Hybrid energy off highway vehicle propulsion circuit

• US 7,669,534 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2007
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Young, Henry Todd, Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Mark T
• Application Number:
  US11/681,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20070145918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 104/289, 104/288, 104/287, 105/35, 105/26.05, 105/49, 105/50, 105/61, 320/101, 320/125, 320/126, 320/137, 320/140, 320/166, 320/167, 307/150, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 701/19, 701/20
• US Class Current: 105/35
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/44 Series-parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/12 Induction machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/20 Inrush current reduction, i.e. avoiding high currents when connecting the battery
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/30 using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/53 in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/02 Dynamic electric resistor braking B60L7/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/06 : for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 : for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/22 : Dynamic electric resistor braking, combined with dynamic electric regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/00 : Electric propulsion with power supply external to the vehicle electric propulsion for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00; in combination with batteries or fuel cells within the vehicle B60L50/53
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 : for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/14 : Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2304/076 : by add-on parts, e.g. retrofit
• CPC Class Codes: E21F 17/06 : Distributing electric power; Cable networks; Conduits for cables circuit arrangements for supplying or distributing electric power in general H02J
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A system and method for retrofitting a propulsion circuit of an existing Off Highway Vehicle to enable the propulsion circuit to operate as a hybrid energy Off Highway Vehicle propulsion circuit. The hybrid propulsion circuit includes a primary power source, and a traction motor for propelling an Off Highway Vehicle in response to the primary electric power. The traction motor has a motoring mode of operation and a power dissipation mode of operation. The traction motor generates dynamic braking electrical power in the power dissipation mode of operation. An electrical energy storage system includes a chopper circuit coupled to an energy storage device. The storage device is responsive to the chopper circuit to selectively store electrical energy generated in the power dissipation mode. The storage system selectively provides secondary electric power from the storage device to traction motor to assist in propelling the Off Highway Vehicle during the motoring mode.

Claims

1. A retrofit system for a vehicle, said system comprising:

an electrical energy storage system coupled to a traction bus portion of the vehicle, said traction bus carrying electric power to a traction motor, said traction motor having a motoring mode of operation and a power dissipation mode of operation, wherein the traction motor works to propel the vehicle in response to primary electric power received at the traction motor during the motoring mode, wherein the traction motor generates dynamic braking electrical power which is returned to the traction bus when the traction motor is operating in the power dissipation mode, and wherein the vehicle comprises an electrical resistance system having a plurality of strings of resistors for dissipating electric power generated in the traction motor during the power dissipation mode;

wherein the energy storage system comprises an electrical power storage device for storing dynamic braking electrical power generated by the traction motor in the power dissipation mode as secondary electrical power, and for transmitting stored secondary electrical power from the storage device to the traction motor to augment the primary electric power to propel the vehicle in the motoring mode; and

wherein the energy storage system replaces one or more of the plurality of strings of resistors of the electrical resistance system, such that generated electrical power that would have been dissipated in the replaced one or more strings of resistors is captured by the electrical energy storage system.

2. The retrofit system of claim 1 wherein the electrical energy storage system includes a first auxiliary switching device responsive to dynamic braking electric power generated in the traction motor during the power dissipation mode for regulating power dissipation and maintaining the direct current bus voltage at a desired voltage magnitude by storing excess dynamic braking electrical power in the electrical power storage device as secondary power.

3. The retrofit system of claim 2 wherein the electrical energy storage system further comprises:

a second storage device coupled to the traction bus for storing electrical power; and

a second auxiliary switching device responsive to the dynamic braking electrical electric power generated in the traction motor during the dissipation mode for selectively transferring a second portion of the generated electrical power to the second storage device as second secondary power.

4. The retrofit system of claim 3 wherein secondary power is selectively transmitted from the second storage device to the traction motor when the traction motor is operating in motoring mode to augment the primary electric power and assist in propelling the vehicle.

5. The retrofit system of claim 1 wherein the energy storage system comprises a battery system.

6. The retrofit system of claim 1 wherein the energy storage system comprises a flywheel system.

7. The retrofit system of claim 1 wherein the energy storage system comprises an ultra-capacitor.

8. A retrofit system for a vehicle, said system comprising:

an energy storage system coupled to a traction bus portion of the vehicle, said traction bus carrying electric power to a traction motor, said traction motor having a motoring mode of operation and a power dissipation mode of operation, wherein the traction motor works to propel the vehicle in response to electric power received at the traction motor during the motoring mode, wherein the traction motor generates dynamic braking electrical power which is returned to the traction bus when the traction motor is operating in the power dissipation mode, and wherein the vehicle comprises an electrical resistance system having at least two resistor grid circuits, each resistor grid circuit comprising one or more strings of resistors for dissipating electric power generated in the traction motor during the power dissipation mode;

wherein the energy storage system comprises an electrical power storage device for storing dynamic braking electrical power generated by the traction motor in the power dissipation mode, and for transmitting stored electrical power from the storage device to the traction motor to augment the electric power to propel the vehicle in the motoring mode; and

wherein the energy storage system replaces at least one of the one or more strings of resistors of one of the at least two resistor grid circuits of the electrical resistance system, such that generated electrical power that would have been dissipated in the replaced at least one of the one or more strings of resistors is captured by the energy storage system.

9. A retrofit system for a vehicle, said system comprising:

an energy storage system coupled to a traction system of the vehicle, the energy storage system comprising an electrical power storage device for storing dynamic braking electrical power generated by the traction system in a power dissipation mode, and for transmitting stored electrical power from the storage device to the traction system to help propel the vehicle in a motoring mode;

wherein the traction system includes an electrical resistance system having a plurality of strings of resistors for dissipating electric power generated during the power dissipation mode; and

wherein the energy storage system replaces one of the plurality of strings of resistors of the electrical resistance system, such that generated electrical power that would have been dissipated in the replaced one of the plurality of strings of resistors is captured by the energy storage system.

10. The retrofit system of claim 9 wherein:

the electrical resistance system has at least two resistor grid circuits, each resistor grid circuit comprising one or more strings of resistors for dissipating electric power generated during the power dissipation mode; and

wherein the energy storage system replaces at least one of the one or more strings of resistors of one of the at least two resistor grid circuits of the electrical resistance system, such that generated electrical power that would have been dissipated in the replaced at least one of the one or more strings of resistors is captured by the energy storage system.