Hybrid power locomotive and cooling system thereof

By reusing cooling fans and three-way valves in hybrid locomotives, and combining them with temperature acquisition and control modules, a dynamic cooling strategy for the hybrid locomotive cooling system was realized, solving the problem of cooling redundancy or insufficiency, and improving cooling efficiency and intelligence.

CN121777982APending Publication Date: 2026-04-03CRRC DALIAN CO LTD +1
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-12-31
Publication Date
2026-04-03

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In the existing hybrid locomotive cooling system, the cooling requirements of various components are not uniformly scheduled, resulting in cooling redundancy or insufficiency, which affects equipment performance and safety, and lacks intelligent control.

Method used

A reused cooling fan is used to provide air cooling for the energy storage module and the power converter module. The coolant flow direction is adjusted by a three-way valve. Combined with the temperature acquisition module and the control module, a dynamic cooling strategy is realized, including switching between air cooling and active cooling modes.

Benefits of technology

It improves the efficiency and intelligence of the cooling system, ensures that each component maintains the optimal temperature under various operating conditions, reduces system weight and space occupation, and improves safety and energy efficiency.

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Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The invention discloses a hybrid power locomotive and a cooling system thereof, and relates to the technical field of cooling systems. The cooling system comprises an air cooling module, a heat guarantee module, a three-way valve, a temperature acquisition module and a control module; the air cooling module comprises a cooling fan, an energy storage radiator and a variable flow radiator; an air outlet of the cooling fan is communicated with an air inlet of the energy storage radiator, and an air outlet of the energy storage radiator is communicated with an air inlet of the variable flow radiator; a first liquid outlet of the three-way valve is communicated with a liquid inlet of the energy storage radiator, and a liquid outlet of the energy storage radiator is communicated with a liquid inlet of the energy storage module; a liquid outlet of the variable-flow radiator is communicated with a liquid inlet of the variable-flow module; a second liquid outlet of the three-way valve communicates with a liquid inlet of a heat exchanger in the heat guarantee module, and a liquid outlet of the heat exchanger communicates with a liquid inlet of the energy storage module; the control module adjusts the conduction state of the three-way valve according to the temperature information, collected by the temperature collection module, of the energy storage module. The cooling efficiency and the intelligent level of the cooling system are improved.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cooling system technology, and more particularly to a hybrid locomotive and its cooling system. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous advancement of energy conservation and emission reduction policies and the higher requirements for energy efficiency and environmental friendliness in rail transit systems, hybrid diesel locomotives, as a power form that combines the advantages of internal combustion engines and electric power, have been widely used in the railway transportation sector.

[0003] In hybrid internal combustion locomotives, the main power system typically includes several key components such as the internal combustion engine, power battery, locomotive converter system, traction motor, and main generator. These components continuously generate a large amount of heat during operation. If this heat cannot be dissipated in a timely and effective manner, it will lead to overheating of the components, which will not only affect the performance and service life of the equipment, but may even cause safety accidents such as thermal runaway of the power battery.

[0004] In existing technologies, to meet the cooling requirements of the aforementioned components, independent cooling circuits are typically used. For example, the locomotive converter system uses air or water cooling, the power battery has an independent liquid-cooled temperature control system, and the traction motor and main generator are cooled by traction fans through air ducts. However, these solutions lack a unified cooling resource scheduling and inter-system collaborative control mechanism. Different modules cannot dynamically adjust their cooling strategies according to actual operating conditions, resulting in redundant cooling for some components and insufficient cooling for others. This not only wastes energy but also restricts the overall efficiency and intelligence level of the vehicle's thermal management system. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a hybrid locomotive and its cooling system, which uses a reused cooling fan to provide air cooling for the energy storage module and the converter module, and adjusts the flow direction of the coolant according to the temperature of the energy storage module through a three-way valve, thereby achieving coordinated cooling of various components and improving the cooling efficiency and intelligence level of the cooling system.

[0006] The first aspect of the present invention provides a cooling system for a hybrid locomotive, the hybrid locomotive including an energy storage module and a converter module, the cooling system of the hybrid locomotive including: an air-cooled module, a thermal protection module, a three-way valve, a temperature acquisition module, and a control module;

[0007] The air-cooled module includes a cooling fan, an energy storage radiator, and a converter radiator; the air outlet of the cooling fan is connected to the air inlet of the energy storage radiator, and the air outlet of the energy storage radiator is connected to the air inlet of the converter radiator.

[0008] The first outlet of the three-way valve is connected to the inlet of the energy storage radiator, the outlet of the energy storage radiator is connected to the inlet of the energy storage module, and the outlet of the energy storage module is connected to the inlet of the three-way valve.

[0009] The outlet of the converter radiator is connected to the inlet of the converter module, and the outlet of the converter module is connected to the inlet of the converter radiator.

[0010] The thermal protection module includes a heat exchanger; the second outlet of the three-way valve is connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger, and the outlet of the heat exchanger is connected to the inlet of the energy storage module.

[0011] The temperature acquisition module is used to acquire the temperature information of the energy storage module;

[0012] The control module is connected to the temperature acquisition module; the control module is used to adjust the conduction state of the three-way valve according to the temperature information acquired by the temperature acquisition module.

[0013] Optionally, the thermal protection module further includes an electric heater;

[0014] The electric heater is positioned between the second liquid outlet of the three-way valve and the liquid inlet of the heat exchanger.

[0015] The control module is also used to control the electric heater and the heat exchanger to start in a time-sharing manner based on the temperature information collected by the temperature acquisition module.

[0016] Optionally, the energy storage module includes multiple battery modules, each battery module including multiple batteries connected in series and / or in parallel; the temperature acquisition module includes multiple first temperature sensors and multiple second temperature sensors;

[0017] Each of the first temperature sensors is disposed in one of the batteries; the first temperature sensors are used to acquire the temperature of the batteries in real time.

[0018] Each of the second temperature sensors is correspondingly installed at the liquid inlet of each battery module; the second temperature sensor is used to acquire the temperature at the liquid inlet of the battery module in real time.

[0019] The control module is also connected to the battery management module of each battery module; the control module is also used to acquire the status signal of each battery module sent by each battery management module, and determine the connection status of each battery module according to the status signal of each battery module.

[0020] The control module is further configured to control the electric heater to start when it is determined that at least one of the battery modules is in a connected state and the temperature of at least one of the batteries in the connected battery modules is lower than a first temperature threshold.

[0021] The control module is further configured to control the cooling fan to start when it is determined that at least one of the battery modules is in a connected state and the temperature at at least one liquid inlet of the connected battery module is higher than a second temperature threshold; the second temperature threshold is greater than the first temperature threshold.

[0022] Optionally, the cooling system of the hybrid locomotive also includes: a first water pump disposed at the liquid inlet of the energy storage module;

[0023] The control module is also used to control the first water pump to turn on when at least one of the following conditions is met: the electric heater is started, the cooling fan is started, the operating condition of the battery module meets the first preset condition, and the operating condition of the battery module meets the second preset condition.

[0024] The first preset condition includes at least one of the battery modules being in a connected state, the temperature of each battery in the connected battery module being higher than the temperature of its liquid outlet, and the temperature difference between each battery in the connected battery module being higher than a third temperature threshold.

[0025] The second preset condition includes at least one of the battery modules being in a connected state, and the temperature of at least one battery in the connected battery module being higher than a fourth temperature threshold; the fourth temperature threshold is greater than the first temperature threshold.

[0026] Optionally, the control module is further configured to switch the state of the three-way valve to a first open state when controlling the start of the cooling fan; wherein, when the state of the three-way valve is the first open state, coolant flows into the air-cooled module through the three-way valve;

[0027] The control module is also used to switch the state of the three-way valve to the first conducting state when the temperature of each battery is lower than the sixth temperature threshold, and / or when the first water pump is in the off state; the sixth temperature threshold is greater than the first temperature threshold and the sixth temperature threshold is less than the fourth temperature threshold;

[0028] The control module is also used to switch the state of the three-way valve to the second open state when controlling the electric heater to start; wherein, when the state of the three-way valve is the second open state, the coolant flows into the thermal protection module through the three-way valve;

[0029] The control module is further configured to switch the state of the three-way valve to a second conducting state when it is determined that at least one of the batteries has a temperature higher than a seventh temperature threshold, the electric heater is in a closed state, and the first water pump is in a closed state; the seventh temperature threshold is greater than the fourth temperature threshold.

[0030] Optionally, the thermal protection module further includes a compressor, an expansion valve, and a condenser;

[0031] The air inlet of the condenser is connected to the outside air, and the compressor and the expansion valve are both located in the refrigerant circulation pipeline between the heat exchanger and the condenser.

[0032] Optionally, the energy storage module includes multiple battery modules;

[0033] The control module is also connected to the battery management module of each battery module; the control module is also used to acquire the status signal of each battery module sent by each battery management module, and determine the connection status of each battery module according to the status signal of each battery module.

[0034] The control module is also used to control the compressor to start when it is determined that at least one of the battery modules is in a connected state, the three-way valve is in a second open state, and the electric heater is in a closed state; wherein, when the state of the three-way valve is the second open state, coolant flows into the thermal protection module through the three-way valve.

[0035] Optionally, the hybrid locomotive further includes a traction motor and a main generator, and the cooling system of the hybrid locomotive further includes a traction fan;

[0036] The outlet of the condenser is connected to the inlet of the traction fan, and the outlet of the traction fan is connected to the inlet of the traction motor and the inlet of the main generator.

[0037] Optionally, the cooling system of the hybrid locomotive also includes: a second water pump and a third temperature sensor disposed at the liquid inlet of the converter module;

[0038] The control module is also used to control the second water pump to turn on when the converter module is in working state;

[0039] The third temperature sensor is used to acquire the temperature at the inlet of the converter module in real time.

[0040] The control module is also connected to the third temperature sensor; the control module is also used to control the cooling fan to start when the temperature at the liquid inlet of the converter module is higher than the eighth temperature threshold.

[0041] A second aspect of the present invention provides a hybrid electric locomotive, which includes at least: a frame, an energy storage module disposed within the frame, a converter module, and a cooling system for the hybrid electric locomotive as described above.

[0042] The technical solution of this invention provides air cooling for the energy storage module by incorporating an air-cooling module, a thermal protection module, a three-way valve, a temperature acquisition module, and a control module into the cooling system of a hybrid locomotive. The air-cooling module includes a cooling fan, an energy storage radiator, and a converter radiator. Furthermore, the air outlet of the cooling fan is connected to the air inlet of the energy storage radiator, the air outlet of the energy storage radiator is connected to the air inlet of the converter radiator, the first liquid outlet of the three-way valve is connected to the liquid inlet of the energy storage radiator, the liquid outlet of the energy storage radiator is connected to the liquid inlet of the energy storage module, and the liquid outlet of the energy storage module is connected to the liquid inlet of the three-way valve. Similarly, the converter radiator's liquid outlet is connected to the liquid inlet of the converter module, and the converter module's liquid outlet is connected to the liquid inlet of the converter radiator, thus providing air cooling for the converter module. By reusing cooling fans, the system can simultaneously provide air cooling for both the energy storage module and the converter module, achieving a high degree of integration and resource sharing in the cooling system. This reduces system weight and space occupation while strengthening the vehicle body structure. Furthermore, by incorporating a heat exchanger within the thermal protection module and connecting the second outlet of a three-way valve to the inlet of the heat exchanger, and vice versa, active cooling of the energy storage module is achieved. Additionally, by connecting a control module to a temperature acquisition module, the control module can adjust the three-way valve's opening state based on temperature data collected by the temperature acquisition module. This enables dynamic switching between various cooling modes, including air cooling and active cooling, improving the adaptability of the hybrid locomotive's cooling system in various application scenarios, while also enhancing the cooling efficiency, system energy efficiency, and intelligence level of the hybrid locomotive's cooling system.

[0043] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of the present invention, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the invention. Other features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0044] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0045] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the cooling system of a hybrid locomotive provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling system of another hybrid locomotive provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling system of another hybrid locomotive provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0048] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0049] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0050] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling system of a hybrid locomotive provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1As shown, the hybrid locomotive includes an energy storage module 01 and a converter module 02. The cooling system of the hybrid locomotive includes: an air-cooled module 1, a thermal protection module 2, a three-way valve 3, a temperature acquisition module 4, and a control module 5. The air-cooled module 1 includes a cooling fan 11, an energy storage radiator 12, and a converter radiator 13. The air outlet 111 of the cooling fan 11 is connected to the air inlet 121 of the energy storage radiator 12, and the air outlet 122 of the energy storage radiator 12 is connected to the air inlet 131 of the converter radiator 13. The first liquid outlet 31 of the three-way valve 3 is connected to the liquid inlet 123 of the energy storage radiator 12, and the liquid outlet 124 of the energy storage radiator 12 is connected to the liquid inlet 011 of the energy storage module 01. The outlet 012 of the energy storage module 01 is connected to the inlet 32 ​​of the three-way valve 3; the outlet 132 of the converter radiator 13 is connected to the inlet 021 of the converter module 02, and the outlet 022 of the converter module 02 is connected to the inlet 133 of the converter radiator 13; the thermal protection module 2 includes a heat exchanger 21; the second outlet 33 of the three-way valve 3 is connected to the inlet 211 of the heat exchanger 21, and the outlet 212 of the heat exchanger 21 is connected to the inlet 011 of the energy storage module 01; the temperature acquisition module 4 is used to acquire the temperature information of the energy storage module 01; the control module 5 is connected to the temperature acquisition module 4; the control module 5 is used to adjust the conduction state of the three-way valve 3 according to the temperature information acquired by the temperature acquisition module 4.

[0051] The hybrid locomotive primarily relies on a diesel engine to drive a main generator as its main energy source, while also being equipped with a power battery as an energy storage device. This allows for combined diesel-electric drive or pure electric drive, significantly reducing fuel consumption and emissions. Specifically, the hybrid locomotive may include an energy storage module 01, a converter module 02, a traction motor, and a main generator. The energy storage module 01 can be understood as the power battery device in the hybrid locomotive. It stores electrical energy to provide auxiliary traction power to the traction motor when the diesel engine load is low, and can also recover regenerative braking energy during braking. The converter module 02 can be understood as a traction converter. It converts the AC power generated by the main generator or the DC power output from the energy storage module 01 into the variable voltage and frequency converter power required by the traction motor, thus realizing the overall electric drive of the hybrid locomotive. Both the energy storage module 01 and the converter module 02 are critical components that generate a large amount of heat and are sensitive to temperature, requiring reliable cooling.

[0052] The air-cooled module 1 is used to provide air cooling for the energy storage module 01 and the converter module 02. Specifically, the air-cooled module 1 includes a cooling fan 11, an energy storage radiator 12, and a converter radiator 13. The air outlet 111 of the cooling fan 11 is connected to the air inlet 121 of the energy storage radiator 12, and the air outlet 122 of the energy storage radiator 12 is connected to the air inlet 131 of the converter radiator 13. This allows the external air of the hybrid vehicle to enter the cooling fan 11 and flow through the air outlet 111 of the cooling fan 11 in sequence through the air inlet 121, the air outlet 122 of the energy storage radiator 12, and the air inlet 131 of the converter radiator 13. The fins of the energy storage radiator 12 and the converter radiator 13 are separated to prevent heat conduction. In addition, the order in which the energy storage radiator 12 and the converter radiator 13 are installed can be selectively adjusted according to the actual air temperature required by the energy storage radiator 12 and the converter radiator 13.

[0053] It is understood that the first outlet 31 of the three-way valve 3 is connected to the inlet 123 of the energy storage radiator 12, the outlet 124 of the energy storage radiator 12 is connected to the inlet 011 of the energy storage module 01, and the outlet 012 of the energy storage module 01 is connected to the inlet 32 ​​of the three-way valve 3, thus forming a first coolant circulation loop of the energy storage module 01, including the three-way valve 3, the energy storage radiator 12, and the energy storage module 01. In the first coolant circulation loop of the energy storage module 01, the coolant can flow into the inlet 123 of the energy storage radiator 12 through the first outlet 31 of the three-way valve 3. The energy storage radiator 12 can use the cold air provided by the cooling fan 11 to perform air cooling of the coolant, and can further provide the coolant to the inlet 011 of the energy storage module 01 through the outlet 124 of the energy storage radiator 12, so as to achieve air cooling of the energy storage module 01. After the coolant completes heat exchange with the energy storage module 01, it can flow back to the inlet 32 ​​of the three-way valve 3 via the outlet 012 of the energy storage module 01, thus realizing the circulation of coolant in the first coolant circulation loop of the energy storage module 01. It can also be understood that the outlet 132 of the converter radiator 13 is connected to the inlet 021 of the converter module 02, and the outlet 022 of the converter module 02 is connected to the inlet 133 of the converter radiator 13, thus forming a coolant circulation loop for the converter module 02, including the converter radiator 13 and the converter module 02. In the coolant circulation loop of the converter module 02, the converter radiator 13 can use the cold air provided by the cooling fan 11 to perform air cooling on the coolant inside, and can further supply the coolant to the inlet 021 of the converter module 02 via the outlet 132 of the converter radiator 13, thereby achieving air cooling for the converter module 02. After the coolant completes heat exchange with the converter module 02, it can flow back to the inlet 133 of the converter radiator 13 via the outlet 022 of the converter module 02, thus realizing the circulation of coolant in the coolant circulation loop of the converter module 02. By reusing the cooling fan 11, air cooling can be provided to both the energy storage module 01 and the converter module 02 simultaneously with a single cooling fan 11, thus achieving a high degree of integration of the air-cooled module 1.

[0054] The thermal protection module 2 provides active cooling for the energy storage module 01 when the heat dissipation capacity of the air-cooled module 1 is insufficient to keep the energy storage module 01 within its optimal temperature range. Specifically, the thermal protection module 2 includes a heat exchanger 21, and the second outlet 33 of the three-way valve 3 is connected to the inlet 211 of the heat exchanger 21. The outlet 212 of the heat exchanger 21 is connected to the inlet 011 of the energy storage module 01, thus forming a second coolant circulation loop for the energy storage module 01, including the three-way valve 3, the heat exchanger 21, and the energy storage module 01. In the second coolant circulation loop of the energy storage module 01, the coolant can flow into the inlet 211 of the heat exchanger 21 through the second outlet 33 of the three-way valve 3, so that the coolant can exchange heat with the refrigerant in the heat exchanger 21 and then flow into the inlet 011 of the energy storage module 01 through the outlet 212 of the heat exchanger 21, thereby achieving active cooling for the energy storage module 01.

[0055] Temperature acquisition module 4 is used to acquire temperature information of energy storage module 01. Control module 5 is connected to temperature acquisition module 4 so that control module 5 can adjust the conduction state of three-way valve 3 according to the temperature information acquired by temperature acquisition module 4, that is, adjust the flow direction of coolant through three-way valve 3. For example, when the temperature of energy storage module 01 acquired by temperature acquisition module 4 is only slightly higher than the normal temperature range, the temperature information of energy storage module 01 can be provided to control module 5 so that control module 5 can adjust the conduction state of three-way valve 3 to allow coolant to flow into air-cooled module 1 through three-way valve 3 for conventional air cooling of energy storage module 01; when the temperature of energy storage module 01 acquired by temperature acquisition module 4 is significantly higher than the normal temperature range, the temperature information of energy storage module 01 can be provided to control module 5 so that control module 5 can adjust the conduction state of three-way valve 3 to allow coolant to flow into thermal protection module 2 through three-way valve 3 for enhanced cooling of energy storage module 01. The intelligent control strategy of controlling the conduction state of the three-way valve 3 through the control module 5 ensures that the cooling system of the hybrid locomotive can accurately maintain the energy storage module 01 within the optimal operating temperature range under all operating conditions and all climate conditions.

[0056] Compared to existing technologies that independently configure cooling circuits for the energy storage module 01 and the converter module 02, this new technology connects the energy storage radiator 12 and the converter radiator 13 in series within the same cooling fan 11. This achieves a high degree of integration and resource sharing in the cooling system, reducing the number of fans and air inlets on the vehicle body, thereby reducing system weight and space occupation, and strengthening the vehicle body structure. Simultaneously, by dynamically adjusting the conduction state of the three-way valve 3 through the control module 5, the energy storage module 01 can dynamically switch between various cooling modes, such as air cooling and active cooling. This improves the adaptability of the hybrid locomotive's cooling system in various application scenarios, while also enhancing the cooling efficiency, system energy efficiency, and intelligence level of the hybrid locomotive's cooling system, providing crucial assurance for the safe and economical operation of the hybrid locomotive.

[0057] In this embodiment, the cooling system of the hybrid locomotive is equipped with an air-cooling module, a thermal protection module, a three-way valve, a temperature acquisition module, and a control module. The air-cooling module includes a cooling fan, an energy storage radiator, and a converter radiator. The cooling fan outlet is connected to the energy storage radiator inlet, the energy storage radiator outlet is connected to the converter radiator inlet, the first outlet of the three-way valve is connected to the energy storage radiator inlet, the energy storage radiator outlet is connected to the energy storage module inlet, and the energy storage module outlet is connected to the three-way valve inlet. This provides air cooling for the energy storage module. Similarly, the converter radiator outlet is connected to the converter module inlet, and the converter module outlet is connected to the converter radiator inlet. By reusing the cooling fan, air cooling can be provided to both the energy storage module and the converter module simultaneously. This achieves a high degree of integration and resource sharing in the cooling system, thereby reducing system weight and space occupation, and strengthening the vehicle body structure. Meanwhile, by incorporating a heat exchanger within the thermal protection module, and connecting the second outlet of a three-way valve to the inlet of the heat exchanger, and the outlet of the heat exchanger to the inlet of the energy storage module, active cooling of the energy storage module is achieved. Furthermore, by connecting a control module to a temperature acquisition module, the control module can adjust the conduction state of the three-way valve based on temperature information collected by the temperature acquisition module. This enables dynamic switching between various cooling modes, including air cooling and active cooling, for the energy storage module. This enhances the adaptability of the hybrid locomotive's cooling system in various application scenarios, while also improving the cooling efficiency, system energy efficiency, and intelligence level of the hybrid locomotive's cooling system.

[0058] Optional, Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling system of another hybrid locomotive provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2As shown, the thermal protection module 2 also includes an electric heater 22; the electric heater 22 is located between the second liquid outlet 33 of the three-way valve 3 and the liquid inlet 211 of the heat exchanger 21; the control module 5 is also used to control the electric heater 22 and the heat exchanger 21 to start in a time-sharing manner according to the temperature information collected by the temperature acquisition module 4.

[0059] Specifically, the thermal protection module 2 also includes an electric heater 22, which is located between the second outlet 33 of the three-way valve 3 and the inlet 211 of the heat exchanger 21. The series connection of the electric heater 22 and the heat exchanger 21 reduces the complexity of the cooling system connection. The electric heater 22 is specifically used to directly electrically heat the coolant flowing through the second coolant circulation pipe of the energy storage module 01 in conditions where the ambient temperature is extremely low or the locomotive has just started, allowing the energy storage module 01 to quickly escape the low-temperature state where charging and discharging are prohibited, thus improving the locomotive's availability and traction performance in low-temperature environments.

[0060] The control module 5 is also used to control the electric heater 22 and the heat exchanger 21 to start in a time-sharing manner based on the temperature information collected by the temperature acquisition module 4. For example, when the temperature of the energy storage module 01 collected by the temperature acquisition module 4 is lower than the normal temperature range, the temperature information of the energy storage module 01 can be provided to the control module 5, so that the control module 5 can control the electric heater 22 to start and control the heat exchanger 21 to stop working, so as to actively heat the energy storage module 01. By adding the electric heater 22 to the thermal protection module 2, the all-weather thermal management capability of the hybrid locomotive's cooling system is further improved, thereby enhancing the environmental adaptability and operational reliability of the hybrid locomotive on harsh lines such as high-altitude and high-temperature lines, and further improving the system energy efficiency and intelligence level of the hybrid locomotive.

[0061] Optionally, the energy storage module 01 includes multiple battery modules, each battery module including multiple batteries connected in series and / or in parallel; the temperature acquisition module 4 includes multiple first temperature sensors and multiple second temperature sensors; each first temperature sensor is correspondingly installed in each battery; the first temperature sensor is used to acquire the temperature of the battery in real time; each second temperature sensor is correspondingly installed at the liquid inlet of each battery module; the second temperature sensor is used to acquire the temperature at the liquid inlet of the battery module in real time; the control module 5 is also connected to the battery management module of each battery module; the control module 5 is also used to acquire the status signals of each battery module sent by each battery management module, and determine the connection status of each battery module according to the status signals of each battery module; the control module is also used to control the electric heater 22 to start when it is determined that at least one battery module is in a connected state, and the temperature of at least one battery in the connected battery module is lower than a first temperature threshold; the control module is also used to control the cooling fan 11 to start when it is determined that at least one battery module is in a connected state, and the temperature at at least one liquid inlet of the connected battery module is higher than a second temperature threshold; the second temperature threshold is greater than the first temperature threshold.

[0062] Specifically, the energy storage module 01 may include multiple battery modules, and each battery module may include multiple batteries connected in series and / or in parallel to meet the high-voltage, high-capacity power requirements of the hybrid electric vehicle. The temperature acquisition module 4 may include multiple first temperature sensors and multiple second temperature sensors, wherein each first temperature sensor is correspondingly installed in each battery to enable the first temperature sensor to acquire the battery temperature in real time and provide it to the control module 5; each second temperature sensor is correspondingly installed at the liquid inlet of each battery module to enable the second temperature sensor to acquire the temperature at the liquid inlet of the battery module in real time and provide it to the control module 5. In addition, besides acquiring the temperature information provided by the first and second temperature sensors in real time, the control module 5 is also connected to the battery management system (BMS) of each battery module, so that the control module 5 can also acquire the status signals of each battery module sent by each battery management module in real time, and determine the connection status of each battery module based on the status signals of each battery module, thereby enabling the control module 5 to determine whether each battery module is in use.

[0063] After the control module 5 acquires information from the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, and the battery management module, it can also activate the electric heater 22 when it determines that at least one battery module is in a connected state and the temperature of at least one battery in the connected battery module is lower than a first temperature threshold. This allows the electric heater 22 to heat the coolant flowing through the thermal protection module 2, thereby achieving rapid low-temperature preheating of the energy storage module 01. Furthermore, the control module 5 can also deactivate the electric heater 22 when it determines that all battery modules are in a disconnected state, and / or that the temperature of all batteries is higher than a preset temperature threshold, and / or that the temperature of the inlet of at least one battery module is higher than a preset temperature threshold. This prevents overheating of the energy storage module 01 and avoids resource waste.

[0064] The control module 5 can also activate the cooling fan 11 when it is determined that at least one battery module is in a connected state, and the temperature at at least one liquid inlet of the connected battery module is higher than a second temperature threshold. The second temperature threshold is greater than a first temperature threshold, allowing the cooling fan 11 to provide air cooling for the energy storage module 01 and prevent overheating. Furthermore, the control module 5 can also deactivate the cooling fan 11 when it is determined that the temperature of each battery is lower than the temperature of the liquid inlet of its respective battery module, and / or that the temperature of each battery is lower than a preset temperature threshold. This prevents overcooling of the energy storage module 01, avoids resource waste, and further improves the system energy efficiency and intelligence level of the hybrid electric vehicle.

[0065] Optional, continue to refer to Figure 2 The cooling system of the hybrid vehicle also includes a first water pump 61 located at the liquid inlet 011 of the energy storage module 01; the control module 5 is further configured to control the first water pump 61 to open when at least one of the following conditions is met: the electric heater 22 is started, the cooling fan 11 is started, the operating condition of the battery module meets a first preset condition, and the operating condition of the battery module meets a second preset condition; the first preset condition includes at least one battery module being in a connected state, the temperature of each battery in the connected battery module being higher than the temperature of its liquid outlet, and the temperature difference between the batteries in the connected battery module being higher than a third temperature threshold; the second preset condition includes at least one battery module being in a connected state, and the temperature of at least one battery in the connected battery module being higher than a fourth temperature threshold; the fourth temperature threshold is greater than the first temperature threshold.

[0066] Specifically, the first water pump 61 is located at the inlet 011 of the energy storage module 01. The first water pump 61 is used to drive the coolant to circulate in the coolant circulation pipeline of the energy storage module 01, thereby enabling thermal management of the energy storage module 01. The control module 5 can also control the first water pump 61 to turn on only when at least one of the following conditions is met: the electric heater 22 is started, the cooling fan 11 is started, the operating condition of the battery module meets the first preset condition, and the operating condition of the battery module meets the second preset condition. This ensures that the first water pump 61 is only turned on when thermal management of the energy storage module 01 is required, thereby reducing energy consumption.

[0067] It is understandable that when the electric heater 22 or the cooling fan 11 is started, it indicates that the energy storage module 01 needs to heat or cool. Therefore, the control module 5 will control the first water pump 61 to turn on to drive the circulation of coolant. It is also understandable that when at least one battery module is in a connected state, the temperature of each battery in the connected battery module is higher than the temperature of its outlet, and the temperature difference between the batteries in the connected battery module is higher than a third temperature threshold, it indicates that the temperature difference between the batteries in the energy storage module 01 is too large, and it is necessary to cool or heat the energy storage module 01 to balance the temperature of the batteries in the energy storage module 01. It is also understandable that when at least one battery module is in a connected state, and the temperature of at least one battery in the connected battery module is higher than a fourth temperature threshold, where the fourth temperature threshold is greater than the first temperature threshold, it indicates that the energy storage module 01 is in an overheated state, and it is necessary to control the first water pump 61 to turn on to cool the energy storage module 01 through active cooling combined with air cooling.

[0068] Furthermore, when all battery modules are in a disconnected state, or at least one battery module is in a connected state, and the temperature difference between the batteries in the connected battery modules is less than a preset temperature threshold and the temperature of each battery is within the normal temperature range, the control module 5 determines that the energy storage module 01 has a uniform temperature and does not require thermal management. Therefore, the control module 5 will control the first water pump 61 to shut down. By precisely controlling the start and stop status of the first water pump 61, an optimal balance between energy saving and thermal safety is achieved, further improving the system energy efficiency and intelligence level of the hybrid locomotive.

[0069] Optionally, the control module 5 is further configured to switch the state of the three-way valve 3 to the first conducting state when the cooling fan 11 is started; wherein, when the state of the three-way valve 3 is the first conducting state, coolant flows into the air-cooled module 1 through the three-way valve 3; the control module 5 is further configured to switch the state of the three-way valve 3 to the first conducting state when the temperature of each battery is lower than the sixth temperature threshold, and / or when the first water pump 61 is in the off state; the sixth temperature threshold is greater than the first temperature threshold and less than the fourth temperature threshold; the control module 5 is further configured to switch the state of the three-way valve 3 to the second conducting state when the electric heater 22 is started; wherein, when the state of the three-way valve 3 is the second conducting state, coolant flows into the thermal protection module 2 through the three-way valve 3; the control module 5 is further configured to switch the state of the three-way valve 3 to the second conducting state when it is determined that the temperature of at least one battery is higher than the seventh temperature threshold, the electric heater 22 is in the off state, and the first water pump 61 is in the on state; the seventh temperature threshold is greater than the fourth temperature threshold.

[0070] The three-way valve 3 can include a first open state and a second open state. When the three-way valve 3 is in the first open state, coolant flows into the air-cooled module 1 through the three-way valve 3. When the three-way valve 3 is in the second open state, coolant flows into the thermal protection module 2 through the three-way valve 3. Specifically, when the three-way valve 3 is energized and open, it can initially be in the first open state. When the control module 5 controls the cooling fan 11 to start, the state of the three-way valve 3 can also be switched to the first open state to utilize the cooling fan 11 to provide air-cooled heat dissipation for the energy storage battery 01. When the control module 5 determines that the temperature of each battery is lower than the sixth temperature threshold, and / or the first water pump 61 is in the off state, where the sixth temperature threshold is greater than the first temperature threshold and less than the fourth temperature threshold, the control module 5 will determine that the temperature of the energy storage battery 01 is within the normal temperature threshold range and there is no need to cool or heat the energy storage battery 01. Therefore, the control module 5 can switch the state of the three-way valve 3 to the first open state to avoid unnecessary cooling energy consumption.

[0071] When the control module 5 starts the electric heater 22, it can also switch the state of the three-way valve 3 to the second conducting state to provide active heating for the energy storage battery 01 using the electric heater 22. When the control module 5 determines that at least one battery temperature is higher than the seventh temperature threshold, the electric heater 22 is in the off state, and the first water pump 61 is in the on state, where the seventh temperature threshold is greater than the fourth temperature threshold, it indicates that the energy storage battery 01 is experiencing extreme high temperature, and the cooling effect of air cooling alone is insufficient. Therefore, the control module 5 can switch the state of the three-way valve 3 to the second conducting state to provide active cooling for the energy storage battery 01 using the thermal protection module 2. It is understandable that the second conducting state of the three-way valve 3 has higher priority to ensure that the thermal safety of the energy storage battery 01 can be absolutely guaranteed under extreme high / low temperature conditions. Through the intelligent control strategy of the control module 5 controlling the conducting state of the three-way valve 3, it is ensured that the cooling system of the hybrid locomotive can accurately maintain the energy storage module 01 within the optimal operating temperature range under all operating conditions and all climate conditions, thereby improving the cooling efficiency, system energy efficiency, and intelligence level of the hybrid locomotive's cooling system.

[0072] Optional, Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling system of another hybrid locomotive provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 As shown, the thermal protection module 2 also includes a compressor 23, an expansion valve 24, and a condenser 25; the air inlet 251 of the condenser 25 is connected to the outside air, and the compressor 23 and the expansion valve 24 are both located in the refrigerant circulation pipeline between the heat exchanger 21 and the condenser 25.

[0073] Specifically, the thermal protection module 2 also includes a compressor 23, an expansion valve 24, and a condenser 25 to form the refrigerant circulation pipeline in the thermal protection module 2. The compressor 23 provides power for the refrigerant circulation, compressing the low-temperature, low-pressure gaseous refrigerant into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas. The high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant then enters the condenser 25, whose inlet 251 is connected to the outside air, allowing the refrigerant to release heat to the air and condense into a medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid. The medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant continues to be throttled and depressurized by the expansion valve 24, becoming a low-temperature, low-pressure two-phase refrigerant, and flows into the heat exchanger 21. In the heat exchanger 21, the low-temperature refrigerant can efficiently exchange heat with the coolant in the second coolant circulation pipeline of the energy storage module 01, enabling the thermal protection module 2 to provide active cooling for the energy storage module 01. After absorbing heat from the coolant, the low-temperature refrigerant returns to the compressor 23, completing one refrigerant refrigeration cycle.

[0074] Optionally, the control module 5 is also used to control the compressor 23 to start when it is determined that at least one battery module is in a connected state, the three-way valve 3 is in a second open state, and the electric heater 22 is in a closed state.

[0075] Specifically, when control module 5 determines that at least one battery module is in a connected state, three-way valve 3 is in a second conducting state, and electric heater 22 is in a closed state, it indicates that energy storage module 01 needs thermal management. Coolant has already flowed into thermal management module 2 through three-way valve 3, and electric heater 22 has not been activated to actively heat energy storage module 01. Therefore, control module 5 will control compressor 23 to start, allowing heat exchange between the refrigerant and coolant in heat exchanger 22, thereby providing active cooling for energy storage module 01. Furthermore, control module 5 can also control compressor 23 to shut down when it determines that three-way valve 3 is in a first conducting state, thus preventing compressor 23 from being mistakenly started or running idle when there is no actual cooling demand. This ensures that refrigerant cooling from compressor 23 is efficiently delivered to energy storage module 01 each time, improving the active cooling efficiency and energy utilization efficiency of the hybrid vehicle's cooling system.

[0076] Optional, continue to refer to Figure 3 The hybrid locomotive also includes a traction motor 03 and a main generator 04. The cooling system of the hybrid locomotive also includes a traction fan 7. The outlet 252 of the condenser 25 is connected to the inlet 71 of the traction fan 7, and the outlet 72 of the traction fan 7 is connected to the inlet 031 of the traction motor 03 and the inlet 041 of the main generator 04.

[0077] Specifically, the outlet 252 of the condenser 25 is connected to the inlet 71 of the traction fan 7, and the outlet 72 of the traction fan 7 is connected to the inlet 031 of the traction motor 03 and the inlet 041 of the main generator 04. It can be understood that cold air from outside the locomotive first enters the condenser 25, providing cooling for the high-temperature refrigerant and carrying away the condensation heat from the refrigeration cycle. Although the air temperature rises after absorbing heat, it is still far below the allowable intake temperature of the traction motor 03 and the main generator 04. Therefore, the air continues to be drawn into the traction fan 7 through the outlet 252 of the condenser 25 and blown directly onto the traction motor 03 and the main generator 04, achieving air cooling for both. For example, the traction fan 7 can rationally distribute the airflow to the traction fan 03 and the main generator 04 through a flow guide structure design. By reusing the condenser 25, the wind energy utilization efficiency of the hybrid locomotive's cooling system is improved, and the number of air inlets in the vehicle body is reduced, thereby improving the structural strength and airtightness of the vehicle body.

[0078] Optional, continue to refer to Figure 3The cooling system of the hybrid locomotive also includes: a second water pump 62 and a third temperature sensor 63 located at the liquid inlet 021 of the converter module 02; the control module 5 is also used to control the second water pump 62 to turn on when the converter module 02 is in operation; the third temperature sensor 63 is used to acquire the temperature at the liquid inlet of the converter module 02 in real time; the control module 5 is also connected to the third temperature sensor 63; the control module 5 is also used to control the cooling fan 11 to start when the temperature at the liquid inlet of the converter module 02 is higher than the eighth temperature threshold.

[0079] The second water pump 62 is located at the inlet 021 of the converter module 02. Specifically, the second water pump 62 drives the coolant to circulate in the coolant circulation pipe of the converter module 02, thereby achieving air cooling for the converter module 02. The third temperature sensor 63 is located at the inlet 021 of the converter module 02, enabling it to acquire the temperature at the inlet of the converter module 02 in real time and provide it to the control module 5. Specifically, when the control module 5 determines that the converter module 02 is in operation, it controls the second water pump 62 to turn on, ensuring that the coolant in the coolant circulation pipe of the converter module 02 can flow into the converter module 02. When the control module 5 determines that the temperature at the inlet of the converter module 02 is higher than the eighth temperature threshold, it indicates that air cooling is needed for the converter module 02. Therefore, the control module 5 controls the cooling fan 11 to start, preventing the converter module 02 from overheating and ensuring that the cooling fan 11 only operates when air cooling is required, reducing unnecessary power consumption. In addition, when the control module 5 determines that the converter module 02 is in a non-working state, it will control the second water pump 62 to shut down.

[0080] Understandably, by independently and on demand controlling the operating status of the first water pump 61 and the second water pump 62 through the control module 5, the cooling cycle of the energy storage module 01 and the cooling cycle of the converter module 02 are independently driven, further improving the system energy efficiency and intelligence level of the hybrid locomotive.

[0081] Based on the same inventive concept, this invention also provides a hybrid locomotive, which includes at least a frame, an energy storage module disposed within the frame, a converter module, and a cooling system for the hybrid locomotive described above.

[0082] Therefore, the hybrid locomotive provided in this embodiment has the structure and operation of the cooling system of the hybrid locomotive of the above embodiment, and can achieve the effect of the fault diagnosis method of the cooling system of the hybrid locomotive of the above embodiment. The similarities can be referred to the above description, and will not be repeated here.

[0083] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used to reorder, add, or delete steps. For example, the steps described in this invention can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution disclosed in this invention can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.

[0084] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this invention should be included within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A cooling system for a hybrid locomotive, characterized in that, The hybrid locomotive includes an energy storage module and a converter module. The cooling system of the hybrid locomotive includes an air-cooled module, a thermal protection module, a three-way valve, a temperature acquisition module, and a control module. The air-cooled module includes a cooling fan, an energy storage radiator, and a converter radiator; the air outlet of the cooling fan is connected to the air inlet of the energy storage radiator, and the air outlet of the energy storage radiator is connected to the air inlet of the converter radiator. The first outlet of the three-way valve is connected to the inlet of the energy storage radiator, the outlet of the energy storage radiator is connected to the inlet of the energy storage module, and the outlet of the energy storage module is connected to the inlet of the three-way valve. The outlet of the converter radiator is connected to the inlet of the converter module, and the outlet of the converter module is connected to the inlet of the converter radiator. The thermal protection module includes a heat exchanger; the second outlet of the three-way valve is connected to the inlet of the heat exchanger, and the outlet of the heat exchanger is connected to the inlet of the energy storage module. The temperature acquisition module is used to acquire the temperature information of the energy storage module; The control module is connected to the temperature acquisition module; the control module is used to adjust the conduction state of the three-way valve according to the temperature information acquired by the temperature acquisition module.

2. The cooling system of the hybrid locomotive according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thermal protection module also includes an electric heater; The electric heater is positioned between the second liquid outlet of the three-way valve and the liquid inlet of the heat exchanger. The control module is also used to control the electric heater and the heat exchanger to start in a time-sharing manner based on the temperature information collected by the temperature acquisition module.

3. The cooling system of the hybrid locomotive according to claim 2, characterized in that, The energy storage module includes multiple battery modules, and each battery module includes multiple batteries connected in series and / or in parallel; the temperature acquisition module includes multiple first temperature sensors and multiple second temperature sensors. Each of the first temperature sensors is disposed in one of the batteries; the first temperature sensors are used to acquire the temperature of the batteries in real time. Each of the second temperature sensors is correspondingly installed at the liquid inlet of each battery module; the second temperature sensor is used to acquire the temperature at the liquid inlet of the battery module in real time. The control module is also connected to the battery management module of each battery module; the control module is also used to acquire the status signal of each battery module sent by each battery management module, and determine the connection status of each battery module according to the status signal of each battery module. The control module is further configured to control the electric heater to start when it is determined that at least one of the battery modules is in a connected state and the temperature of at least one of the batteries in the connected battery modules is lower than a first temperature threshold. The control module is further configured to control the cooling fan to start when it is determined that at least one of the battery modules is in a connected state and the temperature at at least one liquid inlet of the connected battery module is higher than a second temperature threshold; the second temperature threshold is greater than the first temperature threshold.

4. The cooling system of the hybrid locomotive according to claim 3, characterized in that, Also includes: A first water pump is installed at the liquid inlet of the energy storage module; The control module is also used to control the first water pump to turn on when at least one of the following conditions is met: the electric heater is started, the cooling fan is started, the operating condition of the battery module meets the first preset condition, and the operating condition of the battery module meets the second preset condition. The first preset condition includes at least one of the battery modules being in a connected state, the temperature of each battery in the connected battery module being higher than the temperature of its liquid outlet, and the temperature difference between each battery in the connected battery module being higher than a third temperature threshold. The second preset condition includes at least one of the battery modules being in a connected state, and the temperature of at least one battery in the connected battery module being higher than a fourth temperature threshold; the fourth temperature threshold is greater than the first temperature threshold.

5. The cooling system of the hybrid locomotive according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control module is also used to switch the state of the three-way valve to the first open state when controlling the start of the cooling fan; wherein, when the state of the three-way valve is the first open state, the coolant flows into the air-cooled module through the three-way valve; The control module is also used to switch the state of the three-way valve to the first conducting state when the temperature of each battery is lower than the sixth temperature threshold, and / or when the first water pump is in the off state; the sixth temperature threshold is greater than the first temperature threshold and the sixth temperature threshold is less than the fourth temperature threshold; The control module is also used to switch the state of the three-way valve to the second open state when controlling the electric heater to start; wherein, when the state of the three-way valve is the second open state, the coolant flows into the thermal protection module through the three-way valve; The control module is further configured to switch the state of the three-way valve to a second conducting state when it is determined that at least one of the batteries has a temperature higher than a seventh temperature threshold, the electric heater is in a closed state, and the first water pump is in a closed state; the seventh temperature threshold is greater than the fourth temperature threshold.

6. The cooling system of the hybrid locomotive according to claim 2, characterized in that, The thermal protection module also includes a compressor, an expansion valve, and a condenser; The air inlet of the condenser is connected to the outside air, and the compressor and the expansion valve are both located in the refrigerant circulation pipeline between the heat exchanger and the condenser.

7. The cooling system of the hybrid locomotive according to claim 6, characterized in that, The energy storage module includes multiple battery modules; The control module is also connected to the battery management module of each battery module; the control module is also used to acquire the status signal of each battery module sent by each battery management module, and determine the connection status of each battery module according to the status signal of each battery module. The control module is also used to control the compressor to start when it is determined that at least one of the battery modules is in a connected state, the three-way valve is in a second open state, and the electric heater is in a closed state; wherein, when the state of the three-way valve is the second open state, coolant flows into the thermal protection module through the three-way valve.

8. The cooling system of the hybrid locomotive according to claim 6, characterized in that, The hybrid locomotive also includes a traction motor and a main generator, and the cooling system of the hybrid locomotive also includes a traction fan; The outlet of the condenser is connected to the inlet of the traction fan, and the outlet of the traction fan is connected to the inlet of the traction motor and the inlet of the main generator.

9. The cooling system of the hybrid locomotive according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A second water pump and a third temperature sensor are installed at the inlet of the converter module; The control module is also used to control the second water pump to turn on when the converter module is in working state; The third temperature sensor is used to acquire the temperature at the inlet of the converter module in real time. The control module is also connected to the third temperature sensor; the control module is also used to control the cooling fan to start when the temperature at the liquid inlet of the converter module is higher than the eighth temperature threshold.

10. A hybrid locomotive, characterized in that, It includes at least: a frame, an energy storage module disposed within the frame, a converter module, and a cooling system for the hybrid locomotive as described in any one of claims 1-9.