Railroad system comprising railroad vehicle with energy regeneration

Abstract

A self-powered railroad system (1700), in one embodiment, comprises a locomotive (1710), a control source (1715), and a plurality of load units (1720A-K and 1730A-G), some of which are railroad vehicles (1720A-K) comprising the components of railroad vehicle (1500) that provide for selective operation in a motoring mode, a coasting mode, or a dynamic braking mode. The self-powered railroad system may also comprise a control source and at least one railroad vehicle controlled by the control source, such as for coupling, uncoupling, and moving to or from a loading dock.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The invention of the present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 435,261, filed May 9, 2003, entitled Multimode Hybrid Energy Railway Vehicle System and Method, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 032,714, filed on Dec. 26, 2001, entitled Locomotive Energy Tender, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,245 (issued Sep. 2, 2003), which claims priority based on U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 278,975, filed on Mar. 27, 2001, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. [0002] The following commonly owned, co-pending applications are related to the present application and are incorporated herein by reference: [0003] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 033,172, filed on Dec. 26, 2001, and entitled “HYBRID ENERGY POWER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD”; [0004] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 033,347, filed on Dec. 26, 2001, and entitled “HYBRID ENE...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

In other words, electric energy generated in the dynamic braking mode is typically wasted.

As indicated above, prior art locomotives typically waste the energy generated from dynamic braking.

Attempts to make productive use of such energy have been unsatisfactory.

Such systems are not suited for recovering energy to propel the locomotive itself.

Among the disadvantages of such a system are the safe storage of the hydrogen gas and the need to carry water for the electrolysis process.

Still other prior art systems fail to recapture the dynamic braking energy at all, but rather selectively engage a special generator that operates when the associated vehicle travels downhill.

One of the reasons such a system is unsatisfactory is because it fails to recapture existing braking energy.

Such prior art hybrid energy railway vehicles fail to recapture dynamic braking energy generated by the traction motor of the hybrid energy railway vehicle and is required to turn on and off the turbine engine and generator as required by the level of charge of the hybrid energy railway vehicle storage system.

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