Variable-gauge train control apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12077196-B2
Application number	US-201817274408-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2018
Priority date	Sep 11, 2018
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

A variable-gauge train control apparatus includes an inverter that collectively controls the torque of main motors; and a voltage control unit that controls an output voltage of the inverter. When at least one of axles to be driven by the main motors is within the gauge conversion section and at least one of the axles is located outside the gauge conversion section, the voltage control unit treats, as a reference frequency, a value obtained by conversion of an average value of rotational frequencies of the axles located outside the gauge conversion section into the electric angular frequencies of the main motors, and adds up a slip frequency command and the reference frequency to provide the frequency of the output voltage of the inverter.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A variable-gauge train control apparatus for a variable-gauge train including a plurality of axles and a plurality of main motors for driving the axles, respectively, the apparatus comprising:
an inverter to collectively control torque of the plurality of main motors; and
a voltage controller to control an output voltage of the inverter,
wherein when at least one of the plurality of axles to be driven by the plurality of main motors is within a gauge conversion section and the remaining axles of the plurality of axles are located outside the gauge conversion section, the voltage controller treats, as a reference frequency, a value obtained by conversion of an average value of rotational frequencies of the remaining axles located outside the gauge conversion section into electric frequencies of the main motors, and adds up the reference frequency and a slip frequency command to provide a frequency of the output voltage.

2. The variable-gauge train control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage controller includes:
a voltage command calculator to calculate a voltage command based on a current command; and
a current feedback controller to calculate a correction amount for the voltage command on a basis of deviations of values of current flowing through the plurality of main motors from the current command, and
when at least one of the plurality of axles is within the gauge conversion section, the voltage controller sets the correction amount to zero, or cuts off output from the current feedback controller.

3. The variable-gauge train control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the voltage controller includes a current command calculator to calculate the current command on a basis of a torque command and the number of the axles located within the gauge conversion section.

4. The variable-gauge train control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage controller includes a torque command calculator to calculate a torque command, and
when all the plurality of axles is within the gauge conversion section, the torque command calculator sets the torque command to zero.

5. The variable-gauge train control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when all the plurality of axles is located outside the gauge conversion section, the voltage controller treats, as a reference frequency, a value obtained by conversion of a smallest value or an average value of rotational frequencies of the plurality of axles into electric frequencies of the main motors.

6. The variable-gauge train control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a material of a switching element to be used in the inverter is a wide bandgap semiconductor.

7. The variable-gauge train control apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the wide bandgap semiconductor is silicon carbide, gallium nitride-based material, or diamond.

8. A variable-gauge train control apparatus for a variable-gauge train, the apparatus comprising:
a single inverter to collectively control torque of a plurality of main motors; and
a voltage controller to control an output voltage of the inverter,
wherein when at least one of a plurality of axles to be driven by the plurality of main motors is within a gauge conversion section and at least one of the axles is located outside the gauge conversion section, the voltage controller treats, as a reference frequency, a value obtained by conversion of a smallest value of rotational frequencies of the plurality of axles into electric frequencies of the main motors, and adds up the reference frequency and a slip frequency command to provide a frequency of the output voltage,
wherein the voltage controller includes:
a voltage command calculator to calculate a voltage command based on a current command; and
a current feedback controller to calculate a correction amount for the voltage command on a basis of deviations of values of current flowing through the plurality of main motors from the current command, and
when at least one of the plurality of axles is within the gauge conversion section, the voltage controller sets the correction amount to zero, or cuts off output from the current feedback controller.

9. The variable-gauge train control apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the voltage controller includes a current command calculator to calculate the current command on a basis of a torque command and the number of the axles located within the gauge conversion section.

10. The variable-gauge train control apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the voltage controller includes a torque command calculator to calculate a torque command, and
when all the plurality of axles is within the gauge conversion section, the torque command calculator sets the torque command to zero.

11. The variable-gauge train control apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein when all the plurality of axles is located outside the gauge conversion section, the voltage controller treats, as a reference frequency, a value obtained by conversion of a smallest value or an average value of rotational frequencies of the plurality of axles into electric frequencies of the main motors.

12. The variable-gauge train control apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein a material of a switching element to be used in the inverter is a wide bandgap semiconductor.

13. The variable-gauge train control apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the wide bandgap semiconductor is silicon carbide, gallium nitride-based material, or diamond.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp
• Kyushu Railway Company

Inventors

• Fujitani Kohei
• Kadoi Shinsuke
• Morimitsu Tsuyoshi
• Mimura Yuichi
• Watanabe Soichiro

Classifications

• H02P23/08

  Controlling based on slip frequency, e.g. adding slip frequency and speed proportional frequency · CPC title

• B60L2240/62

  Vehicle position · CPC title

• B60L2240/465

  Slip · CPC title

• B60L2240/461

  Speed · CPC title

• B60L2240/423

  Torque · CPC title