Hybrid energy power management system and method

An energy management method for use with a hybrid energy diesel electric locomotive system, said locomotive system including a locomotive having an engine, a power converter driven by the engine providing primary electric power, a traction bus coupled to the power converter and carrying the primary electric power, a traction drive connected to the traction bus, said traction drive having a motoring mode in which the traction drive is responsive to the primary electric power for propelling the locomotive on a track, said traction drive having a dynamic braking mode of operation wherein said traction drive generates dynamic braking electrical energy, the energy management method comprising:

• determining a power storage parameter;
• determining a power transfer parameter;
• storing electrical energy available from the traction bus in an energy storage device connected to the traction bus as a function of the determined power storage parameter;
• and
• providing secondary electric power to the traction bus from the electrical energy stored in the energy storage device as a function of the determined power transfer parameter, wherein the traction drive is responsive to the secondary electric power for propelling the locomotive on the track.

A hybrid energy system for propelling an off-highway vehicle traversing a known course, said system comprising:

• an engine;
• a power converter driven by the engine for providing primary electric power;
• a traction motor system receiving the primary electric power, said traction motor system propelling the off-highway vehicle in response to the received primary electric power, said traction motor system having a dynamic braking mode of operation generating electrical energy;
• an energy storage system for capturing the electrical energy generated by the traction motor system in the dynamic braking mode and transferring a portion of the captured electrical energy to the traction motor system to augment the primary electric power;
• and
• an energy management system controlling the energy storage system, said energy management system determining a power storage parameter and a power transfer parameter whereby the energy management system controls the capture of electrical energy by the energy storage system as a function of the power storage parameter and controls the transfer of the portion of the captured electrical energy to the traction motor system as a function of the power transfer parameter.

An energy management system for use in connection with a hybrid energy off-highway vehicle traversing a known course, said hybrid energy off-highway vehicle including an engine, a power converter driven by the engine for providing primary electric power, a traction motor system receiving the primary electric power, said traction motor system selectively propelling the off-highway vehicle in response to the received primary electric power, said traction motor system having a dynamic braking mode of operation generating dynamic braking electrical power, and an energy storage system selectively storing a portion of the dynamic braking electrical power generated by the traction motor system in the dynamic braking mode, said energy storage system selectively supplying secondary electric power derived from the portion of the dynamic braking electrical power stored therein to the traction motor system which is responsive to the secondary electric power, the energy management system comprising an energy management processor determining a power storage parameter and a power transfer parameter, said energy management processor controlling the storage of dynamic braking electrical power by the energy storage system as a function of the power storage parameter, and said energy management processor controlling the supply of secondary electric power from the energy storage system to the traction motor system as a function of the power transfer parameter.