Method and system for cooling a traction component of a rail vehicle

A method for cooling a traction component of a rail vehicle during a journey of the rail vehicle on a route, the method comprising:

• providing journey information relating to the route, the journey information including data relating to a power consumption of the traction component to be expected during the journey at various times or including data from which the power consumption to be expected can be calculated, and providing at least data relating to stops or times and durations of standstill times;
• measuring a temperature of the traction component during the journey at a first time;
• calculating a cooling power based on the measured temperature and the power consumption of the traction component to be expected on a section of the route through which the rail vehicle will travel after the first time, by providing a cooling power curve for a control of the cooling power over a period of time before or during the journey, using data relating to a number of stops and standstill times as journey information and creating the cooling power curve in consideration of cooling during a following standstill time;
• and
• cooling the traction component by using the calculated cooling power.

A system for cooling a traction component of a rail vehicle during a journey of the rail vehicle on a route, the system comprising:

• a data interface configured for receiving journey information relating to the route, including data relating to a power consumption of the traction component to be expected during the journey at various times or including data from which the power consumption to be expected can be calculated, and providing at least data relating to stops or times and durations of standstill times;
• a temperature measuring unit configured for measuring a temperature of the traction component during the journey at a first time;
• a computing unit configured for calculating a cooling power based on the measured temperature and the power consumption of the traction component to be expected on a section of the route through which the rail vehicle will travel after the first time, said computing unit configured to provide a cooling power curve for control of the cooling power over a period of time before or during the journey, to use data relating to a number of stops and standstill times as journey information and to create a cooling power curve in consideration of cooling during a following standstill time;
• and
• a control unit configured for controlling a cooling unit of the rail vehicle to cool the traction component using the calculated cooling power.