Method and system for wind-harnessed battery charging in a locomotive
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorAjith Kuttannair Kumar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods are described for generating electrical energy and/or charging a system electrical energy storage device in a vehicle, such as a locomotive. The vehicle includes at least one airflow device coupled to an electric machine. In one example, the method includes, generating electrical energy at the electric machine, said machine being driven by an ambient air flow interacting with the airflow device; and delivering at least some of the harnessed energy to an electrical component of the locomotive. The harnessed energy may be delivered to an electrical load, or delivered to the system electrical energy storage device to charge the device, or combinations thereof.
Claims22
A method of generating electrical energy in a vehicle having at least one airflow device coupled to an electric machine, the method comprising:
- generating electrical energy at the electric machine, said electric machine being driven by an ambient airflow interacting with the airflow device;
- and
- delivering at least some of the harnessed energy to at least an electrical component of the locomotive.
A method of charging a system electrical energy storage device in a vehicle having at least one airflow device coupled to an electric machine, the method comprising:
- during at least stationary conditions of the vehicle:
- operating the electric machine to harness kinetic energy from motion of the airflow device, the motion generated by an ambient airflow;
- and
- charging the system electrical energy storage device with at least some of the harnessed energy.
A system for a locomotive, comprising:
- a battery;
- an electrical load;
- an airflow device coupled to an electric machine;
- an engine;
- and
- a controller configured to, during at least stationary conditions of the locomotive where the engine is shut down, operate the electric machine to harness kinetic energy from motion of the airflow device, the motion generated by an ambient airflow, the controller further configured to charge the battery with at least some of the harnessed energy, where the battery supplies energy to operate the electrical load during the stationary conditions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.