, wherein each of the inverters
feeds up to three drive motors on a bogie.
10. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the generator is configured for
operation in motor mode as a starter of the diesel assembly.
11. The vehicle of claim 10, further comprising a rectifier
connected downstream of the generator in normal travel mode and
serving as a pulse-controlled inverter for the generator which
functions as the starter of the diesel assembly.
12. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a battery, and a
DC/DC converter which connects the battery to the intermediate
circuit.
13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the DC/DC converter is
configured for use as a battery charging device in normal travel
mode.
14. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the auxiliary operating device
includes an auxiliary operating converter and a pulse-controlled
inverter which is configured for driving the generator which
functions as the starter of the diesel assembly.
15. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the generator is a permanently
excited synchronous machine.
16. A consist, comprising a plurality of track-bound vehicles which
are coupled to one another, each said vehicle supported for
mobility on the track by a bogie, a diesel assembly, and a drive
motor mounted in the bogie and operatively connected to the diesel
assembly via an intermediate circuit, said drive motor being
constructed for operation in a motor mode, in which the diesel
assembly is operative so that the intermediate circuit is supplied
with electric energy from a generator connected to the diesel
assembly, and a regenerative mode, in which the diesel assembly is
deactivated and the intermediate circuit is supplied with electric
energy solely from the drive motor during movement of the bogie.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the priority of German Patent
Application, Serial No. 10 2006 042 945.1, filed Sep. 13, 2006,
pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), the content of which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if fully set
forth herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for
increasing the efficiency of a consist comprised of a plurality of
diesel-electric driven vehicles.
[0003] Nothing in the following discussion of the state of the art
is to be construed as an admission of prior art.
[0004] Freight trains are often operated with multiple traction,
i.e. a freight train is driven by a number of diesel locomotives.
Depending on the acceleration behavior and terrain to be
negotiated, the diesel drives of the diesel locomotives are hereby
not operated at full power at all times. However, operating a
diesel assembly in partial load range adversely affects
efficiency.
[0005] When freight trains are operated with multiple traction, the
diesel locomotives are normally used with one large diesel engine
per locomotive without control or voltage connections between the
locomotives. In other words, even when the power demand is
relatively low, such as for example when traveling downhill for an
extended period, the diesel assemblies of each locomotive have to
be kept operational in order to provide sufficient energy, for
example in order to operate the brake system of the locomotive.
[0006] The publication "Intelligent Power Sharing within a
Locomotive Consist for Fuel Reduction and Trip Reliability
Enhancements" (Gritsch et al., Heavy Haul Conference, Brazil,
2005), discloses the linkage of a plurality of diesel locomotives
with an electric drive to realize a consist in which the
intermediate circuits of all the locomotives are connected to one
another. Connecting the intermediate circuits of all the
locomotives to one another makes it possible to transfer the
electric power produced at one locomotive to another locomotive and
thus to feed the required power from just a small number of diesel
assemblies into the overall intermediate circuit and switch off the
remaining diesel assemblies. In other words, when a relatively low
level of power is required, a number of diesel locomotives travel
with activated diesel assemblies and other diesel locomotives
travel with deactivated diesel assemblies, whereby the required
energy of one locomotive with the deactivated diesel assembly is
transferred from locomotives with activated diesel assemblies to
locomotives with deactivated diesel assemblies to maintain the
auxiliary operations, for example the brake systems and the
temperature maintenance of the diesel assemblies. At the same time,
the full starting tractive force is maintained since all the drives
of each locomotive can also be provided with power by virtue of the
connection of the intermediate circuits, and therefore all the
drives can also be active during starting. Diesels which are
deactivated in the travel mode can optionally be started up again
by means of a converter or its intermediate circuit. However, high
voltage coupling points in the region of the locomotive couplings
have to be provided in order to be able to connect the intermediate
circuits of the locomotives to one another. These high voltage
lines usually conduct a voltage of approximately 2000 volts, which
has to be isolated for safety reasons when the coupling point is
not used. The connection of the intermediate circuits complicates
the overall construction and requires appropriate safety
measures.
[0007] It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to address
this problem and to obviate other prior art shortcomings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method
for increasing the efficiency of a consist comprised of a plurality
of linked diesel-electric driven vehicles, with each vehicle
including a diesel assembly and an intermediate circuit which is
operatively connected to the diesel assembly and a drive motor
which is operatively connected to the intermediate circuit,
includes the steps of deactivating operation of the diesel assembly
of a vehicle, when the vehicle requires a reduced level of power,
while the vehicle is in travel mode, operating the drive motor in a
regenerative mode, and feeding electric energy to the intermediate
circuit of the deactivated diesel assembly and an auxiliary
operating device, connected to the intermediate circuit, solely by
the drive motor, as it operates in the regenerative mode.
[0009] In the normal travel mode, when the diesel assembly is
activated, the main generator of the locomotive which is connected
downstream of the diesel assembly in order to generate electric
energy feeds the auxiliary operating devices which are connected to
an intermediate circuit. In the travel mode, on the other hand,
when the diesel assembly is deactivated, the drive motors can be
operated as generators and thus feed the intermediate circuit. The
thus-produced energy can be used to restart the diesel engine and
to maintain the operating temperature and to supply power to
individual, relatively small consumers such as, for example, pumps,
fans or lighting systems. As a result, efficiency of diesel drives
of a plurality of vehicles traveling with multiple traction can be
increased, and, when a specific reduced level of power is required
of the vehicles which are traveling in a consist, at least one
diesel assembly of one of the vehicles is deactivated. The power
for maintaining the auxiliary operations and for restarting the
diesel assemblies can thus be transmitted indirectly from one
locomotive to another locomotive by converting the mechanical
energy of the wheels and the regeneratively operating drive
motors.
[0010] In accordance with the invention, it is thus possible to
switch off the diesel assembly when n vehicles (multiple traction)
are operating and there is a request for a reduced locomotive power
of up to n-1 vehicles. The regenerative operation of the drive
motors allows the auxiliary operations to be provided with electric
energy on the vehicle with the diesel assembly deactivated. The
possibility of deactivating individual diesel assemblies while
maintaining the full driving power results in cost saving and
reduces wear of the diesel assemblies since a diesel assembly can
be switched off, when the power demand is low, and does not have to
be operated in the unfavorable partial load range. As a result,
fuel consumption can also be reduced.
[0011] According to another feature of the present invention, the
diesel assembly can be deactivated automatically when the level of
power reaches a lower limit. In other words, when the power drops
below a specific value, the associated diesel assembly switches off
automatically. Suitably, the diesel assembly switches on again
automatically, when the lower power limit is exceeded again.
[0012] According to another feature of the present invention, the
drive motor may provide electric energy that is commensurate with a
power demand consumed by the auxiliary operating device. When, for
example, the external temperature is high, less energy is necessary
to maintain a specific operating temperature of the diesel
assemblies. Suitably, the regeneratively operating drive motors
produces correspondingly less power to maintain the operating
temperature. As a result of this configuration, the regeneratively
operating drive motors have a reduced braking effect, which leads
to a further increase in efficiency during operation of the vehicle
and in the case of multiple tractions.
[0013] According to another feature of the present invention, the
method steps can be realized under the control of a control unit.
Thus, the fully automated deactivation and restarting of the diesel
assemblies in response to the power demand, as well as the control
of the drives can be executed in a controlled manner such that only
energy is supplied as is necessary to maintain the auxiliary
operations and the operating temperature of the diesel
assembly.
[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, a
vehicle includes at least one diesel assembly, a generator
connected to the diesel assembly for feeding electric energy to an
intermediate circuit, at least one converter coupled to the
intermediate circuit, at least one auxiliary operating device
coupled to the intermediate circuit, and a drive motor receiving
electric energy from the converter and constructed for operation in
a motor mode and regenerative mode, wherein the drive motor
operates in the regenerative mode, when the diesel assembly is
deactivated while the vehicle is in travel mode, so that the
intermediate circuit and the auxiliary operating device are fed
exclusively by the drive motor with electric energy.
[0015] As already described above, the regenerative mode of the
drive motor is the operating mode as a generator. When operating as
a generator, the drive motor feeds electric energy into the
respective intermediate circuit. This electric energy is used in
the intermediate circuit to restart the diesel assembly and to
maintain the desired operating temperature of the diesel assembly
for restarting, as well as to maintain specific auxiliary
operations. Since the mechanical energy of the wheels is converted
into electrical energy, when the vehicle travels with the diesel
assembly deactivated, the electrical energy which is generated by a
locomotive in multiple traction mode can be converted into
mechanical energy and supplied to another locomotive by virtue of
the conversion of the mechanical energy into electrical energy.
[0016] The converter may be implemented as a pulse-controlled
inverter, i.e. an active rectifier. Suitably, at least one
inverter, which feeds at least one drive motor, may be connected in
the intermediate circuit. It is thus possible, to deactivate n-1
locomotives or their diesel assemblies, when multiple traction is
involved and a reduced level of traction power is required by n
vehicles which are each equipped with a diesel assembly. The supply
to the auxiliary operations on the other vehicles is maintained by
the regenerative operation of the drives.
[0017] According to another feature of the present invention, a
control level may be provided having at least one connection for
connecting the control level to a control level of a further
vehicle in the absence of a high voltage connection of the
intermediate circuit to an intermediate circuit of the further
vehicle. By means of the control level with its connecting points,
it is possible for at least one diesel assembly on a specific
vehicle to be activated or deactivated or switched to a standby
mode. In this context, it is possible for the diesel assembly of a
specific locomotive to be switched off or on from a central
location with overall control of the locomotives. There is no need
to connect high voltage lines of the locomotives to one another
because the power supply for the auxiliary operations and for
restarting the diesel assembly is provided in the travel mode of
the deactivated locomotive by means of the regenerative operation
of its drive motors. As the high voltage lines of the locomotives
are not connected to one another, there are also no coupling points
for producing such connections. In other words, conventional
mechanical couplings can be provided between the locomotives, and
connections of low voltage lines can be used for operating
relatively small assemblies such as, for example, fans, pumps and
lighting devices and possibly couplings of pressure lines, without
the need for coupling points for the high voltage line of an
intermediate circuit for connecting the intermediate circuit to the
intermediate circuit of another locomotive.
[0018] The intermediate circuit of each diesel assembly of a
locomotive thus does not have branches. The elimination of a high
voltage connection removes also the need for costly isolation of
approximately 2000 volts which would be required, when the assembly
is not in use, and necessary for safety reasons, so that the
structural design of the vehicle is simplified.
[0019] According to another feature of the present invention, a
control unit may be provided for switching the diesel assembly on
or off via the control level in dependence on the power demand, and
for controlling the drive motor in the regenerative mode such that
the drive motor provides only power that is commensurate with a
need by the auxiliary operating devices. In other words, the
control unit manages the deactivation and restarting of the diesel
engines in the case of a corresponding power demand, as well as the
control of the drives, in such a way that they only supply as much
energy as is necessary to maintain the auxiliary operations and the
operating temperature of the diesel assembly and to restart the
diesel assembly. The control unit can influence the assemblies of
any of the locomotives which are traveling in consist or can
control them by connecting the control levels of vehicles which
travel in multiple traction.
[0020] According to another feature of the present invention, two
diesel assemblies may be provided, wherein the generators of the
diesel assemblies jointly feed a common intermediate circuit. This
double arrangement of diesel assemblies on one vehicle allows that
one of the two diesel engines can be deactivated or operate in a
standby mode (in particular when a reduced level of power is
required), and, when the power demand drops even further, a second
diesel engine can also be deactivated. As a result of the
regenerative operating mode of the drive motors, both diesel
engines whose intermediate circuits are independent of one another
can be started again by means of their regeneratively operating
drive motors, or their auxiliary operating devices are fed by the
regeneratively operating drive motors. It is thus possible to
provide, in a vehicle which is provided with two diesel assemblies,
that when the intermediate circuits of the diesel assemblies are
disconnected entirely, the power supply of one auxiliary circuit of
one deactivated diesel assembly is provided exclusively by means of
the conversion of the mechanical energy of the wheels into
electrical energy in order to feed the intermediate circuit when
the diesel assembly is deactivated.
[0021] According to another feature of the present invention, two
inverters may be arranged at the intermediate circuit, with each of
the inverters feeding up to three drive motors on one bogie. Thus,
for example, each of the inverters may feed three drive motors
which are arranged on one bogie. As a result, even when just one
diesel assembly is operating, voltage is available for operating
both drive converters and all the motors can supply the full
starting torque. At startup, just one diesel assembly is required
to operate, either on a locomotive with a plurality of diesel
assemblies or in a consist of vehicles operating in multiple
traction in which individual locomotives or their diesel assemblies
are deactivated.
[0022] According to another feature of the present invention, the
generator of the vehicle may be configured for operation in motor
mode as a starter of the diesel assembly. As a result, the
intermediate circuit which is fed via the regeneratively operating
drive motors supplies the power for starting the diesel assembly by
means of the vehicle's generator which is operated as a starter.
For this purpose, the generator may have an active rectifier.
[0023] The rectifier which is connected downstream of the generator
in the normal travel mode may serve as a pulse-controlled inverter
for the generator which functions as a starter.
[0024] According to another feature of the present invention, there
may be provided a battery, and a DC/DC converter which connects the
battery to the intermediate circuit. As a result, when no energy is
stored in the intermediate circuit as of yet during initial startup
of the diesel locomotive, the diesel locomotive can be started by
the electric energy from the battery via the DC/DC converter and
the generator which functions as a starter. The DC/DC converter can
be configured in such a way that it can be used as a battery
charging device in the normal travel mode.
[0025] According to another feature of the present invention, the
auxiliary operating device may include an auxiliary operating
converter and a pulse-controlled inverter which is configured for
driving the generator which functions as the starter of the diesel
assembly. The auxiliary operating converter is used when supplying
power to the auxiliary operating devices.
[0026] According to another feature of the present invention, the
generator of the vehicle may be configured as a permanently excited
synchronous machine. This enables efficient operation of the
vehicle in a simple manner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0027] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
be more readily apparent upon reading the following description of
currently preferred exemplified embodiments of the invention with
reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the sole FIGURE
shows a schematic illustration of a consist with three
diesel-electric driven locomotives operated with multiple
traction.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0028] The depicted embodiment is to be understood as illustrative
of the invention and not as limiting in any way. It should also be
understood that the FIGURE is not necessarily to scale and details
which are not necessary for an understanding of the present
invention or which render other details difficult to perceive may
have been omitted.
[0029] Turning now to the FIGURE, there is shown a consist with
vehicles 1 in the form of three diesel-electric driven locomotives
which are coupled to one another mechanically. Each of the vehicles
1 has a diesel assembly 2 as well as a generator 3, a converter 4,
an auxiliary operating device 5, and a plurality of drive motors 6
which are arranged on bogie 9. One of the vehicles 1 is equipped
with a control unit 7, which is connected to the control level 8 of
the vehicle 1. The control level 8 is connected in series with the
control levels 8 of the further vehicles 1.
[0030] Furthermore, each of the vehicles 1 has an auxiliary
operating converter 10 and a heating resistor 11. The heating
resistor 11 serves to maintain the operating temperature of the
diesel assembly 2 when power is supplied.
[0031] When reduced power levels are required in travel mode, the
control unit 7 is able to transmit, via the control levels 8, a
signal to the diesel assembly 2, for example of the middle vehicle
1, so that this diesel assembly 2 is deactivated. The electric
drives 6 which are arranged on the bogie 9 are no longer supplied
with electric energy from this moment on and they no longer drive
the wheels of the vehicle 1. However, as a result of the fixed
mechanical connection of the wheels of the vehicle 1 to the drive
motors 6, the rotational parts of the drive motors 6 are still
moving and thus operate in a generator mode of the drive motor 6.
The electric energy generated in the generator mode is fed into an
intermediate circuit 2a of the vehicle 1. Only the intermediate
circuit 2a of the middle vehicle 2 is shown here schematically, by
way of example, for the sake of simplicity. The auxiliary operating
device 5 is supplied with energy via the auxiliary operating
converter 10 to feed, for example, the heating resistor 11 of the
vehicle 1 in order to maintain the desired operating temperature of
the diesel assembly 2. However, it is also possible to feed the
heating resistor 11 with electric energy directly via the
intermediate circuit 2a which is connected to the heating resistor
11.
[0032] At startup of the diesel assembly 2, the energy which is
stored in the intermediate circuit 2a is fed to the generator 3
which functions as a starter in this case. Thus, the vehicle 1 can
be restarted by the energy generated by the drive motors 6, while
the vehicle 1 with deactivated diesel assembly 2 travels.
[0033] As a result, there is no need for a connection of the high
voltage regions or of the intermediate circuits 2a of the vehicle 1
to the intermediate circuits 2a of connected vehicles 1 since the
electric energy which is necessary to restart or to maintain the
auxiliary operations is acquired from the mechanical energy which
is present in the travel mode and is converted. Therefore, there is
also no need for coupling points for high voltage systems to be
arranged in the mechanical coupling region of the vehicles 1.
[0034] While the invention has been illustrated and described in
connection with currently preferred embodiments shown and described
in detail, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown
since various modifications and structural changes may be made
without departing in any way from the spirit of the present
invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to
best explain the principles of the invention and practical
application to thereby enable a person skilled in the art to best
utilize the invention and various embodiments with various
modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
* * * * *