Locomotive engine restart shutdown override system and method

• US 7,546,184 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2004
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Petersen, David E., Taccone, David Mark, Meltser, Mikhail, Dayal, Bhupinder Singh
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Behncke; Christine M
• Application Number:
  US10/878,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20050027411A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,807 Days
• Field of Search: 701/19, 701/113, 701/36, 701/114, 701/99, 123/491, 123/685, 123/41.14, 123 4144- 4147, 123/41.01, 123/179.3, 123/179.4, 123/198.C, 123/41.1, 417/62, 417/213, 417/280, 417/286, 417/316, 417/364
• US Class Current: 701/19
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/18 concerning coolant pressure, coolant flow, or liquid-coolant level
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2005/105 Using two or more pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2005/125 Driving auxiliary pumps electrically
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/04 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 5/14 Safety means against, or active at, failure of coolant-pumps drives, e.g. shutting engine down; Means for indicating functioning of coolant pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 2025/0845 Electromagnetic valves
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0818 having means for pressurising the evaporative emission space
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 19/001 Arrangements thereof

Abstract

A system for overriding an EMD locomotive engine protective device which includes a low water pressure sensing device in communication with the engine cooling system for shutting down the engine when low water pressure in the engine is sensed, the override system comprising a water assist pump connected to a source of water and communicating with the protective device for supplying pressurized water to the low water pressure sensing device to maintain relatively high water pressure to prevent the device from shutting down the engine; and a controller for activating the water assist pump during start up of the engine.

Claims

1. A system for overriding an engine protective device which includes a low water pressure sensing device in communication with the engine cooling system for shutting down the engine when low water pressure in the engine is sensed, the override system comprising:

a water assist pump connected to a source of water and communicating with the protective device for supplying pressurized water to the low water pressure sensing device to maintain relatively high water pressure to prevent the device from shutting down the engine; and

a controller for activating the water assist pump during start up of the engine.

2. The system of claim 1 used in conjunction with an automatic engine start/stop system (AESS).

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the water assist pump is an electrically driven pump.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller operates the water assist pump during priming and cranking of the engine.

5. The system of claim 4 used in conjunction with an automatic engine start/stop system (AESS).

6. A system for overriding an engine protective device which includes first and second interconnected diaphragms, one side of the first diaphragm in communication with a discharge from an engine water pump and an opposite side of the first diaphragm in communication with an inlet of the engine water pump and a first side of the second diaphragm in communication with an engine air box such that the diaphragms are moved by differential pressure across the diaphragms when the force on the first diaphragm due to differential pressure across the first diaphragm becomes less than the force on the second diaphragm applied by the pressure of the engine'"'"'s air pressure box acting on the second diaphragm, indicating low water pressure in a cooling system of an engine, the override system comprising:

a water assist pump connected to a source of water and communicating with the protective device for supplying pressurized water to the one side of the first diaphragm in the engine protective device; and

a controller for activating the water assist pump during start up of the engine.

7. The system of claim 6 used in conjunction with an automatic engine start/stop system (AESS).

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the water assist pump is an electrically driven pump.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the controller operates the water assist pump during priming and cranking of the engine.

10. The system of claim 9 used in conjunction with an automatic engine start/stop system (AESS).