Operating a Current Converter at a Path of Travel of Land Vehicles or at a Parking Space of a Land Vehicle

• US 20150116936A1
• Filed: 03/22/2013
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH (Bombardier Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH (Bombardier Incorporated)
• Inventors: Zengerle, Manfred, Reimers, Hans-Heinrich
• Granted Patent: US 9,351,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/696
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/00 Current collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles current collectors in general H01R41/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/37 using optical position determination, e.g. using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 1/34 in slotted conduits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20909 Forced ventilation, e.g. on heat dissipaters coupled to components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement for operating a current converter, in particular an inverter, wherein the converter is located at a path of travel of land vehicles or at a parking space of a land vehicle, the converter being adapted to support operation of at least one vehicle, the converter is combined with a cooling device adapted to cool the converter during operation, the cooling device is designed to use a heat transport medium in order to transport heat away from the converter, the arrangement comprises at least one pole and/or at least one supporting structure which is also located at the path of travel or at the parking space, the pole and/or the supporting structure extends upwards from ground, the arrangement comprises a conduct for conducting the heat transport medium and the conduct extends from the cooling device to the pole and/or to the supporting structure and also extends inside the pole and/or inside the supporting structure so that heat can be transferred from the heat transport medium inside the pole and/or inside the supporting structure to the ambiance.

Claims

1. An arrangement for operating a current converter comprising:

a current converter, wherein;

the converter is located at a path of travel of land vehicles or at a parking space of a land vehicle; and

the converter is adapted to support operation of at least one vehicle,

a cooling device, wherein;

the converter is combined with the cooling device; and

, the cooling device is adapted to cool the converter during operation;

a heat transport medium, wherein;

the cooling device is designed to use the heat transport medium in order to transport heat away from the converter;

at least one pole and/or at least one supporting structure which is also located at the path of travel or at the parking space, wherein;

the pole and/or the supporting structure extends upwards from ground;

a conduct loop for conducting the heat transport medium, wherein;

during operation of the conduct loop, the heat transport medium circulates from the cooling device through a forward section of the conduct loop and a return section of the conduct loop back to the cooling device and,

the forward section and the return section of the conduct loop extend from the cooling device to the pole and/or to the supporting structure and also extend inside the pole and/or inside the supporting structure; and

a heat exchanger, wherein;

the heat exchanger is integrated in the pole and/or the supporting structure;

the heat exchanger transfers heat during operation of the conduct loop from the heat transport medium inside the pole and/or inside the supporting structure to the ambiance.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the forward section and the return section of the conduct loop extend through ground and/or at the surface of the ground from the cooling device to the pole and/or to the supporting structure.

3. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein:

the heat exchanger integrated in the pole and/or the supporting structure further comprises cooling bodies extending away from the surface of the conduct loop inside the pole and/or inside the supporting structure for conducting heat away from the conduct loop through the material of the cooling bodies;

the pole and/or the supporting structure further comprises at least one air channel which extends from an air inlet opening of the pole and/or of the supporting structure upwards to an air outlet opening of the pole and/or of the supporting structure; and

, at least one of the cooling bodies forms at least part of a wall of the at least one air channel.

7. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein:

the heat exchanger integrated in the pole and/or the supporting structure further comprises cooling bodies extending away from the surface of the conduct loop inside the pole and/or inside the supporting structure for conducting heat away from the conduct loop through the material of the cooling bodies;

the pole and/or the supporting structure further comprises at least one air channel which extends from an air inlet opening of the pole and/or of the supporting structure upwards to an air outlet opening of the pole and/or of the supporting structure; and

, at least one of the cooling bodies forms at least part of a wall of the at least one air channel.

4. A method of operating a current converter comprising:

a current converter, wherein;

the converter is operated at a path of travel of land vehicles or at a parking space of a land vehicle; and

, the converter is adapted to support operation of at least one vehicle;

a cooling device, wherein the cooling device is used to cool the converter during operation;

a heat transport medium, wherein the cooling device uses the heat transport medium for transport of heat away from the converter;

at least one pole and/or at least one supporting structure which is also located at the path of travel or at the parking space, wherein the pole and/or the at least one supporting structure is used to transfer heat produced during operation of the converter to the ambiance;

a conduct loop, wherein the conduct loop is used for conducting the heat transport medium from the cooling device to the pole and/or to the supporting structure; and

,

the heat transport medium circulates from the cooling device through a forward section of the conduct loop and a return section of the conduct loop back to the cooling device; and

,

a heat exchanger, wherein the heat transport medium is conducted through a section of the conduct loop inside the pole and/or inside the supporting structure so that heat is transferred from the heat transport medium inside the pole and/or the supporting structure via the heat exchanger integrated in the pole and/or the supporting structure to the ambiance.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the heat transport medium is conducted inside the conduct loop through ground and/or at the surface of the ground from the cooling device to the pole and/or to the supporting structure.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

at least one cooling body of the heat exchanger, wherein heat from the conduct loop inside the pole and/or inside the supporting structure is conducted away from the surface of the conduct loop inside the pole and/or inside the supporting structure through material of the at least one cooling body of the heat exchanger;

at least one air channel, wherein the heat is transferred from the at least one cooling body, which forms at least part of a wall of the at least one air channel inside the pole and/or inside the supporting structure, to ambient air inside the air channel; and

an inlet opening and outlet opening of the pole, wherein;

the ambient air flows from the air inlet opening of the pole and/or of the supporting structure upwards to the air outlet opening of the pole and/or of the supporting structure.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

at least one cooling body of the heat exchanger, wherein heat from the conduct loop inside the pole and/or inside the supporting structure is conducted away from the surface of the conduct loop inside the pole and/or inside the supporting structure through material of the at least one cooling body of the heat exchanger;

at least one air channel, wherein the heat is transferred from the at least one cooling body, which forms at least part of a wall of the at least one air channel inside the pole and/or inside the supporting structure, to ambient air inside the air channel; and

an inlet opening and outlet opening of the pole, wherein;

the ambient air flows from the air inlet opening of the pole and/or of the supporting structure upwards to the air outlet opening of the pole and/or of the supporting structure.