Powered distribution systems for powered rail vehicles
View Patent ↗A power distribution system for a rail vehicle includes a propulsion alternator, a first bus, a Head End Power (HEP) alternator, and a second bus. The propulsion alternator is joined to an engine of the rail vehicle. The first bus is joined with the propulsion alternator and is configured to electrically couple the propulsion alternator with a propulsion electric load that propels the rail vehicle. The HEP alternator is joined to the engine. The second bus is joined with the HEP alternator and is adapted to electrically couple the HEP alternator with a non-propulsion electric load of the rail vehicle. The propulsion alternator generates a first electric current to power the propulsion electric load and the HEP alternator separately generates second electric current to power the non-propulsion electric load. The HEP alternator and the second bus are electrically separate from the propulsion alternator and the first bus.
1. A power distribution system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
an alternator configured to be joined to an engine of the vehicle, the alternator generating a first electric current for a propulsion electric load of the vehicle based on movement of the engine;
a generator configured to be joined to the engine and including field windings that receive a field current to generate a magnetic field, the generator creating a second electric current to power a non-propulsion electric load of the vehicle, wherein the second electric current created by the generator is based on movement of the engine and the field current; and
a Head End Power (HEP) inverter configured to be electrically joined with the generator, the HEP inverter configured to receive the first electric current from the alternator and to supply the field current to the generator.
2. The power distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the first electric current is a direct current, the field current is an alternating current, and the HEP inverter is configured to convert the direct current first electric current to the alternating current field current before supplying the field current to the generator.
3. The power distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the HEP inverter is configured to receive a third electric current in a non-transformed manner from a power source that is decoupled from the alternator.
4. The power distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the alternator is configured to generate the first electric current for the propulsion electric load of a tractive circuit of the vehicle and the generator is configured to create the second electric current for the non-propulsion electric load of an auxiliary circuit of the vehicle based on common movement of the engine.
5. The power distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the alternator and the generator are configured to be coupled to a shaft of the engine.
6. The power distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the generator is configured to receive the field current having a voltage that changes based on a speed of the engine.
7. The power distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the generator is configured to receive the field current having a frequency that changes based on a speed of the engine.
8. The power distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the generator is configured to receive the field current having a frequency that is based on a frequency demand of the non-propulsion electric load.
9. The power distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the generator is configured to receive the field current as a non-filtered alternating current.
10. The power distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the alternator is configured to generate the first electric current for the propulsion electric load of a tractive circuit of the vehicle and the generator is configured to create the second electric current for the non-propulsion electric load of an auxiliary circuit of the vehicle, the tractive and auxiliary circuits electrically coupled with each other in a non-transformed manner.
11. The power distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the tractive circuit is joined to the auxiliary circuit by a bus such that the field current is conveyed between the tractive and auxiliary circuits through the bus.
12. The power distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the field windings of the generator are coupled with a shaft of the engine, the field windings configured to move based on movement of the shaft to generate the second electric current.
13. The power distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the generator is configured to receive the field current having a voltage that changes to cause the generator to create the second electric current with a predetermined voltage that is independent of a speed at which the engine operates.
14. The power distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the generator is configured to receive the field current having a voltage that changes inversely to a change in a speed of the engine to cause the generator to create the second electric current having a voltage within a predetermined range of voltages.
15. The power distribution system of claim 14 , wherein the predetermined range of voltages is from 470 to 490 volts.
16. A power distribution system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
an alternator configured to be joined to an engine of the vehicle, the alternator configured to generate a first electric current for a propulsion electric load of the vehicle based on movement of the engine;
a Head End Power (HEP) inverter configured to be electrically joined with the alternator and to receive the first electric current from the alternator; and
a generator configured to be joined to the engine and to be electrically joined with the HEP inverter, the generator including field windings that are configured to receive a field current supplied by the HEP inverter to generate a magnetic field, the generator also configured to create a second electric current to power a non-propulsion electric load of the vehicle, wherein the second electric current created by the generator is based on both movement of the engine and the field current.
17. The power distribution system of claim 16 , wherein the generator is configured to create the second electric current having a frequency that is dependent on both the movement of the engine and a frequency of the field current.
18. The power distribution system of claim 16 , wherein the HEP inverter is configured to receive a third electric current in a non-transformed manner from a power source that is decoupled from the alternator.
19. The power distribution system of claim 16 , wherein the alternator and the generator are configured to be coupled to a shaft of the engine.
20. The power distribution system of claim 16 , wherein the HEP inverter is configured to supply the field current to the generator with a voltage that changes based on a speed of the engine.
21. The power distribution system of claim 16 , wherein the HEP inverter is configured to change a voltage of the field current that is supplied to the field windings of the generator to cause the generator to create the second electric current within a predetermined range of voltages.
22. The power distribution system of claim 21 , wherein the HEP inverter is configured to increase the voltage of the field current when a speed of the engine decreases to cause the generator to create the second electric current with a voltage within the predetermined range of voltages.
23. The power distribution system of claim 16 , wherein the HEP inverter is configured to create the field current as a direct current when a speed of the engine is sufficient for the generator to create a second electric current having a frequency within a predetermined range of frequencies.
24. A power distribution system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
an alternator configured to be joined to an engine of the vehicle, the alternator generating a first electric current for a propulsion electric load of the vehicle based on movement of the engine;
a generator configured to be joined to the engine and including field windings that receive a field current to generate a magnetic field, the generator creating a second electric current to power a non-propulsion electric load of the vehicle, wherein the second electric current created by the generator is based on movement of the engine and the field current; and
a Head End Power (HEP) inverter configured to be electrically joined with the generator, wherein the HEP inverter is configured to receive a third electric current in a non-transformed manner from a power source that is decoupled from the alternator.