Method for providing continuous power to electrical rail vehicle systems when rail power is interrupted

• US 5,614,796 A
• Filed: 01/05/1995
• Issued: 03/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Volkl, Anton, Hinze, Jens, Minderlein, Erich
• Primary Examiner(s): SALATA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US08/369,188
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 318/371, 318/375, 318/376, 246/1 C, 246/27, 246/28 R, 246/48-50, 246/74, 246/75, 246/179, 246/182 R, 246/182 B, 246/182 A, 104/288, 104/289, 104/293, 104/300
• US Class Current: 318/376
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/025 the fault being a power interruption
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A method bridges gaps in a power supply for electrical, converter-fed rail vehicles having front and rear ends with front and rear current collectors, as seen in a travel direction, for making contact with the power supply. The method includes switching a traction converter from a traction mode to a regenerative braking mode, that is to say a generator operation or from a braking mode to the regenerative braking mode. The switching takes place over a period during which the rail vehicle travels a distance. If possible, the distance is only slightly shorter than a distance between the front and rear current collectors. This occurs as soon as the front current collector is not in contact with the power supply.

Claims

1. In a method for bridging gaps in a power supply for electrical, converter-fed rail vehicles having front and rear ends with front and rear current collectors, as seen in a travel direction, for making contact with the power supply, the improvement which comprises:

switching a traction converter from a traction mode to a regenerative braking mode over a period during which the rail vehicle travels a distance, as soon as the front current collector is not in contact with the power supply;

switching the traction converter from a braking mode to the regenerative braking mode;

switching the traction converter over a period during which the rail vehicle travels a distance being shorter than a distance between the front and rear current collectors;

predetermining a nominal regenerative braking value for the traction converter in dependence on a traveling speed of the rail vehicle, a power requirement of a train power supply system and an inherent requirement of electrical components of the rail vehicle; and

ending the regenerative braking mode when the front and rear current collectors are again in contact with the power supply and when additionally the front current collectors are uninterruptedly in contact with the power supply over a period during which the rail vehicle travels a distance being greater than a distance between the front and rear current collectors.

2. The method according to claim 1, which comprises additionally determining a reserve in a dynamic range in an input of the nominal regenerative braking value, and converting a resulting addition of energy into heat in a braking resistor through a braking controller.

3. The method according to claim 1, which comprises switching off the train power supply system during the regenerative braking mode when the travelling speed of the rail vehicle is too low in comparison with the power requirement of the train power supply system.

4. The method according to claim 3, which comprises additionally inhibiting all converters if the travelling speed of the rail vehicle drops below a critical lower value, for setting a blocking mode.

5. The method according to claim 1, which comprises detecting at least one of a duration and a distance of a power supply gap and outputting error messages when at least one of predetermined durations and distance values are exceeded, with a diagnostic system.

6. In a method for providing continuous power for electrical, converter-fed rail vehicles, having front and rear ends with front and rear current collectors, as seen in a travel direction, for making contact with the power supply, the improvement which comprises:

switching a traction converter from a traction mode to a regenerative braking mode over a period during which the rail vehicle travels a distance, as soon as the front current collector is not in contact with the power supply;

switching the traction converter from a braking mode to the regenerative braking mode; and

predetermining a nominal regenerative braking value for the traction converter, a power requirement of a train power supply system and an inherent requirement of electrical components of the rail vehicle.