Cabless hybrid locomotive
First Claim
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1. A method. comprising:
- (a) providing a locomotive, the locomotive comprising a plurality of axles, each connected to a plurality of wheels, an energy storage unit for storing electrical energy, and a generator for providing electrical energy to the energy storage unit;
(b) electrically connecting the locomotive to an external power distribution system, the external power distribution system providing electrical energy to at least one electrical device external to the locomotive; and
(c) at least one of the energy storage unit and generator providing electrical energy to the external power distribution system.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a hybrid locomotive that can operate in a multitude of operational modes, including a slug operating mode, an energy storage operating mode, a B-locomotive operating mode, an independent operating mode, and a power source operating mode, and/or can provide electrical energy to an external power distribution system, such as a power grid, catenary, and third rail.
181 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method. comprising:
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(a) providing a locomotive, the locomotive comprising a plurality of axles, each connected to a plurality of wheels, an energy storage unit for storing electrical energy, and a generator for providing electrical energy to the energy storage unit;
(b) electrically connecting the locomotive to an external power distribution system, the external power distribution system providing electrical energy to at least one electrical device external to the locomotive; and
(c) at least one of the energy storage unit and generator providing electrical energy to the external power distribution system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 17)
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11. A locomotive. comprising:
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a plurality of axles, each connected to a plurality of wheels;
an energy storage unit for storing electrical energy;
a plurality of traction motors driving the plurality of axles; and
a generator for providing electrical energy to the energy storage unit, wherein, in a switched state, at least one of the energy storage unit and generator is disconnected from the plurality of traction motors and connected to an external power distribution system and, in an unswitched state, the at least one of the energy storage unit and generator is connected to the plurality of traction motors and disconnected from the external power distribution system, whereby, when in the switched state the at least one of the energy storage unit and generator provides electrical energy to the external power distribution system. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18)
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19. In a consist comprising a plurality of members interconnected by a direct current power bus for exchanging electrical energy, at least one of the members being a locomotive, the locomotive comprising a plurality of axles, each axle connected to a plurality of wheels, an energy storage unit for storing electrical energy, a generator for providing electrical energy to the energy storage unit, and a plurality of traction motors for receiving electrical energy from at least one of the energy storage unit and generator and driving the plurality of axles, a method comprising:
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monitoring, for the locomotive, at least the voltage of and/or current to and/or from the energy storage unit, the output volts and/or current of the generator, and the current to and/or from and/or revolutions-per-minute of one or more of the traction motors; and
for the locomotive, using the results of the monitoring step to select from among at least one of the following discrete operational modes;
in a first operational mode, powering the plurality of traction motors of the locomotive using predominantly electrical energy from one or more other members of the consist, wherein, in the first operational mode, the locomotive stores more energy in the energy storage unit than is being removed from the energy storage unit and electrical energy is not being provided by the locomotive to another consist member;
in a second operational mode, powering the plurality of traction motors of the locomotive using predominantly electrical energy from the locomotive'"'"'s energy storage unit and/or generator, wherein, in the second operational mode, the amount of electrical energy stored in the locomotive'"'"'s electrical storage unit is less than the amount of electrical energy removed from the locomotive'"'"'s energy storage unit and electrical energy is not being provided by the locomotive to another consist member;
in a third operational mode, storing electrical energy in the locomotive'"'"'s energy storage unit, wherein, in the third operational mode, at least most of the electrical energy being stored in the energy storage unit is received from one or more other consist members and the amount of electrical energy stored in the energy storage unit is greater than the amount of electrical energy removed from the energy storage unit and electrical energy is not being provided by the locomotive to another consist member;
in a fourth operational mode, storing electrical energy in the locomotive'"'"'s energy storage unit, wherein, in the fourth operational mode, at least most of the electrical energy being stored in the energy storage unit is received from the locomotive'"'"'s generator and/or regenerative braking of at least one of the locomotive'"'"'s plurality of traction motors and the amount of electrical energy stored in the locomotive'"'"'s electrical storage unit is greater than the amount of electrical energy removed from the locomotive'"'"'s energy storage unit and electrical energy is not being provided by the locomotive to another consist member;
in a fifth operational mode, the locomotive dissipating electrical energy through dynamic braking, wherein, in the fifth operational mode, neither the generator nor energy storage unit powers the traction motors and wherein the energy storage unit does not receive and store additional electrical energy and electrical energy is not being provided by the locomotive to another consist member; and
in a sixth operational mode, providing energy from at least one of the locomotive'"'"'s electrical storage unit, generator and traction motor in braking mode to one or more other consist members, wherein, in the sixth operational mode, the selected locomotive is removing more energy from the selected locomotive'"'"'s energy storage unit than is being stored in the selected locomotive'"'"'s energy storage unit. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for operating a locomotive, comprising:
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(a) providing at least a first locomotive, the first locomotive comprising a plurality of axles, each connected to a plurality of wheels, an energy storage unit for storing electrical energy, a generator for providing electrical energy to the energy storage unit, and a plurality of traction motors for receiving electrical energy from at least one of the energy storage unit and generator and driving the plurality of axles; and
(b) an operator selecting from among at least three of the following discrete operational modes;
(i) in a slug operating mode, the first locomotive is a member of a consist and the plurality of traction motors of the first locomotive are powered using predominantly electrical energy from another consist member, wherein, in the slug operating mode, more electrical energy is provided to the first locomotive'"'"'s traction motors than is stored in the first locomotive'"'"'s energy storage unit;
(ii) in an energy storage operating mode, the first locomotive is a member of the consist and electrical energy is stored in the energy storage unit, wherein, in the energy storage operating mode, at least a portion of the stored electrical energy is received by at least one of regenerative braking of the first locomotive and consist member, and more electrical energy is stored in the first locomotive'"'"'s energy storage unit than is provided to the first locomotive'"'"'s traction motors;
(iii) in a B-locomotive operating mode, the first locomotive is a member of the consist and electrical energy provided by the first locomotive'"'"'s energy storage unit and/or generator is at least one of stored and consumed, wherein, in the B-locomotive operating mode, the first locomotive is a member of the consist and the amount of electrical energy provided by the first locomotive'"'"'s energy storage unit and/or generator is greater than an amount of electrical energy received from another locomotive;
(iv) in an independent operating mode, electrical energy provided by the first locomotive'"'"'s energy storage unit and/or generator is at least one of stored and consumed, wherein, in the independent operating mode, the first locomotive is a not member of a consist; and
(v) in a power source operating mode, electrical energy is provided to an external power distribution system that supplies electrical energy to one or more electrical devices, wherein, in the power source operating mode, at least most of the electrical energy provided by the first locomotive'"'"'s storage unit and/or generator is provided to the external power distribution system. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification