Arrangement for driving a locomotive having various energy-provision systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12358540-B2
Application number	US-202318193841-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2023
Priority date	Dec 4, 2018
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

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 railroad car carries 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 auxiliary system. Components which are used exclusively by the auxiliary system are arranged on the railroad car.

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;
components to be used both by said main system and by said at least one ancillary system each being formed only once as a common component configured to be used jointly by said main system and by said at least one ancillary system;
components to be used exclusively by said at least one ancillary system being disposed on said railroad car;
components required by said main system being disposed entirely on said locomotive to enable an autonomous operation of said locomotive;
with said at least one ancillary system being based on an energy storage mode, said railroad car including an energy storage device as a component of said ancillary system;
said components of said main system of said locomotive including an inverter or a frequency inverter for driving motors of said locomotive; and
an intermediate circuit connected between said energy storage device and said inverter being arranged optionally and at least partially on said railroad car or on 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 said locomotive.

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

5. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said drive system of said locomotive has components selected from the group consisting of a three-phase asynchronous motor forming a driving motor, a cooling system for said driving motor, a compressed-air braking system, and a compressor system for said compressed-air braking system.

6. 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 optionally and at least partially on said railroad car or on said locomotive.

7. 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 optionally and at least partially on said railroad car or on said locomotive.

8. 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 optionally and at least partially on the railroad car or on the locomotive.

9. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said railroad car carries said energy storage device and at least one component selected from the group consisting of a storage battery, a hydrogen store with a fuel cell, and ultracapacitors.

10. The arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein said railroad car further carries an energy converter configured to convert energy received from said energy storage device into electrical energy.

11. The arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein said railroad car further carries an inverter for adapting stored energy into a desired intermediate circuit voltage.

12. 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;
said locomotive has a diesel engine, a generator connected to said diesel engine for generating a required electric power, and an inverter; and
an intermediate circuit between said inverter and said H-bridge is arranged optionally and at least partially on said railroad car or on said locomotive.

13. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein:
said main system is a DC-based or AC-based energy-provision system and said ancillary system is a diesel drive;
said railroad car has a diesel engine, a generator, and an inverter for generating a DC link DC voltage;
said locomotive has a current collector, a transformer or reactor connected to said transformer for generating a required electric power, and an inverter with an H-bridge or boost converter or buck converter; and
an intermediate circuit is connected between said inverter and the driving motor inverter and arranged optionally and at least partially on said railroad car or on said locomotive.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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

• B61C17/06

  Power storing devices · CPC title

• B61C5/00

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

• Y02T30/00

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

• 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