Hybrid energy locomotive electrical power storage system

• US 20020174798A1
• Filed: 12/26/2001
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair
• Granted Patent: US 6,591,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 105/50
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/20 DC electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/30 using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/53 in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/12 for vehicles propelled by dc motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/22 Dynamic electric resistor braking, combined with dynamic electric regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/02 using dc motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/16 using ac induction motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A hybrid energy locomotive system having an energy storage and regeneration system. In one form, the system can be retrofitted into existing locomotives, or installed as original equipment. The energy storage and regeneration system captures dynamic braking energy, excess motor energy, and externally supplied energy and stores the captured energy in one or more energy storage subsystems, including a flywheel, a battery, an ultra-capacitor, or a combination of such subsystems. The energy storage and regeneration system can be located in a separate energy tender vehicle. The separate energy tender vehicle is optionally equipped with traction motors. An energy management system is responsive to power storage and power transfer parameters, including data indicative of present and future track profile information, to determine present and future electrical energy storage and supply requirements. The energy management system controls the storage and regeneration of energy accordingly.

Claims

1. A hybrid energy locomotive system for use in connection with a train, the system comprising:

a locomotive having a plurality of locomotive wheels;

a locomotive traction motor associated with one of the plurality of locomotive wheels, said locomotive traction motor having a first rotatable shaft mechanically coupled to the one of the plurality of locomotive wheels;

an electric power source selectively supplying locomotive electric power to the locomotive traction motor, said locomotive traction motor being operable in response to the locomotive electric power to rotate the first rotatable shaft and to drive the one of the plurality of locomotive wheels, said locomotive traction motor further having a dynamic braking mode of operation wherein the locomotive traction motor generates electrical energy in the form of electricity; and

an electrical energy capture system in electrical communication with the locomotive traction motor, said electrical energy capture system selectively storing electrical energy generated in the dynamic braking mode and selectively providing secondary electric power from said stored electrical energy, whereby the electrical energy capture system selectively supplements the locomotive electric power with the secondary electric power.

2. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 1 wherein the electrical energy capture system is in electrical communication with the electric power source and selectively stores a portion of the locomotive electric power.

3. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 1 further comprising a charger external to the train supplying charging electric power and wherein the electrical energy capture system is constructed and arranged to be selectively connected to said charger such that the electrical energy capture system stores a portion of the charging electric power when connected to the charger.

4. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 1 further comprising;

a charging engine having a power converter supplying charging electric power; and

wherein the electrical energy capture system is constructed and arranged to be selectively electrically connected to the power converter of the charging engine such that the electrical energy capture system stores a portion of the charging electric power.

5. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 1 wherein the electrical energy capture system comprises:

an energy storage system for storing the electrical energy generated in the dynamic braking mode; and

an electrical power conversion system for retrieving from the energy storage system the stored electrical energy and for providing the secondary electric power.

6. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 5 wherein the energy storage system comprises a battery system.

7. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 5 wherein the energy storage system comprises a flywheel system.

8. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 5 wherein the energy storage system comprises an ultracapacitor.

9. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 1 further comprising:

a resistive braking grid;

a control circuit electrically connected to the resistive braking grid, the electrical energy capture system operating said control circuit such that the control circuit selectively allows a portion of the electrical energy generated in the dynamic braking mode to be dissipated by the resistive braking grid.

10. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 9 wherein the control circuit comprises a chopper circuit and wherein the electrical energy capture system operates the chopper circuit at a duty cycle to selectively allow a portion of the electrical energy generated in the dynamic braking mode to be dissipated by the resistive braking grid.

11. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 1 wherein the electric power source comprises a DC traction bus, said DC traction bus carrying the electricity generated in the dynamic braking mode and carrying the secondary electric power, said electricity generated in the dynamic braking mode comprising DC electric power at a first voltage level.

12. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 11 wherein the electrical energy capture system comprises a first dc-to-dc converter electrically connected to the DC traction bus, said first dc-to-dc converter converting the DC electric power carried on the DC traction bus from the first voltage level to a second voltage level.

13. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 12 wherein the electrical energy capture system further comprises a first electrical energy storage device connected to the first dc-to-dc converter, said first electrical energy storage device receiving the DC electric power at the second voltage level from the dc-to-dc converter.

14. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 13 wherein the electrical energy capture system further comprises:

a second dc-to-dc converter electrically connected to the DC traction bus, said second dc-to-dc converter converting the DC electric power carried on the DC traction bus from the first voltage level to a third voltage level;

a second electrical energy storage device connected to the second dc-to-dc converter, said second electrical energy storage device receiving the DC electric power at the third voltage level from the second dc-to-dc converter.

15. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 14 wherein the first and second energy storage devices comprise batteries and wherein the first voltage level and the second voltage level are substantially the same.

16. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 13 wherein the electrical energy capture system further comprises a flywheel system electrically connected to the DC traction bus and wherein the first electrical energy storage device comprises a battery system.

17. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 13 further comprising a battery bus and wherein the first dc-to-dc converter comprises a bi-directional converter converting the DC electric power carried on the DC traction bus from the first voltage level to the second voltage level and wherein the converted DC electric power at the second voltage level is carried on the battery bus.

18. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 17 wherein the first electrical energy storage device comprises a battery system electrically connected to the battery bus.

19. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 18 wherein the electrical energy capture system further comprises a flywheel system.

20. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 19 wherein the flywheel system is connected in parallel with the battery system.

21. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 12 further comprising:

an auxiliary power bus supplying auxiliary electrical power to an auxiliary electrical system associated with the locomotive;

wherein the first dc-to-dc converter comprises a bi-directional converter converting the DC electric power carried on the DC traction bus from the first voltage level to the second voltage level and wherein the converted DC electric power at the second voltage level is carried on the auxiliary power bus; and

wherein the electrical energy capture system further comprises a first electrical energy storage device and a second electrical energy storage device, said first and second electrical energy storage devices being connected in parallel across the DC traction bus.

22. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 21 wherein the first electrical energy storage device comprises a battery system and the second electrical energy storage device comprises a flywheel system.

23. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 1 wherein the electrical energy capture system comprises:

a power converter electrically connected to the DC traction bus;

a first storage device selectively storing a first portion of the electrical energy generated in the dynamic braking mode;

a second storage device selectively storing a second portion of the electrical energy generated in the dynamic braking mode; and

wherein the power converter transfers part of the first portion of the electrical energy generated in the dynamic braking mode stored in the first storage device to the second storage device.

24. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 23 wherein the first storage device comprises a flywheel system and the second storage device comprises a battery.

25. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 23 wherein the first and second storage devices comprise batteries.

27. The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 26 wherein the locomotive traction system comprises a locomotive inverter and a locomotive traction motor, said locomotive inverter being electrically coupled to the traction bus and responsive to the primary electric power to provide drive power, said locomotive traction motor being electrically coupled to the locomotive inverter and propelling the consist in response to the drive power.

29. The energy capture system of claim 28 further comprising;

a charging engine;

a charging engine power converter driven by the charging engine, said charging engine power converter providing charging electric power; and

the charging engine power converter being constructed and arranged to be electrically coupled to the energy storage device wherein the energy storage device selectively stores the charging electric power.

30. The energy capture system of claim 28 wherein the electrical energy storage device selectively receives the primary electric power and selectively stores a portion of the received primary electric power therein.

31. The energy capture system of claim 28 further comprising:

a charger external to the locomotive system, said charger being constructed and arranged to be selectively electrically coupled to the energy storage device and to provide charging electric power thereto and wherein the energy storage device selectively stores the charging electric power when coupled to the charger.

26. A hybrid energy locomotive system for propelling a consist on a track, said system comprising:

an engine;

a power converter driven by the engine for providing primary electric power;

a traction bus coupled to the power converter and carrying the primary electric power;

a locomotive traction system coupled to the traction bus, said locomotive traction system having a motoring mode and a dynamic braking mode, said locomotive traction system propelling the consist in response to the primary electric power in the motoring mode and said locomotive traction system generating electricity in the dynamic braking mode; and

an energy storage system selectively capturing the electricity generated by the locomotive traction system in the dynamic braking mode and selectively transferring a first portion of the captured electricity to the locomotive traction system to augment the primary electric power in the motoring mode.

28. An electrical energy capture system for use in connection with a hybrid energy locomotive system, the hybrid energy locomotive system includes a locomotive, a locomotive electric power source supplying primary electric power, and a locomotive traction motor propelling the locomotive in response to the primary electric power, said locomotive traction motor having a dynamic braking mode of operation generating electricity, the electrical energy capture system comprising:

an electrical energy storage device in electrical communication with the locomotive traction motor, said electrical energy storage device selectively storing a portion of the electricity generated in the dynamic braking mode, and said electrical energy storage device selectively providing secondary electric power from said stored electricity.