FUEL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FOR MULTI-LOCOMOTIVE CONSIST

• US 20140033943A1
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Aaron Gamache Foege
• Inventors: FOEGE, Aaron Gamache, Cryer, Edward John
• Granted Patent: US 9,073,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 105/1.4
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 17/00 Arrangement or disposition of parts; Details or accessories not otherwise provided for; Use of control gear and control systems
• 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 5/00 Tank wagons for carrying fluent materials
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 1/00 Pipe-line systems conveying articles or materials through a pipe- line by means of a fluid carrier B65G51/00, B65G53/00; liquids B67D; special devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers into vehicles or boats or vice versa, e.g. loading or unloading vehicles or portable containers B67D7/00; conveying material which has been excavated by a dredger or soil shifter through a pipe-line E02F7/10; sewer pipe-line systems E03F3/00; thermal insulation of pipe-lines F16L59/00; central heating systems F24D
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes

Abstract

The disclosure is directed to a fuel distribution system for a consist. The fuel distribution system may have a first locomotive, a second locomotive, and a tender car. The fuel distribution system may also have at least one pump located onboard the tender car, and at least one fluid conduit attached to the at least one pump. The at least one fluid conduit may be configured to deliver gaseous fuel from the tender car to the first and second locomotives.

Claims

1. A fuel distribution system for a consist, comprising:

a first locomotive;

a second locomotive;

a tender car;

at least one pump located onboard the tender car; and

at least one fluid conduit attached to the at least one pump and configured to deliver gaseous fuel from the tender car to the first and second locomotives.

2. The fuel distribution system of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one pump includes a first pump and a second pump; and

the at least one fluid conduit includes a first fluid conduit attached to the first pump and a second fluid conduit attached to the second pump.

3. The fuel distribution system of claim 2, wherein the first and second pumps are positioned on a same end of the tender car.

4. The fuel distribution system of claim 3, wherein the tender car is between the first and second locomotives.

5. The fuel distribution system of claim 3, wherein the first and second locomotives are coupled directly to each other.

6. The fuel distribution system of claim 5, wherein the first conduit passes through the first locomotive to connect with the second locomotive.

7. The fuel distribution system of claim 2, wherein the first and second pumps are positioned at opposing ends of the tender car.

8. The fuel distribution system of claim 7, wherein the tender car is coupled between the first and second locomotives.

9. The fuel distribution system of claim 1, wherein the at least one pump includes a single pump configured to supply fuel to the first and second locomotives in parallel.

10. The fuel distribution system of claim 9, wherein the at least one conduit includes multiple conduits connected to each other by a tee.

11. The fuel distribution system of claim 1, wherein the tender car includes a tank configured to store a liquefied natural gas.

12. The fuel distribution system of claim 11, further including:

a first accumulator disposed on the first locomotive in fluid communication with the at least one conduit; and

a second accumulator disposed on the second locomotive in fluid communication with the at least one conduit.

13. The fuel distribution system of claim 12, wherein the first and second accumulators are configured to store gaseous fuel.

14. The fuel distribution system of claim 12, further including at least one regulator configured to control fuel flow from the first and second accumulators.

15. The fuel distribution system of claim 14, further including at least one heat exchanger configured to gasify the liquefied natural gas before it enters the first and second accumulators.

16. A method of distributing fuel to a consist, comprising:

pumping liquefied gaseous fuel from a tender car;

vaporizing the liquefied gaseous fuel; and

directing the resulting gaseous fuel to a first locomotive and a second locomotive of the consist.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein pumping liquefied gaseous fuel includes pumping liquefied gaseous fuel from opposing ends of the tender car.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein pumping liquefied gaseous fuel includes pumping liquefied gaseous fuel from a common end of the tender car.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the tender car is located between the first and second locomotives.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first and second locomotives are directly coupled together.