System and method for controlling horsepower in a locomotive consist
AssigneeZTR Control Systems
InventorAldo Liberatore
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A consist controller is provided that enables an operator to take advantage of all horsepower combinations for locomotives in a consist. The consist controller provides a fractional increase option and a fractional decrease option that enables the operator to increase or decrease horsepower output with finer adjustments. In a preferred implementation, the fractional increases and decreases are used in conjunction with a fuel optimization routine such that the target setpoint, from which a range of horsepower values is computed, can be increased or decreased in steps that are less than a full notch increase or decrease.
Claims22
A method for controlling horsepower output in a consist of at least two locomotives, each locomotive being controlled using a plurality of notch positions, said consist being controlled by said at least two locomotives according to a notch combination dictated by a physical notch position for a lead locomotive of said at least two locomotives, said method comprising:
- during operation of said consist, receiving an input indicative of a requested incremental change in horsepower, said incremental change in horsepower being independent of a change in horsepower due to a change in said physical notch position for said lead locomotive;
- determining a current horsepower output for said consist and a current notch combination for said at least two locomotives generating said current horsepower;
- if said current notch combination is equivalent to one dictated by said physical notch position for said lead locomotive, determining a next notch combination for said at least two locomotives in the direction of said incremental change that would occur due to said change in physical notch position for said lead locomotive, said next notch combination having associated therewith, an expected horsepower output;
- determining a target horsepower output which is between said expected horsepower output and said current horsepower output according to said direction of said incremental change;
- referencing a set of one or more transitional horsepower outputs at alternative notch combinations and determining a desired one of said alternative notch combinations having a corresponding transitional horsepower output which is within a predetermined range of said target horsepower;
- and
- adjusting throttle notch positions in each said at least two locomotives according to said desired one of said alternative notch combinations.
A system for controlling horsepower output in a consist of at least two locomotives, each locomotive being controlled using a plurality of notch positions, said consist being controlled by said at least two locomotives according to a notch combination dictated by a physical notch position for a lead locomotive of said at least two locomotives, said system comprising a controller connected to each said at least two locomotives, said controller being configured for controlling said plurality of notch positions for each said at least two locomotives, said controller comprising a processor configured to execute computer readable instructions to cause said controller to:
- during operation of said consist, receive an input indicative of a requested incremental change in horsepower, said incremental change in horsepower being independent of a change in horsepower due to a change in said physical notch position for said lead locomotive;
- determine a current horsepower output for said consist and a current notch combination for said at least two locomotives generating said current horsepower;
- if said current notch combination is equivalent to one dictated by said physical notch position for said lead locomotive, determine a next notch combination for said at least two locomotives in the direction of said incremental change that would occur due to said change in physical notch position for said lead locomotive, said next notch combination having associated therewith, an expected horsepower output;
- determine a target horsepower output which is between said expected horsepower output and said current horsepower output according to said direction of said incremental change;
- reference a set of one or more transitional horsepower outputs at alternative notch combinations and determine a desired one of said alternative notch combinations having a corresponding transitional horsepower output which is within a predetermined range of said target horsepower, said set being accessible to said controller;
- and
- adjust throttle notch positions in each said at least two locomotives according to said desired one of said alternative notch combinations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.