System for the generation of compressed air and for air conditioning, for a railway vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12377706-B2
Application number	US-202017753906-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2020
Priority date	Sep 17, 2019
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

Abstract

A system is described comprising a first compressor for generating compressed air to feed a main tank and a main brake pipe of the railway vehicle through an air drying unit and a second compressor for compressing a refrigerant gas for an air conditioning system. The system comprises a single electric motor for generating a mechanical torque to be selectively supplied to the first compressor, or to the second compressor, or simultaneously to the first and second compressors, as a function of a) a first electrical signal generated by a pressure measurement device and indicative of a pressure present in the main brake pipe, or in the main tank, and b) at least a second electrical signal coming from the air conditioning system and indicative of a temperature or pressure or humidity value, and at least a third electrical signal indicative of a temperature of an environment.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for a generation of compressed air and for air conditioning, for at least one railway vehicle, wherein said system comprises a first compressor arranged to generate compressed air to supply a main tank and a main brake pipe of a railway vehicle through an air drying unit and a second compressor arranged to compress a refrigerant gas for an air conditioning system of the at least one railway vehicle;
the system being characterized in that it comprises a single electric motor arranged to generate a mechanical torque adapted to be selectively provided to the first compressor, or to the second compressor, or simultaneously to both the first compressor and to the second compressor, as a function of:
a first electrical signal generated by a pressure measurement device and indicative of a pressure present in the main brake pipe; and
at least one second electrical signal coming from the conditioning system and indicative of a pressure value or a humidity value, and at least one third electrical signal indicative of a temperature of an environment to be conditioned of the at least one railway vehicle.

2. The system according to claim 1 , comprising an electronic control unit to control said system;
the electronic control unit being arranged to receive the first electrical signal, the at least one second electrical signal and at least one third electrical signal;
the electronic control unit being arranged to activate a power supply device, arranged to receive electric power distributed on board the railway vehicle, to supply said single electric motor when the first electrical signal indicates a need for mechanical torque for the first compressor, or if at least one of either the second electrical signal or the third electrical signal indicates a need for mechanical torque for the second compressor;
the electronic control unit being arranged to generate:
a first control signal for a first coupling means arranged to couple or decouple an electric motor and the first compressor;
a second control signal for a second coupling means arranged to couple or decouple an electric motor and the second compressor.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the electronic unit includes a non-volatile memory to preventively store control strategies of said system.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein:
the first and second compressors each require their own peak mechanical torque, and the electric motor is able to provide a mechanical torque equal to, or greater than, the sum of the peak mechanical torques required by the first and second compressors;
when only the first electrical signal coming from the pressure measurement device indicates a need for mechanical torque for the first compressor, the electronic control unit operates on the first coupling means and on the second coupling means of said system to provide the mechanical torque generated by the electric motor only to the first compressor; and
when only at least one of either the second electrical signal or the third electrical signal indicates the need for mechanical torque for the second compressor, the electronic unit operates on the first coupling means and on the second coupling means to provide the mechanical torque generated by the electric motor only to the second compressor;
when simultaneously the first electrical signal coming from the pressure measurement device indicates the need for mechanical torque for the first compressor and at least one of either the second electrical signal or the third electrical signal indicates a need for mechanical torque for the second compressor, the electronic unit operates on the first coupling means and on the second coupling means to simultaneously supply the mechanical torque generated by an electric motor to the first compressor and to the second compressor.

5. The system according to claim 3 , wherein:
the first and second compressors each require their own peak mechanical torque, and the electric motor is able to provide a mechanical torque at least equal to the greater of the peak mechanical torques required by the first and second compressors;
when only the first electrical signal coming from the pressure measurement device indicates a need for mechanical torque for the first compressor, the electronic unit operates on the first coupling means and on the second coupling means to provide the mechanical torque generated by the electric motor only to the first compressor;
when only at least one of either the second electrical signal or the third electrical signal coming from the air conditioning system or from the environment to be conditioned indicates a need for mechanical torque for the second compressor, the electronic unit operates on the first coupling means and on the second coupling means to provide the mechanical torque generated by an electric motor only to the second compressor;
when simultaneously the first electrical signal coming from a pressure measurement device indicates a need for mechanical torque for the first compressor and at least one of either the first electrical signal or the second electrical signal coming from an air conditioning system or from the environment to be conditioned indicates a need for mechanical torque for the second compressor, the electronic unit operates on the first coupling means and on the second coupling means to provide the mechanical torque generated by an electric motor only to the first compressor.

6. The system according to claim 2 , wherein:
the first and second compressors each require their own peak mechanical torque, and the electric motor is able to provide a mechanical torque at least equal to the greater among the peak mechanical torques required by the first and second compressors;
when only the first electrical signal coming from the pressure measurement device indicates a need for mechanical torque for the first compressor, the electronic unit operates on the first coupling means and on the second coupling means to provide the mechanical torque generated by the electric motor only to the first compressor;
when only at least one of either the second electrical signal or the third electrical signal coming from the air conditioning system or from the environment to be conditioned indicates a need for mechanical torque for the second compressor, the electronic unit operates on the first coupling means and on the second coupling means to provide the mechanical torque generated by the electric motor only to the second compressor;
when simultaneously the first electrical signal coming from a pressure measurement device indicates a pressure value of the main tank lower than a predetermined intermediate value and at least one of either the second electrical signal or the third electrical signal coming from an air conditioning system or from the environment to be conditioned indicates a need for mechanical torque for the second compressor, the electronic unit operates on the first coupling means and on the second coupling means to provide the mechanical torque generated by the electric motor only to the first compressor;
when simultaneously the first electrical signal coming from a pressure measurement device indicates a pressure value of the main tank higher than a predetermined intermediate value and at least one of either the second electrical signal or the third electric signal coming from an air conditioning system or from the environment to be conditioned indicates the need for mechanical torque for the second compressor, the electronic unit operates on the first coupling means and on the second coupling means to provide the mechanical torque generated by an electric motor only to the second compressor.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein a predetermined intermedi

Assignees

• Faiveley Transport Italia Spa

Inventors

• Tione Roberto

Classifications

• B61D27/0018 Primary

  Air-conditioning means, i.e. combining at least two of the following ways of treating or supplying air, namely heating, cooling or ventilating (air-conditioning in general F24F) · CPC title

• B60T17/02

  Arrangements of pumps or compressors, or control devices therefor · CPC title

• B60H1/3223

  characterised by the arrangement or type of the compressor (B60H1/3222 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60Y2200/30

  Railway vehicles · CPC title

• B60T17/228

  for railway vehicles · CPC title