Hybrid system to overhaul a DC locomotive
AssigneeProgress Rail Services Corporation
InventorsSidarta Beltramin, Guilherme Martini
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A locomotive, a first chopper circuit, and a second chopper circuit integrating a traction motor with an energy storage device are disclosed. The locomotive includes a prime mover, an energy management device, a DC power bus, a traction motor, an energy storage device, a resistor grid, and a chopper circuit. Each chopper circuit is controlled by the energy management device and includes a plurality of power semiconductors with variable switching frequency. The traction motor may be capable of operating in a motoring mode, where power is controllably supplied by either the prime mover and/or the energy storage device; and a dynamic braking mode, where generated power is controllably allocated to the energy storage device and/or the resistor grid.
Claims19
A locomotive comprising:
- a prime mover;
- a converter mechanically coupled to the prime mover;
- an energy management device;
- and
- a DC power bus being supplied electric power by the converter, wherein the DC power bus is controllably connected through a chopper circuit to:
- a traction motor capable of operating in a motoring mode and a dynamic braking mode, the traction motor including a DC shunt motor;
- an energy storage device capable of capturing electric power from and supplying electric power to the DC power bus;
- and
- a resistor grid capable of dissipating electric power as heat;
- wherein the chopper circuit includes a plurality of power semiconductors, each having a variable switching frequency, and is controlled by the energy management device to control a current supplied to each of the traction motor, the energy storage device, and the resistor grid;
- during the motoring mode, the energy management device is configured to operatively control, through the chopper circuit, a current supplied to the traction motor;
- and
- during the dynamic braking mode, the energy management device is configured to operatively control, through the chopper circuit, a power distribution between the energy storage device and the resistor grid.
A chopper circuit for a locomotive comprising:
- a DC power bus including a positive line and a negative line;
- an energy storage device connected across the positive line and the negative line, the energy storage device capable of charging power from and discharging power to the DC power bus;
- a DC shunt motor capable of operating in a motoring mode and a dynamic braking mode, the DC shunt motor including:
- an armature controllably connected across the positive line and the negative line;
- a field winding controllably connected across the positive line and the negative line;
- a resistor grid controllably connected across the positive line and the negative line;
- and
- a plurality of power semiconductors, each having a variable switching frequency, which control a current through each of the armature, the field winding, the energy storage device, and the resistor grid
- wherein during the motoring mode, the chopper circuit is configured to control the current supplied to the DC shunt motor;
- and
- wherein during the dynamic braking mode, the chopper circuit is configured to control the current through each of the field winding, the energy storage device, and the resistor grid via a switching frequency of the plurality of power semiconductors.
A chopper circuit for a locomotive comprising:
- a DC power bus including a positive line and a negative line;
- an energy storage device connected across the positive line and the negative line, the energy storage device capable of charging power from and discharging power to the DC power bus;
- a series-wound DC motor capable of operating in a motoring mode and a dynamic braking mode, the series-wound DC motor including:
- an armature having a first terminal and a second terminal;
- a field winding having a first terminal and a second terminal, the field winding controllably connected in series with the armature across the positive line and the negative line;
- a resistor grid having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal of the resistor grid being connected to the first terminal of the armature;
- a first switch connecting the second terminal of the armature to the positive line;
- a second switch connecting the second terminal of the armature to the second terminal of the resistor grid;
- and
- a plurality of power semiconductors, each having a variable switching frequency, which control a current through each of the armature, the field winding, the energy storage device, and the resistor grid
- wherein during the motoring mode, the chopper circuit is configured to control the current supplied to the series-wound DC motor;
- and
- wherein during the dynamic braking mode, the chopper circuit is configured to control a power distribution between the energy storage device and the resistor grid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.