Control apparatus for electric train

• US 7,808,195 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Kitanaka, Hidetoshi, Kono, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): IP, SHIK LUEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US12/063,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20100147184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,604 Days
• Field of Search: 318/53, 318/54, 318/139, 318/254, 318/376, 318/442, 290/40.C, 307/9.1, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 318/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/22 polyphase motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/0241 the fault being an overvoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 3/18 for stopping or slowing an ac motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

To propose a control apparatus for an electric train, in which the regenerative energy of a DC power feed circuit can be consumed without disposing the brake chopper or electric-double-layer capacitor of the DC power feed circuit.

A control apparatus for an electric train according to this invention includes an AC electric motor which drives the electric train, and a variable-voltage variable-frequency inverter which controls the AC electric motor, and further includes an auxiliary power source device connected to a DC power feed circuit, and load control means for controlling a load connected to the auxiliary power source device, wherein the load control means receives an inverter state signal representative of an operation state of the variable-voltage variable-frequency inverter from the it, and the load control means controls the load in accordance with the inverter state signal. Besides, the control apparatus for the electric train includes detection means for detecting DC power feed information representative of the DC power feed state of the DC power feed circuit, and the load control means controls the load in accordance with the DC power feed information.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for an electric train, configured including an AC electric motor which drives the electric train, and a variable-voltage variable-frequency inverter which controls the AC electric motor, wherein the variable-voltage variable-frequency inverter has DC side terminals which are connected to a DC power feed circuit of the electric train, and AC side terminals which are connected to the AC electric motor, and wherein, in a power running state of the electric train, the variable-voltage variable-frequency inverter converts DC electric power fed from the DC power feed circuit to the DC side terminals, into AC electric power, so as to feed the AC electric power from the AC side terminals to the AC electric motor, while in a regenerative braking state of the electric train, it converts AC electric power fed from the AC electric motor to the AC side terminals, into DC electric power, so as to feed the DC electric power from the DC side terminals to the DC power feed circuit;

said control apparatus further including;

an auxiliary power source device connected to said DC power feed circuit; and

load control means for controlling a load connected to said auxiliary power source device;

wherein said load control means receives an inverter state signal representative of an operation state of said variable-voltage variable-frequency inverter from it, and said load control means controls the load in accordance with the inverter state signal.

2. The control apparatus for the electric train as defined in claim 1, wherein said load control means ON/OFF-controls the load in accordance with the inverter state signal.

3. The control apparatus for the electric train as defined in claim 2, wherein when the inverter state signal is a signal representative of a state where at least either of a power running command and a regenerative braking command is given to said variable—

voltage variable-frequency inverter, said load control means controls the load into an ON state.

4. The control apparatus for the electric train as defined in claim 1, wherein the control apparatus further includes detection means for detecting DC power feed information representative of a DC power feed state of said DC power feed circuit, and said load control means ON/OFF-controls the load in accordance with the inverter state signal and the DC power feed information.

5. The control apparatus for the electric train as defined in claim 4, wherein the inverter state signal is a signal representative of a state where at least either of a power running command and a regenerative braking command is given to said variable-voltage variable-frequency inverter, while the DC power feed information represents a DC voltage of said DC power feed circuit, and when the DC voltage has exceeded a predetermined voltage value, said load control means controls the load into an ON state.

6. The control apparatus for the electric train as defined in claim 1, wherein said load control means changes a load state of the load in accordance with the inverter state signal.

7. The control apparatus for the electric train as defined in claim 6, wherein said control apparatus further includes detection means for detecting DC power feed information representative of a DC power feed state of said DC power feed circuit, and said load control means changes a load state of the load in accordance with the inverter state signal and the DC power feed information.

8. The control apparatus for the electric train as defined in claim 6, wherein when the inverter state signal is a signal representative of a state where at least either of a power running command and a regenerative braking command is given to said variable-voltage variable-frequency inverter, said load control means changes the load into a high load state.

9. The control apparatus for the electric train as defined in claim 1, wherein the load includes an in-room heater and an in-room air conditioner which use an output voltage of said auxiliary power source device as a power source.

10. A control apparatus for an electric train, configured including an AC electric motor which drives the electric train, and a variable-voltage variable-frequency inverter which controls the AC electric motor, wherein the variable-voltage variable-frequency inverter has DC side terminals which are connected to a DC power feed circuit of the electric train, and AC side terminals which are connected to the AC electric motor, and wherein, in a power running state of the electric train, the variable-voltage variable-frequency inverter converts DC electric power fed from the DC power feed circuit to the DC side terminals, into AC electric power, so as to feed the AC electric power from the AC side terminals to the AC electric motor, while in a regenerative braking state of the electric train, it converts AC electric power fed from the AC electric motor to the AC side terminals, into DC electric power, so as to feed the DC electric power from the DC side terminals to the DC power feed circuit;

said control apparatus further including;

an auxiliary power source device connected to said DC power feed circuit;

load control means for controlling a load connected to said auxiliary power source device; and

detection means for detecting DC power feed information representative of a DC power feed state of said DC power feed circuit;

wherein said load control means controls the load in accordance with the DC power feed information.

11. The control apparatus for the electric train as defined in claim 10, wherein said load control means ON/OFF-controls the load in accordance with the DC power feed information.

12. The control apparatus for the electric train as defined in claim 11, wherein the DC power feed information represents a DC voltage of said DC power feed circuit, and when the DC voltage has exceeded a predetermined voltage value, said load control means controls the load into an ON state.

13. The control apparatus for the electric train as defined in claim 10, wherein said load control means changes a load state of the load in accordance with the DC power feed information.

14. The control apparatus for the electric train as defined in claim 13, wherein the DC power feed information represents a DC voltage of said DC power feed circuit, and when the DC voltage has exceeded a predetermined voltage value, said load control means controls the load into a high load state.

15. The control apparatus for the electric train as defined in claim 10, wherein the load includes an in-room heater and an in-room air conditioner which use an output voltage of said auxiliary power source device as a power source.