System and Method For Monitoring The Effectiveness Of A Brake Function In A Powered System

• US 20080288192A1
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair, Peltz, David Michael, Shaffer, Glenn Robert, Noffsinger, Joseph F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/60
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/105 the accumulator being a flywheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/20 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• 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 7/18 Controlling the braking effect B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/221 Procedure or apparatus for checking or keeping in a correct functioning condition of brake systems hydraulic pressure systems in general F15B19/00, F15B21/04; testing structures or apparatus G01M
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/228 for railway vehicles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A system is provided for monitoring the effectiveness of a braking function in a powered system. The system includes a sensor configured to measure a parameter related to the operation of the powered system. Additionally, the system includes a processor coupled to the sensor, to receive data related to the parameter. Subsequent to activating the braking function, the processor is configured to determine the effectiveness of the braking function of the powered system, based upon whether the parameter data varies by a predetermined threshold. A method and a computer software code are also provided for monitoring the effectiveness of a braking function in a powered system.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the effectiveness of a braking function in a powered system, comprising:

a sensor configured to measure a parameter related to the operation of the powered system; and

a processor coupled to the sensor, to receive data of the parameter;

wherein subsequent to activating the braking function, said processor is configured to determine the effectiveness of the braking function of the powered system based upon whether the parameter data is varied by a predetermined threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said effectiveness of the braking function is determined based upon whether the parameter data is varied by the predetermined threshold within one of a fixed time and a fixed distance.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said powered system parameter is one of an acceleration of said powered system and a tractive effort produced by said powered system while traveling along a route.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said powered system is one of a locomotive and an off-highway vehicle, said tractive effort is produced by a plurality of traction motors coupled to a respective plurality of wheels of said powered system;

and wherein said predetermined threshold is based on an initial value of at least one initial parameter at the commencement of said one of fixed time and fixed distance.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the processor is coupled to a plurality of sensors measuring a plurality of parameters;

the processor includes a memory that stores said predetermined threshold to vary a first parameter of said plurality of parameters during a fixed time and/or a fixed distance from an initial value at a respective one of an initial time and an initial location, wherein the effectiveness of the braking function is determined based upon whether the first parameter is varied by the predetermined threshold during the fixed time and/or fixed distance; and

said predetermined threshold for said first parameter over said fixed time and/or fixed distance is based upon said plurality of parameters at said initial time and/or initial location.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein one of said sensors is a position determination sensor to measure a location of said powered system;

said processor is coupled to said position determination sensor to receive location information of said powered system; and

said memory includes a route parameter based on said location information of said powered system along said route.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said parameter is a parameter of a component of the powered system being utilized during the braking function;

and wherein the effectiveness of the braking function is determined based upon whether the parameter is varied by the predetermined threshold within a momentary time period.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said powered system is a locomotive, said component is a plurality of traction motors coupled to a respective plurality of wheels of said locomotive.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said powered system is a locomotive, said component is a plurality of grids coupled to a plurality of traction motors through a bus, said plurality of traction motors being coupled to a respective plurality of wheels of said locomotive and configured to transmit electrical energy to said bus during said braking function, said plurality of grids being configured to receive and dissipate said electrical energy from said bus during said braking function.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the sensor is a voltmeter positioned to measure a voltage difference across the plurality of grids, and upon activating the braking function, said processor is configured to determine the effectiveness of the braking function based upon whether the voltage difference is varied by the predetermined threshold within the momentary time period.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor is a current meter configured to measure a current passing through a respective traction motor, and upon activating the braking function, said processor is configured to determine the effectiveness of the braking function based upon whether the traction motor current is varied by a predetermined threshold within the momentary time period.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein a respective sensor electrically couples the traction motor to the bus and the plurality of grids to the bus, and upon activating the braking function, said sensor is configured to measure the electrical power delivered from the traction motor to the bus within the momentary time period and the power received by the grids from the bus within the momentary time period, said processor is configured to determine the effectiveness of the braking function based upon the delivered power and the received power.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said powered system includes a plurality of locomotives each including a plurality of traction motors coupled to a respective plurality of wheels of said locomotive; and

upon said powered system switching to an idle mode, said processor is configured to switch a first locomotive of said powered system into a motoring mode such that an engine of said first locomotive transmits electrical energy to said traction motors of said first locomotive, and said processor is configured to switch a second locomotive of said powered system into a braking mode such that said traction motors of said second locomotive transmit electrical energy to a bus configured to electrically couple said traction motors and a plurality of grids on said second locomotive.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

a respective sensor couples the second locomotive traction motors to the bus and the plurality of grids to the bus;

upon switching said second locomotive into the braking mode, said sensors are configured to measure the electrical power delivered from the second locomotive traction motors to the bus and the electrical power received by the grids from the bus; and

said processor is configured to determine the effectiveness of the braking function based upon the delivered electrical power and the received electrical power.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said powered system includes a locomotive including a plurality of traction motors coupled to a respective plurality of wheels of said locomotive;

upon said powered system switching to an idle mode, said processor is configured to switch a first traction motor of said locomotive into a motoring mode such that an engine of said first locomotive transmits electrical energy to said first traction motor, and said processor is configured to switch a second traction motor of said locomotive into a braking mode such that said second traction motor transmits electrical energy to a bus configured to electrically couple said traction motors and a plurality of grids on said locomotive.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

a respective sensor couples the second traction motor to the bus and the plurality of grids to the bus;

upon switching the second traction motor into the braking mode, said respective sensor is configured to measure the electrical power delivered from the second traction motor to the bus and the electrical power received by the grids from the bus; and

said processor is configured to determine the effectiveness of the braking function based upon the delivered electrical power and the received electrical power.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said processor is configured to switch into a control enforcement mode to prevent said powered system from traveling beyond a predetermined location;

upon switching into said control enforcement mode, said processor is configured to monitor the effectiveness of the braking function as said powered system approaches the predetermined location and initiate a remedial action upon determining that the effectiveness of the braking function falls below a predetermined acceptable level.

18. The system of claim 17, Wherein said processor monitors the effectiveness of the braking function by determining whether a parameter of the powered system is varied by the predetermined threshold within a fixed distance prior to the predetermined location, and said remedial action is one of activating an alternate braking function, activating an alarm, and reconfiguring the braking function.

19. A method for monitoring the effectiveness of a braking function in a powered system, comprising:

measuring a parameter related to the operation of the powered system;

activating the braking function; and

determining the effectiveness of the braking function based upon whether the measured parameter varies by a predetermined threshold subsequent to activating the braking function.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said parameter is a parameter of the powered system being varied by the predetermined threshold within one of a fixed time and a fixed distance.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said powered system parameter is one of an acceleration and tractive effort produced by said powered system along a route.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said parameter is a parameter of a component of the powered system being utilized while activating the braking function, said parameter being varied by the predetermined threshold during a momentary time period.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said component is at least one of:

a plurality of traction motors coupled to a respective plurality of wheels of said powered system; and

/or

a plurality of grids coupled to a bus, said grids are configured to receive and dissipate said electrical energy from said bus during said braking function.

24. A computer software code operable with a processor and storable on a computer readable media for monitoring the effectiveness of a braking function in a powered system, a sensor is configured to measure a parameter related to the operation of the powered system, a processor is coupled to the sensor to receive data of the parameter, said computer software code comprises:

a computer software module for determining the effectiveness of the braking function based upon whether the measured parameter varies by a predetermined threshold subsequent to activating the braking function.