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Title:
DISTRIBUTED POWER AND ENERGY TRAIN
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2019/084680
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A fuel cell power module powers an autonomous electric train. The fuel cell power module is located in one or more locomotives of the train. A locomotive may also have one or more of hydrogen storage, a traction motor, and a battery. The train also has a plurality of coaches each containing a traction motor, and optionally also a battery. The coaches do not have fuel cell power modules or other fuel based sources of energy. The traction motors in the coaches receive electrical power from the fuel cell power module in the locomotive. Energy is recovered by regenerative breaking in the coaches and stored in batteries in the coaches or the locomotive or both. The train can be operated independent of a catenary system.

Inventors:
WILSON DARYL CLAYTON FRANCIS (CA)
Application Number:
PCT/CA2018/051376
Publication Date:
May 09, 2019
Filing Date:
October 30, 2018
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
HYDROGENICS CORP (CA)
International Classes:
B61C3/00; B60L15/32; B60L15/42; B61C17/06
Domestic Patent References:
WO2012047296A12012-04-12
WO2014204870A12014-12-24
WO2005086910A22005-09-22
Foreign References:
GB2541258A2017-02-15
US7966945B12011-06-28
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
PUNDSACK, Scott R. (CA)
Download PDF:
Claims:
CLAIMS:

We claim: 1. A train comprising,

At least one locomotive with a fuel cell power module; and

a plurality of powered coaches, each with a traction motor but without a fuel cell power module. 2. The train of claim 1 wherein the locomotive also has hydrogen storage.

3. The train of claim 1 or 2 wherein the locomotive has a locomotive traction motor.

4. The train of any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the locomotive has a battery connected to the locomotive traction motor and/or the traction motors of the powered coaches.

5. The train of any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the plurality of powered coaches each comprise a battery connected to the traction motor. 6. The train of any of claims 1 to 5 wired to convey power from the fuel cell power module to the traction motors in the powered coaches.

7. The train of any of claims 1 to 6 having a power management system configured to i) modify the delivery of power to the traction motors to improve traction of the train as a whole and/or ii) modify the delivery of power from the locomotive to the coaches to provide varying amounts of power to traction motors in different coaches and/or to keep batteries in the coaches at a desirable state of charge.

8. The train of any of claims 1 to 7 wherein the powered coaches comprise regenerative braking systems.

9. The train of claim 8 wired to convey power from the regenerative braking systems to batteries in the coaches or the locomotive or both.

10. The train of any of claims 1 to 9 which is capable of being operated independent of a catenary system. 11. The train of any of claims 1 to 10 having a plurality of locomotives, each with a fuel cell power module.

12. The train of any of claim 11 having three or more powered coaches for every locomotive.

13. The train of any of claims 1 to 12 wherein the at least one locomotive does not have a traction motor.

14. A process for operating a train comprising steps of,

generating electrical power in a fuel cell in a locomotive; and,

distributing the electrical power among traction motors in a plurality of coaches.

15. The process of claim 14 comprising generating electrical power by regenerative braking and storing at least some of the power generated by regenerative braking in batteries in the coaches.

16. The process of claim 14 or 15 wherein power is delivered from a locomotive to one or more coaches unequally to preserve a desirable state of charge in the batteries of each coach.

17. The process of any of claims 14 to 16 wherein power is delivered, from batteries and/ or the fuel cell in the locomotive, to the traction motors unequally to improve traction of the train as a whole.

18. The process of any of claims 14 to 17 wherein the train is operated independent of a catenary system.

Description:
DISTRIBUTED POWER AND ENERGY TRAIN

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application Serial No. 62/580,691 , filed November 2, 2017, which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

[0002] This specification relates to electric powered trains. BACKGROUND

[0003] The Coradia iLint is expected to be the world's first production train powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. It is expected to enter service in December 2017. The iLint is a single level train with 180 seats or less, based on the Lint 54 DMU with the diesel

powertrains removed. There are two powered cars, each with a hydrogen fuel tank and fuel cell power module located in the roof of the car. Lithium ion batteries in each powered car store energy including regenerative energy captured while braking. Energy stored in the batteries can be used, in addition to power from the fuel cell, to improve acceleration. All auxiliary functions are electrically powered. INTRODUCTION

[0004] A hydrogen fuel cell powered electric train and method of operation are described herein. The train and method can be used to provide autonomous catenary free electrified rail transport.

[0005] In the train, a fuel cell power module is provided in a locomotive, or optionally a small number (i.e. two or three) of locomotives in a very large train. Optionally, the locomotive may also have hydrogen storage to provide fuel for the power module. Traction motors are provided on a plurality of coaches that do not have fuel cell power modules.

There may be three or more coaches with traction motors for every locomotive. An optional distributed power management system i) modifies the delivery of power to the traction motors to improve traction of the train as a whole and/or ii) modifies the delivery of power from the locomotive to the coaches provide varying amounts of power to traction motors in different coaches and/or to keep batteries in the coaches at a desirable state of charge. [0006] In the method electrical power generated from hydrogen in the locomotive is distributed to the traction motors in the coaches. Electrical power generated by regenerative braking may be stored in batteries in the coaches. Power may be delivered from a locomotive to a coach unequally to preserve a desirable state of charge in the batteries of each coach. Power may be delivered, from batteries and/or the locomotive, to the traction motors unequally to improve traction of the train as a whole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0007] Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of a hydrogen fuel cell powered electric train.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] Figure 1 shows a train 10. The train 10 is electrically powered but may be operated free of a catenary system. Optionally, the train 10 might sometimes receive power from a catenary system, or from a plug-in electrical conduit while at rest, but the train is intended to primarily operate on non-electrified railways.

[0009] The train 10 contains a locomotive 12, powered coaches 14 and non-powered coaches 16. The locomotive typically does not carry passengers or freight. The coaches 14, 16 typically carry passengers and/or freight. The powered coaches 14 each contain at least one traction motor and preferably contain a plurality of traction motors.

[0010] In other examples, a larger train might have more, for example two or three, locomotives 10. However, the number of powered coaches 14 is greater, for example by three times or more, than the number of locomotives 12. The number of non-powered coaches 16 is somewhat arbitrary, but preferably does not exceed the number of powered coaches 14 and may be zero.

[0011] Non-powered coaches, if any, may be attached to the back of the train 10, behind the locomotive 12 and powered coaches 14. However, it is preferable for one or more non-powered coaches 16, if the train has any, to be placed ahead of one or more powered coaches 14 so that the powered coaches 14 are more evenly distributed along the length of the train 10. The train 10 in Figure 1 provides one example in which a powered coach 14 is placed at or near the end of the train 10. In another example, non-powered coaches 16 alternate with powered coaches 14 in at least part of the train 10.

[0012] The locomotive 12 contains a fuel cell power module, which might be made up of one or more fuel cell power module units. The locomotive 12 may also contain a hydrogen fuel tank. Alternatively, hydrogen can be carried on a tank car of the train 10. However, it is preferred that hydrogen not be carried on the coaches 14, 16 since, among other things, this would require a long network of hydrogen supply lines and is likely to require a less efficient size or shape of hydrogen storage tank.

[0013] Optionally, the locomotive 12 may have a traction motor so that is can be self- propelled. This avoids having to tow the locomotive in a yard, or having to keep at least one powered coach 14 attached to the locomotive 12. However, traction motors in the

locomotive are not intended to be the primary source of locomotive power for the train 10 as a whole. Instead, locomotive power is intended to be distributed along the train 10, including among powered coaches 14. For example, the power of any traction motors in locomotives 12 might not be more than 25% of the total power of all traction motors in a train 10. In this way, traction of the train 10 as a whole is improved by spreading locomotive power over a larger number of wheels. Stability of the train 10 may also be improved by spreading locomotive power along the length of the train 10. The ability to recover energy on breaking is also improved by having a larger number of wheels connected to traction motors that can recover breaking energy.

[0014] In some cases, for example if a locomotive 12 has a traction motor, a locomotive may also have a battery. However, batteries are preferably distributed along the train 10, especially among powered coaches 14. In this way, the weight of at least some batteries bears on driven wheels in the powered coaches 14. Also, the peak current flowing from the locomotive 12 to the powered coaches 14 may be reduced. For example, the weight of any batteries in locomotives 12 might not be more than 25% of the total weight of all batteries in a train 10.

[0015] The locomotive 12 and the powered coaches 14 are interdependent. Even if the locomotive 12 has one or more traction motors, the locomotive 12 would not be able to pull a significant number of loaded coaches, for example two or three or more, on its own.

The powered coaches 14, even though they have traction motors and optionally batteries, would not have a material range, for example 50 km or more, without the locomotive 12.

[0016] The distribution of traction motors, and optionally batteries, among the powered coaches 14 distributes motive power among a relatively large (relative to the locomotive) number of wheels of the train. This can improve one or more of the acceleration, stability or braking energy recovery of the train 10. [0017] While electric traction motors can be efficiently dispersed among powered coaches 14, fuel cell power systems benefit from consolidation. For example, hydrogen fuel is stored in highly pressurized tanks. The tank cost per unit mass of hydrogen stored at a given pressure decreases with increasing size of tank. For another example, a fuel cell power module may contain balance of plant elements, which may include air blowers, control electronics, fuel flow gages and valves, cooling systems, gas recirculation systems, safety systems and dehydration systems. The balance of plant elements become generally less expensive per unit of energy produced with increasing fuel cell power module size. For further example, while traction motors and batteries can be located in otherwise unused spaces of a coach, fuel cell power modules and hydrogen storage tanks tend to require larger cohesive spaces, for example on the ends or roof of a coach, which are not always available or may interfere with seating capacity in a coach.

[0018] The train 10 also includes a power management system. The power management system controls the motive power delivered by traction motors in different parts of the train and the regenerative braking power recovered by traction motors in different parts of the train. In one example, the power management system seeks to maximize acceleration of regenerative power recovery. This is achieved, generally speaking, by varying the amount of power delivered or recovered by each traction motor such that their associated wheels have generally equal slippage. Slippage can be estimated by wheel speed. Thus, when accelerating, the power management system monitors the speed of driven wheels and redistributes motive power away from fast turning wheels towards slowly turning wheels.

When braking, the power management systems moves resistance from slowly turning wheels to relatively fast turning wheels.

[0019] In other examples, the power management system departs from a most efficient distribution of power to enhance train stability. For example, on braking the power management system may distribute resistance towards the back of the train or towards powered coaches 14 that are behind, rather than in front of, coaches 14, 16 that are experiencing material lateral acceleration.

[0020] In addition to determining the amount of motive power or braking to be delivered from each powered coach 14 or traction motor, the power management system also determines the extent to which power should come from a battery in the powered coach 14 relative to power drawn from the locomotive 12. Since the amount of energy recovered on braking may vary, the amount of energy stored in batteries in different parts of the train 10 may also vary. The power management system seeks to keep all batteries within a desired state of charge, for example in a range of 75% to 100% of full charge, by using power from locomotive 12 as required to recharge batteries or power traction motors in powered coaches 12.