Fuel supply system for a locomotive

• US 10,167,000 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2015
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Popadiuc, Ovidiu Petru, Schmidt, Daniel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jason C
• Application Number:
  US14/814,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20170028997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 17/02 Bunkers; Tanks; Tenders coachwork B61D; Water or fuel pick-up or scoop apparatus; Water or fuel supply fittings trackside installations, e.g. bunkers, tanks, for filling locomotives with sand or water B61K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 5/00 Locomotives or motor railcars with IC engines or gas turbines characterised by power transmission B61C9/00; engines F02
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 5/06 Mounting of tanks; Integral bodies and frames

Abstract

A fuel supply system for mounting to an undercarriage of a locomotive includes a first enclosure and a second enclosure that are disposed below the undercarriage of the locomotive. The first enclosure is configured to extend partway along a length of the undercarriage and is designated to store a first type of fuel therein. The second enclosure is located adjacent to the first enclosure and configured to extend parallelly with respect to the undercarriage. The second enclosure is designated for enclosing components that are configured for supplying a second type of fuel to an engine of the locomotive.

Claims

1. A locomotive comprising:

an undercarriage;

an engine rigidly supported on the undercarriage; and

a fuel supply system for supplying fuel to the engine, the fuel supply system comprising;

a first enclosure disposed on an underside of the undercarriage and configured to extend partway along a length of the undercarriage, the first enclosure designated to store a first type of fuel therein; and

a second enclosure located adjacent to the first enclosure and configured to extend parallelly with respect to the undercarriage, the second enclosure designated for enclosing components configured for supplying a second type of fuel to the engine of the locomotive, wherein the components for supplying the second type of fuel include at least;

an electric motor;

a first pump coupled to the electric motor, the first pump configured to;

receive the second type of fuel from a fuel tender located adjacent to the locomotive; and

pressurize the second type of fuel for supplying to the engine; and

at least one vaporizer system disposed downstream of the first pump for vaporizing the second type of fuel before being supplied to the engine.

2. The locomotive of claim 1, wherein the components for supplying the second type of fuel include at least:

an accumulator disposed between the vaporizer system and the engine, the accumulator configured to store a pre-defined vaporized volume of the second type of fuel.

3. The locomotive of claim 1, wherein the vaporizer system includes at least:

a second pump configured to supply a pressurized vaporizing fluid; and

a heater disposed downstream of the second pump, the heater configured to receive the pressurized vaporizing fluid and increase a temperature of the second type of fuel.

4. The locomotive of claim 1, wherein the second enclosure defines an opening therein, the opening configured to allow a supply line from the tender for fluidly coupling with the first pump.

5. The locomotive of claim 1, wherein the second enclosure further includes at least one access door configured to allow access to the components for supplying the second type of fuel.

6. The locomotive of claim 1, wherein the fuel supply system further comprises a separator mid-wall disposed at an intersection of the first and second enclosures, the separator mid-wall being configured to hermetically seal the first and second enclosures.

7. The locomotive of claim 1, wherein the first enclosure further comprises an inlet port angled away from a sidewall of the first enclosure.

8. The locomotive of claim 1, wherein the components for supplying the second type of fuel to the engine are adapted to supply the second type of fuel at injection pressures of approximately 100 bar to 850 bar to the engine of the locomotive.

9. The locomotive of claim 1, wherein the components for supplying the second type of fuel to the engine are adapted to supply the second type of fuel at injection pressures of approximately 400 bar to 850 bar to the engine of the locomotive.