Integrated friction modification system for a transporation network vechicle

• US 9,376,123 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2012
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ballesty, Daniel, Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair, Eldredge, David, Cooper, Jared Klineman, Roney, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lindsay, Bernard G
• Application Number:
  US13/591,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20140058570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 15/00 Maintaining or augmenting the starting or braking power by auxiliary devices and measures; Preventing wheel slippage; Controlling distribution of tractive effort between driving wheels propelling locomotives or motor railcars by special means B61C11/00; driving wheels with non-slipping devices B60B; brakes B61H; wetting or lubricating rails B61K
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 17/12 Control gear; Arrangements for controlling locomotives from remote points in the train or when operating in multiple units control from points outside the train B61L3/00; fluid-actuated telemotors, servomotors F15B; control devices in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0027 Radio-based, e.g. using GSM-R
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/16 Trackside optimisation of vehicle or train operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 30/00 Transportation of goods or passengers via railways, e.g. energy recovery or reducing air resistance

Abstract

A system includes a vehicle control system, a friction modification unit, and a friction management module. The vehicle control system is configured to obtain a trip plan for the vehicle. The trip plan is based on one or more characteristics of a trip of the vehicle along a route in a transportation network, characteristics of the vehicle, or characteristics of the route along which the vehicle travels. The trip plan designates one or more tractive operations or braking operations. The friction modification unit is configured to modify a friction characteristic of a surface of the route as the vehicle travels on the route. The friction management module is configured to direct the friction modification unit to modify the friction characteristic of the surface of the route based on the trip plan.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a vehicle control system configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle and to obtain a trip plan for the vehicle, the trip plan based on one or more characteristics of a trip of the vehicle along a route in a transportation network, characteristics of the vehicle, or characteristics of the route along which the vehicle travels during the trip, the trip plan designating at least one of one or more tractive operations or one or more braking operations of the vehicle during the trip;

a friction modification unit configured to modify a friction characteristic of a surface of the route as the vehicle travels on the route; and

a friction management module configured to direct the friction modification unit to modify the friction characteristic of the surface of the route based on at least one of upcoming tractive efforts or upcoming braking efforts designated by the trip plan, wherein the friction management module is configured to determine at least one of an availability of a friction modification resource of the friction modification unit to perform a friction modifying activity or whether the friction modification unit is able to perform the friction modifying activity, and to select an alternate friction modification unit to perform the friction modifying activity responsive to at least one of the friction modification resource not being sufficient to perform the friction modifying activity or the friction modification unit being unable to perform the friction modifying activity, wherein the friction modification unit includes a flange lubrication unit configured to dispense lubricant to a flange of a track, wherein the friction management module is configured to direct the friction modification unit to dispense the lubricant to the flange of the track via the flange lubrication unit proximate to a curve in the track, wherein the friction management module is configured to identify the curve in the track, for directing the friction modification unit to dispense the lubricant to the flange of the track via the flange lubrication unit proximate to the curve in the track, based on at least one of an identified location of the vehicle or the trip plan.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the friction management module is further configured to access scheduling information regarding travel of one or more additional vehicles in the transportation network and to use the scheduling information to direct the friction modification unit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the friction modification unit is included in a set of plural friction modification units onboard the vehicle, the friction modification units disposed at a corresponding plurality of locations along the vehicle, and wherein the friction management module is configured to use information regarding the corresponding plurality of locations of the friction modification units to independently direct the plurality of friction modification units.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the friction modification unit is disposed off-board the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a rail vehicle consist that includes a lead powered unit and a plurality of remote powered units, and wherein the friction modification unit is included in a set of plural friction modification units distributed among the lead powered unit and the remote powered units.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the friction management module is configured to prevent a specified friction modification activity of the friction modification unit based on information regarding a location along the route.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the friction management module is further configured to use diagnostic information to direct the friction modification unit.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising an acoustic sensor configured to provide the diagnostic information for identifying locations that require lubrication.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic information includes information regarding locations along the route requiring friction modification, and wherein the system is configured to provide information regarding the one or more of the locations along the route to a database.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a vehicle consist including a lead powered unit and a trail powered unit, and wherein the friction management module is configured to use information regarding a location of the trail powered unit to direct the friction modification unit.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the friction management module is configured to identify priority locations along the route, the priority locations corresponding to portions of the route at which friction modification will be of greater benefit than at other locations along the route, and to control the friction modification unit based at least in part on the priority locations that are identified.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the friction modification unit comprises a friction increasing unit and a friction decreasing unit, the friction increasing unit comprising at least one of a sand dispensing unit or an air pressure cleaning unit, the friction decreasing unit including a lubrication dispensing unit.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control system is configured to modify the trip plan based on at least one of the availability of the friction modification resource or a cost of the friction modification resource.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control system is configured to, based on an upcoming air braking activity, at least one of limit or prohibit use of a friction management activity utilizing an air delivery system to be used for the upcoming air braking activity.

15. A method comprising:

accessing information of an energy management module of a vehicle, the information including at least one of positional information, route information, or trip information, the positional information comprising information regarding the location of a friction modification unit on the vehicle, the route information comprising information regarding characteristics of a route over which the vehicle travels, or the trip information comprising information regarding at least one of upcoming tractive or braking efforts of the vehicle designated by a trip plan;

autonomously determining a friction modification activity at a controller based on the at least one of upcoming tractive or braking efforts designated by the trip plan using the information of the energy management module, the friction modification activity configured to modify a surface over which the vehicle is traveling;

determining at least one of an availability of a friction modification resource of the friction modification unit to perform the friction modification activity or whether the friction modification unit is able to perform the friction modification activity;

selecting an alternate friction modification unit to perform the friction modification activity responsive to at least one of the friction modification resource not being sufficient to perform the friction modification activity or the friction modification unit being unable to perform the friction modification activity, wherein the friction modification unit includes a flange lubrication unit configured to dispense lubricant to a flange of a track, the friction modification unit controlled to dispense the lubricant to the flange of the track via the flange lubrication unit proximate to a curve in the track, wherein the controller is configured to identify the curve in the track, for directing the friction modification unit to dispense the lubricant to the flange of the track via the flange lubrication unit proximate to the curve in the track, based on at least one of an identified location of the vehicle or the trip plan; and

controlling the friction modification unit to perform the friction modification activity.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising accessing scheduling information regarding additional vehicles of a transportation network including the vehicle, and controlling the friction modification unit using the scheduling information.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the friction modification unit is one of a plurality of friction modification units on the vehicle, and wherein the method further comprises independently controlling the plurality of friction modification units disposed at a corresponding plurality of locations along the vehicle using information regarding the corresponding plurality of locations.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising preventing a specified friction modification activity at a location along the route based on the route information.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

obtaining diagnostic information regarding operation of the vehicle during traversal of the vehicle over the route; and

using the diagnostic information to control the friction modification unit.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

identifying priority locations along the route, the priority locations corresponding to portions of the route at which the friction modification activity will be of greater benefit than at other locations along the route; and

controlling the friction modification unit to perform the friction modification activity at the priority locations and preventing the friction modification unit from performing the friction modification activity at the other locations.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising modifying a trip plan based upon at least one of the availability of the friction modification resource or a cost of the friction modification resource.

22. A system comprising:

an energy management module configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle that travels in a transportation network formed from interconnected routes, the energy management module configured to generate a trip plan for a control unit of the vehicle that is used to control tractive efforts of the vehicle as the vehicle travels in the transportation network;

a friction modification unit configured to be disposed onboard the vehicle, the friction modification unit configured to modify a friction characteristic of a surface of a route over which the vehicle travels by at least one of adding a material to the surface or removing a previously present material from the surface; and

a friction management module configured to be disposed onboard the vehicle and operably connected to the friction modification unit, the friction management module configured to receive information from the energy management module and to control the friction modification unit, based on at least one of upcoming tractive efforts or upcoming braking efforts designated by the trip plan, wherein the friction management module is configured to determine at least one of an availability of a friction modification resource of the friction modification unit to perform a friction modifying activity or whether the friction modification unit is able to perform the friction modifying activity, and to select an alternate friction modification unit to perform the friction modifying activity responsive to at least one of the friction modification resource not being sufficient to perform the friction modifying activity or the friction modification unit being unable to perform the friction modifying activity, wherein the friction modification unit includes a flange lubrication unit configured to dispense lubricant to a flange of a track, wherein the friction management module is configured to direct the friction modification unit to dispense the lubricant to the flange of the track via the flange lubrication unit proximate to a curve in the track, wherein the friction management module is configured to identify the curve in the track, for directing the friction modification unit to dispense the lubricant to the flange of the track via the flange lubrication unit proximate to the curve in the track, based on at least one of an identified location of the vehicle or the trip plan; and

wherein the energy management module is configured to modify the trip plan using information regarding the friction modifying activity performed.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the friction management module is further configured to access scheduling information regarding additional vehicles in the transportation network, and wherein the friction management module is configured to use the scheduling information to control the friction modification unit.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the friction modification unit is one of a plurality of friction modification units disposed at a corresponding plurality of locations on the vehicle, wherein the friction management module is configured to use information regarding the corresponding plurality of locations of the friction modification units to independently control the plurality of friction modification units.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the friction management module is configured to identify priority locations along the route, the priority locations corresponding to portions of the route at which friction modification will be of greater benefit than at other locations along the route, and wherein the friction management module is configured to control the friction modification unit based at least in part on the priority locations that are identified.

26. A system comprising:

a friction modification unit configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle consist having plural vehicles connected with each other, the friction modification unit also configured to modify a friction characteristic of a surface of a route of a transportation network over which the vehicle consist travels; and

a friction management module configured to be communicatively coupled with the friction modification unit, the friction management module configured to control when the friction modification unit modifies the friction characteristic of the surface of the route based on a location of the friction modification unit with respect to the vehicle consist and based on at least one of upcoming tractive efforts or upcoming braking efforts designated by a trip plan, wherein the friction management module is configured to determine at least one of an availability of a friction modification resource of the friction modification unit to perform a friction modifying activity or whether the friction modification unit is able to perform the friction modifying activity, and to select an alternate friction modification unit to perform the friction modifying activity responsive to at least one of the friction modification resource not being sufficient to perform the friction modifying activity or the friction modification unit being unable to perform the friction modifying activity, wherein the friction modification unit includes a flange lubrication unit configured to dispense lubricant to a flange of a track, wherein the friction management module is configured to direct the friction modification unit to dispense the lubricant to the flange of the track via the flange lubrication unit proximate to a curve in the track, wherein the friction management module is configured to identify the curve in the track, for directing the friction modification unit to dispense the lubricant to the flange of the track via the flange lubrication unit proximate to the curve in the track, based on at least one of an identified location of the vehicle or the trip plan.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the vehicles of the vehicle consist include a first powered unit capable of self-propulsion and at least one non-powered unit that is incapable of self-propulsion, and wherein the friction management module is configured in at least one mode of operation to direct the friction modification unit to reduce the friction characteristic of the route when the friction management unit is disposed upstream of the at least one non-powered unit along a direction of travel of the vehicle consist.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the vehicles of the vehicle consist include plural powered units capable of self-propulsion and one or more non-powered units that are incapable of self-propulsion, and wherein the friction management module is configured in at least one mode of operation to direct the friction modification unit to reduce the friction characteristic of the route when the friction management module is disposed upstream of the one or more non-powered units along a direction of travel of the vehicle consist and the friction management module is configured to prevent the friction modification unit from reducing the friction characteristic of the route when the friction management module is disposed upstream of one or more of the powered units along the direction of travel.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the vehicles of the vehicle consist include plural powered units capable of self-propulsion and plural non-powered units that are incapable of self-propulsion, and wherein the friction management module is configured in at least one mode of operation to direct the friction modification unit to reduce the friction characteristic of the route based on a number of the non-powered units between the friction management module and a first powered unit located downstream of the friction modification unit along a direction of travel of the vehicle consist.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the friction management module is further configured to access scheduling information regarding travel of additional vehicles in the transportation network, and wherein the friction management module is configured to use the scheduling information to control the friction modification unit.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein:

the plural vehicles of the vehicle consist comprise plural powered units capable of self-propulsion and plural non-powered units that are incapable of self-propulsion;

the friction modification unit is one of plural friction modification units disposed onboard or offboard the powered units of the vehicle consist, the plural friction modification units configured to modify the friction characteristic of the surface of the route over which the vehicle consist travels;

the friction management module is configured to be communicatively coupled with the plural friction modification units; and

the friction management module is configured, in at least one mode of operation;

to control at least a first subset of the friction modification units to increase the friction characteristic of the route immediately upstream of or concurrent with at least one of the powered units along a direction of travel of the vehicle consist; and

to control at least a second subset of the friction modification units to decrease the friction characteristic of the route immediately upstream of or concurrent with at least one of the non-powered units along the direction of travel of the vehicle consist.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the friction management module is configured, in the at least one mode of operation:

to control the at least the second subset of the friction modification units to apply a lubricant to the surface of the route, for decreasing the friction characteristic of the route; and

to control the at least the first subset of the friction modification units to at least partially remove the lubricant from the surface of the route, for increasing the friction characteristic of the route.