Arrangement for driving a locomotive having various energy-provision systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11858540-B2
Application number	US-201917299929-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2019
Priority date	Dec 4, 2018
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

An arrangement for driving a locomotive has various energy-provision systems. The locomotive contains a main energy-provision system as the main system and a drive system. Energy provided by the main system is supplied to the drive system as drive power and is used by the drive system for moving the locomotive. A carriage contains at least one additional energy-provision system as an auxiliary system. The auxiliary system is used in a manner which is temporally offset from the main system in order to supply drive power to the drive system. Components which can be used by both the main system and the at least one auxiliary system are implemented only once and are used jointly by both the main system and the at least one auxiliary system. Components which are used exclusively by the at least one auxiliary system are arranged on the carriage.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A locomotive drive arrangement, the arrangement comprising:
a locomotive having a drive system and a main energy-provision system being a main system, said main system being configured to feed drive power to said drive system for use by said drive system to move said locomotive;
a railroad car having at least one further energy-provision system being an ancillary system, said ancillary system being configured to feed drive power to said drive system at different times from said main system;
wherein components that are required by said main system are disposed entirely on said locomotive to enable an autonomous operation of said locomotive;
wherein components to be used both by said main system and by said at least one ancillary system are implemented only once; and
wherein components to be used exclusively by said at least one ancillary system are disposed on said railroad car; and
wherein, with said at least one ancillary system being based on an energy storage mode, said railroad car includes the following components of said at least one ancillary system:
an energy storage device;
a partial intermediate circuit; and
an energy converter configured to convert energy received from said energy storage device into a desired intermediate circuit voltage;

wherein, with said main system being a diesel drive, said locomotive includes the following components for an autonomous, diesel-based operation in a predetermined first track:
a diesel engine;
a generator for generating a required electrical power;
a partial intermediate circuit;
a three-phase asynchronous motor being a drive motor;
a cooling system for said drive motor;
a compressed-air braking system; and
a compressor system for said compressed-air braking system

said locomotive being configured to choose, depending on a given section of track, between the main system and the ancillary system, by connecting the respectively required components to one another via a selection circuit, to thereby operate the locomotive in dependence on the given section of track; and
a DC electrical connection between said partial intermediate circuits of said railroad car and said locomotive for selectively forming an operational locomotive-railroad car twin unit, by connecting said at least one further energy-provision system of said railroad car with the drive components of said locomotive.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one ancillary system is one of a plurality of energy-provision systems arranged on said railroad car.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein
said railroad car is coupled directly to the locomotive, or
said locomotive is connected indirectly to said railroad car via extended cables which pass through further railroad cars.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said ancillary system is an AC-based ancillary system, and:
said components of said ancillary system on said railroad car include a current collector, a main circuit breaker, a transformer, and an H-bridge;
said components of said main system on said locomotive has an inverter or a frequency inverter for a driving motor of said locomotive; and
an intermediate circuit between said H-bridge and said inverter is arranged at least partially on said railroad car or on said locomotive.

5. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said ancillary system is a DC-based ancillary system, and:
said components of said ancillary system on said railroad car include a current collector, a main circuit breaker, and an optional boost converter;
said components of said main system on said locomotive include an inverter or frequency inverter for a driving motor of said locomotive; and
an intermediate circuit between said main circuit breaker or H-bridge and said driving motor inverter is arranged at least partially on said railroad car or on said locomotive.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one ancillary system is based on a diesel mode, and:
said components of said ancillary system on said railroad car include a diesel engine, a generator, connected to the diesel engine and configured for generating a required electric power or energy, and an optional inverter for adapting the electric power or energy to an intermediate circuit;
said components of said main system on said locomotive include an inverter or a frequency inverter for driving motors of said locomotive;
said intermediate circuit which is arranged between the generator or the optional inverter and said driving motor inverter is arranged at least partially on the railroad car or on the locomotive.

7. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein, with said at least one ancillary system being based on the energy storage:
said energy storage device on said railroad car includes at least one component selected from the group consisting of a storage battery, a hydrogen store with a fuel cell, and ultracapacitors;
said railroad car optionally includes an energy converter configured to convert energy received from said energy storage device into electrical energy;
said components of said main system of said locomotive include an inverter or a frequency inverter for driving motors of said locomotive; and
the intermediate circuit that is arranged between said energy storage device and said inverter is arranged at least partially on said railroad car or on said locomotive.

8. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein:
said main system is a diesel drive and said ancillary system is an AC drive;
said components of said ancillary system on said railroad car include a current collector, a main circuit breaker, a transformer, and an H-bridge; and
an intermediate circuit between said inverter and said H-bridge is arranged at least partially on said railroad car or on said locomotive.

9. The arrangement according to claim 1 , which comprises a disconnector disposed to isolate an intermediate circuit connected between said drive system and said ancillary system.

10. The arrangement according to claim 1 , which comprises disconnectors disposed to isolate any of a plurality of partial intermediate circuits connected between said drive system and said ancillary system.

11. The arrangement according to claim 1 , which comprises connection points for any of a plurality of intermediate circuits or partial intermediate circuits arranged on one or both ends of said locomotive to enable a connection from outside said locomotive.

12. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said railroad car is formed with free volume that is not required for carrying said ancillary system or components thereof and said free volume is configured for transporting goods, for transporting mail, for transporting passengers, or as a service area.

Assignees

• Siemens Mobility GmbH

Inventors

• Hoescheler Bernhard
• Lauer Stefan

Classifications

• B61C7/04 Primary

  Locomotives or motor railcars with two or more different kinds or types of engines, e.g. steam and IC engines · CPC title

• B61C17/06

  Power storing devices · CPC title

• Y02T30/00

  Transportation of goods or passengers via railways, e.g. energy recovery or reducing air resistance · CPC title

• B61C5/00

  Locomotives or motor railcars with IC engines or gas turbines (characterised by power transmission B61C9/00; engines F02) · CPC title