Method for managing a railway electrical circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10513277-B2
Application number	US-201715590608-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2017
Priority date	May 12, 2016
Publication date	Dec 24, 2019
Grant date	Dec 24, 2019

Abstract

A method is provided for detecting the presence of a rolling stock on a railway track that is subdivided in successive track sections forming successive electrical circuits independently fed with electrical current for monitoring the presence of a rolling stock on a track section. A transmission device for providing electrical current is located at one end of the track section, and a reception device for detecting the electrical current is located at an opposite end of the track section. This method includes steps for continuously feeding the electrical circuit with electrical current and monitoring the presence of a rolling stock on the corresponding track section so that an electrical current can be applied to the electrical circuit if the reception device detects that no rolling stock is present on the track section. A system for detecting presence of a rolling stock on a railway track is also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for managing a railway electrical circuit adapted to detect presence of a train rolling on a railway track formed by two rails, the railway track being subdivided in successive track sections forming successive electrical circuits independently fed with an electrical current for monitoring the presence of the train rolling on one of the track sections, each electrical circuit comprising a transmission device electrically connected to the two rails for feeding the electrical circuit with the electrical current, located at one end of the track section, and a reception device for detecting the electrical current circulating in the electrical circuit, located at an opposed end of the track section, this method comprising:
a) continuously feeding, by a control box connected to the transmission device, the electrical circuit with the electrical current corresponding to a minimal electrical power with the transmission device and monitoring the presence of the train on the corresponding track section by measuring, using the reception device, the current circulating in the electrical circuit;
b) if the reception device detects a reduction of the current circulating in the electrical circuit denoting that the train is present on the corresponding track section and induces a short-circuit between the two rails by the train, applying, by the control box, to the electrical circuit, with the transmission device, a nominal electrical power at least until the train exits the corresponding track section;
c) if the reception device detects that no train is present on the corresponding track section, applying, by the control box, to the electrical circuit, with the transmission device, the minimal electrical power having a power-saving power value which is inferior to the nominal electrical power;
wherein at b) the electrical power consumed by the electrical circuit of the corresponding track section when the train is present is kept under a limited value, corresponding to the nominal electrical power, by the transmission device, commanded by the control box adapted to receive signals from the reception device containing information on the current circulating in the electrical circuit so as to prevent increase of the power consumption of the electrical circuit to a maximum power value due to the advancing of the train towards the end associated with the transmission device.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the limited power value is less than 70% of the maximal power value.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the limited power value is set to be less than 50% of the maximal power value.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the power-saving power value is set at less than 70% of an initial power value, the initial power value corresponding to the power consumed by the electrical circuit at the instant the reception device detects that the train is present on the corresponding track section, and the nominal electrical power is applied to the electrical circuit.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the power-saving power value is less than 50% of the initial power value.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein during b) a delay is set when the train is detected as having exited the railway track section, and wherein if the delay expires while no other train has been detected on the track section, c) is executed.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the delay is adjustable.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the delay is superior to 30 seconds.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the delay is set to 1 minute.

10. A system for detecting presence of a train rolling on a railway track formed by two rails, the railway track being subdivided in successive track sections forming successive electrical circuits independently fed with an electrical current for monitoring the presence of the train rolling on one of the track sections, comprising:
a transmission device electrically connected to the two rails for feeding the corresponding electrical circuit with the electrical current, located at one end of the track section, and a reception device for detecting the electrical current circulating in the electrical circuit, located at an opposed end of the corresponding track section,
the transmission device being adapted to continuously feed the corresponding electrical circuit with the electrical current corresponding to a minimal electrical power,
the reception device being adapted to monitor the presence of the train on the corresponding track section by measuring the current circulating in the corresponding electrical circuit,
the transmission device being adapted to apply to the corresponding electrical circuit a nominal electrical power if the corresponding reception device detects a reduction of the current circulating in the electrical circuit, denoting that the train is present on the corresponding track section and induces a short-circuit between the two rails by the train, at least until the train exits the corresponding track section,
the transmission device being adapted to apply to the corresponding electrical circuit the minimal electrical power having a power-saving power value, which is inferior to the nominal power, if the corresponding reception device detects that no train is present on the corresponding track section,
wherein the transmission device keeps the electrical power consumed by the electrical circuit of the corresponding track section when the train is present under a limited value when the nominal electrical power is applied to this electrical circuit,
wherein the reception device is adapted to emit signals containing information denoting the presence or absence of the train, on the current circulating in the electrical circuit, and
wherein the system comprises at least one control box adapted to receive the signals from the reception device and which controls the current delivered by the transmission device on the basis of the information on the current circulating in the electrical circuit contained in the signals so as to prevent increase of the power consumption of the electrical circuit to a maximum power value due to the advancing of the train towards the end associated with the transmission device.

Assignees

• Alstom Transp Tech

Inventors

• Aisa Pier-Alessandro

Classifications

• B61L1/18

  Railway track circuits (rail joints E01B11/00, e.g. insulated rail joints E01B11/54) · CPC title

• B61L23/163

  using direct current · CPC title

• B61L23/04 Primary

  for monitoring the mechanical state of the route · CPC title

• B61L1/165

  Electrical · CPC title

• B61L1/167

  Circuit details · CPC title