Multiple engine hybrid locomotive

• US 20060283350A1
• Filed: 06/15/2005
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair, Lu, Chi-Houng Eddie, Hill, Leonard Michael, King, Robert D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,444,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 105/26.50
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/42 with use of more than one motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/13 using AC generators and AC motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/30 in transportation, e.g. on roads, waterways or railways
• 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

Abstract

A hybrid power locomotive system has a plurality of combustion engines for driving a plurality of electric power generators that supply electric power to at least one traction battery. The battery is connected to supply power to a plurality of electric traction motors coupled in driving relationship to respective ones of a plurality of wheel-axle sets of the locomotive. At least one traction motor drive is connected for controlling power to the electric traction motors. An electric power controller is arranged for coupling electric power from the power generators to the battery and senses the available energy in the battery and the power demand from the traction drives for activating selected ones of the plurality of combustion engines for charging the battery.

Claims

1. A hybrid power locomotive system comprising:

a plurality of combustion engines;

a plurality of electric power generators each coupled to be driven by a corresponding one of the plurality of combustion engines;

a plurality of electric traction motors coupled in driving relationship to respective ones of a plurality of wheel-axle sets of the locomotive;

at least one traction motor drive connected for controlling power to electric traction motors;

an electric power storage device coupled to supply power to the traction motor drives;

an electric power controller arranged for coupling electric power from the power generators to the electric power storage device, the power controller sensing the available energy in the power storage device and the power demand from the traction drives for activating selected ones of the plurality of combustion engines for charging the power storage device.

2. The hybrid power locomotive system of claim 1 and including a separate traction motor drive for each of a defined group of traction motors.

3. The hybrid power locomotive system of claim 2 wherein each group of traction motors comprises one or more motors.

4. The hybrid power locomotive system of claim 3 wherein the traction motors and associated traction drives are arranged in groups of multiple motors, each group of motors having a separate energy storage device and each energy storage device being charged by a different one of the plurality of electric power generators.

5. The hybrid power locomotive system of claim 2 wherein the energy storage device comprises a traction battery.

6. The hybrid power locomotive system of claim 2 wherein the energy storage device comprises an ultracapacitor, flywheel, or a combination of with a traction battery and ultracapacitor or flywheel.

7. The hybrid power locomotive system of claim 1 and including an energy management system power control comprised of a controller using sensed voltage of the energy storage unit and a traction motor power demand to control selective operation of the combustion engines.

8. The hybrid power locomotive system of claim 7 wherein the controller produces an energy management power command signal comprising the sum of:

a first error representative of a difference between energy storage device voltage and a first reference voltage;

a power signal representative of traction drive power demand; and

a second error signal representative of a difference between traction battery voltage and a second reference signal representative of an overvoltage state.

9. The hybrid power locomotive system of claim 8 wherein the controller combines power required for auxiliary loads with traction motor power to form a total power command for the multiple power generators.

10. The hybrid power locomotive system of claim 9 wherein the power command signal is derived from a look-up table.

11. The hybrid power locomotive system of claim 3 wherein the energy storage device comprises a plurality of devices, each of the devices being coupled to supply electric power to selected ones of the traction motor drives and to receive power from each of the power generators.