TRANSFORMER FOR USE IN A RAIL VEHICLE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a transformer for use in a rail vehicle and / or for railway applications, comprising a core which is at least partially surrounded by at least one coil.

[0002] Conventional traction transformers typically use a core composed of several laminated cores. This creates multiple joints and connections. If four laminated cores are used, four joints and connections are typically present. The core laminations used to manufacture the core are stacked into packages and nested within each other.

[0003] In this context, the geometry of a coil is determined by the geometry of the winding former. A round winding former results in a substantially round coil, while a square winding former results in a more square coil. Conventionally available traction transformers typically have round or approximately rectangular geometries, with the specific geometry closely related to the manufacturing process used. However, in certain applications, a more round or approximately rectangular geometry can be disadvantageous.

[0004] DE 10 2014 223 797 A1 discloses a core for a transformer or a choke. The core has at least a first region and a second region. The first region consists of an electrical sheet, and the second region consists of a powder composite material.

[0005] From DE 11 2012 004 738 T5, a reactor is known that comprises a coil and a magnetic core. The coil includes a rotating portion formed by spirally winding a wire whose conductor is a rectangular wire, and pull-out portions in which the wire is pulled out from the rotating portion. The magnetic core is arranged inside and outside the coil to form a closed magnetic path. At least a portion of the outer periphery of each pull-out portion is formed from a composite material comprising a magnetic powder substance and resin. The reactor further includes a resin molding portion covering the outer periphery of the rotating portion and at least a portion of the pull-out portions to maintain the shape of the coil.In each corner portion of the resin molding portion, which covers the corresponding corner portions of the wire at each extraction portion, the outer peripheral surface that contacts the outer core portion is formed by a curved surface. When the bending radius of the outer peripheral surface of the corner portion is greater than 0.5 mm, the bending radius is greater than 0.5 mm.

[0006] WO 2007 / 133399 A2 discloses electromagnetic assemblies, core segments that form them, and methods for their manufacture. The segments interlock, allowing a multitude of assemblies to be manufactured from a very small number of similar or complementary segments in a manner that provides excellent mechanical stability. The articles and manufacturing methods offer design flexibility and enable a wide variety of patterns from a small number of primary shapes, represent an economical manufacturing process for large transformer and inductor cores, and improve the uniformity of the magnetic properties of the assemblies compared to conventional methods.

[0007] DE 10 2011 086 940 A1 discloses a choke coil for installation in a power converter. In the choke coil, an induction component is housed in a housing to be filled with a molding resin. The choke coil is composed of a coil, which is a winding of a wire conductor, a core, inside which a magnetic path is formed, and an insulating coil support, which positions and engages a wire-wound part of the coil. An inner bottom surface of the housing has a plurality of surfaces with no fewer than two different heights, with an outer bottom of the housing as a reference surface, wherein the lower end surface of the core is in contact with one of the inner bottom surfaces of the housing, excluding the lowest inner bottom surface.As a result, the choke coil is suitable for vehicle-mounted application and to achieve lower product variation, longer service life, shorter operation time and lower cost.

[0008] The invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a transformer in which the geometry of a coil can be selected as variably as possible.

[0009] According to the invention, the above object is achieved by a transformer having the features of patent claim 1.

[0010] According to this, the transformer mentioned at the outset is characterized in that the core is made of individual segments, wherein the total cross-sectional area of ​​the core is greater than or equal to the sum of the individual cross-sectional areas of the segments and wherein at least two individual cross-sectional areas differ in their size and / or their geometric shape from one another and / or from the total cross-sectional area.

[0011] According to the invention, it was first recognized that special requirements are placed on a transformer for railway applications, namely requirements regarding its weight, its mechanical properties and the geometry of its housing.

[0012] It has been recognized that these requirements can essentially be met if the core of the transformer is suitably designed in terms of its weight, mechanical properties and geometry.

[0013] It has also been recognized that there is a need for a special core for transformers for railway applications, since cores that are also used in transformers in industrial plants are typically used for these applications.

[0014] Finally, the invention has recognized that by modifying the total cross-sectional area of ​​the core, both the coils and the housing can be easily modified and adapted to railway applications. The geometries of the coil cross-sectional areas can be easily adapted to the geometry of the housing. This allows the transformer to be designed more compactly than before. A more compact transformer can cover wider voltage and power ranges.

[0015] The segments are advantageously designed as core lamination stacks. A core can thus be manufactured in the conventional manner. Core lamination stacks with different or identical cross-sectional areas can be used to create the overall cross-sectional area of ​​the core in a puzzle-like or mosaic-like configuration. This allows for overall cross-sectional areas that deviate from regular rectangular or square surfaces and feature bulges or indentations.

[0016] With this in mind, a single cross-sectional surface preferably exhibits the geometry of a square, a rectangle, a trapezoid, a segment of a circle, or another geometric surface with at least one straight side. Such segments are particularly well-suited to connecting with other segments with straight sides.

[0017] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, an individual cross-sectional area exhibits the geometry of a circle, an ellipse, an oval, or another geometric surface with a curved border. This allows the overall cross-sectional areas of a core to be manufactured with bulges or curves.

[0018] Advantageously, a coil cross-sectional area, in addition to rounded areas where the winding undergoes a change in direction, has at least one slanted side that is inclined toward at least two parallel sides. This allows a coil to be arranged under a slope, in particular a sloping roof of a rail vehicle.

[0019] Advantageously, a housing encloses the core and at least two coils. This protects the coils and core from unauthorized access.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the housing has a cross-sectional area that is trapezoidal in shape, at least in sections. This allows the housing to be fitted into a rail vehicle or a track profile.

[0021] Preferably, a rail vehicle comprises a transformer of the type described here. This allows a compact and powerful transformer to be used in railway applications.

[0022] The transformer is preferably designed as a traction transformer.

[0023] In the drawing show Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a conventionally manufactured transformer for railway applications with two coils, the core of which each has a rectangular total cross-sectional area, wherein the coils have a substantially rectangular coil cross-sectional area and wherein the corner regions of the coil cross-sectional areas are designed as round regions, Fig. 2 shows a transformer wherein the geometries of the coil cross-sectional areas of its coils are adapted to the dimensions of a railway profile, and Fig. 3 is a schematic sectional view of core lamination stacks, wherein, by way of example, two total cross-sectional areas of cores are manufactured by adding or combining core lamination stacks with different individual cross-sectional areas or dimensions.

[0024] Fig. 1 shows a state-of-the-art transformer whose external dimensions are determined by a track profile.

[0025] Fig. 2shows a transformer 1 for use in a rail vehicle and / or for railway applications, comprising a core 2 which is at least partially surrounded by at least one coil 3.

[0026] The core 2 is made of individual segments, whereby the total cross-sectional area 2c of the core is larger than the sum of the individual cross-sectional areas 2a, 2b of the segments.

[0027] These segments are in terms of their individual cross-sectional areas 2a, 2b in the upper part of Fig. 3 shown.

[0028] The two individual cross-sectional areas 2a, 2b differ in size from each other, i.e., they differ in size. Their areas are different sizes.

[0029] The two individual cross-sectional surfaces 2a, 2b also differ in their geometric shape and therefore also differ in their geometry. Although both individual cross-sectional surfaces 2a, 2b each exhibit the geometry of a rectangle, the sides of the two depicted rectangles have different length ratios. A more elongated rectangle is shown on the left, while a more compact rectangle is shown on the right.

[0030] The two individual cross-sectional areas 2a, 2b also differ in their geometric shape from the overall cross-sectional area 2c, which is hexagonal, has a stepped indentation and is not rectangular.

[0031] The segments are designed as core lamination stacks. These form core 2.

[0032] Fig. 3 shows that three individual cross-sectional surfaces 2a, 2b, 2ab each show the geometry of a rectangle.

[0033] Fig. 2shows that a coil cross-sectional area 3a has, in addition to three round areas 6 in which the winding undergoes a change of direction by 90°, at least one oblique side 7 which is inclined to at least two parallel sides 5a, 5b.

[0034] A housing 8 surrounds the core 2 and at least two coils 3, 4 that surround the core 2. The housing 8 has a cross-sectional area 8a that is trapezoidal in some sections, namely in the upper section of the housing 8.

[0035] In the lower section of the housing 8, a useful space 9 is shown schematically, which, due to the design of the core 2, is different from the design of the prior art according to Fig. 2 can be won.

[0036] Two, three, or more than three segments can be used to construct core 2. The segments can be connected to each other in the usual way.

[0037] The total cross-sectional area 2c and the individual cross-sectional areas 2a, 2b are oriented orthogonally to the direction of the magnetic flux through the core 2 and / or to the longitudinal axis of a coil 3, 4.

[0038] A rail vehicle not shown includes transformer 1. List of reference symbols

[0039] 1, 1'Transformer 2, 2'Core of 1, 1' 2aIndividual cross-sectional area 2bIndividual cross-sectional area 2abIndividual cross-sectional area 2cTotal cross-sectional area 2dTotal cross-sectional area 3Coil 3aCoil cross-sectional area 4Further coil 5aLower parallel side of 3a 5boUpper parallel side of 3a 6Circular area of ​​3a 7Sloping side of 3a 8, 8'Housing 8aHousing cross-sectional area 9Usable space

Claims

1. Transformer (1) for use in a rail vehicle and / or for rail applications, comprising a core (2) which is at least partially surrounded by at least one coil (3, 4), wherein the portion surrounded by the coil forms a winding form, wherein the core (2) is made of individual segments at least in the portion of the winding form, where a total cross-sectional area (2c, 2d) of the core (2) and individual cross-sectional areas (2a, 2b, 2ab) of the segments are oriented orthogonally to the direction of the magnetic flux through the core (2) and / or to the longitudinal axis of the coil (3, 4), wherein the total cross-sectional area (2c, 2d) of the core (2) is equal to the sum of the individual cross-sectional areas (2a, 2b, 2ab) of the segments at least in the portion of the winding form, and wherein at least two individual cross-sectional areas (2a, 2b, 2ab) of the segments differ in their size and / or their geometric shape from one other and from the total cross-sectional area (2c, 2d).

2. Transformer according to Claim 1, characterized in that the segments are designed as core sheet bundles.

3. Transformer according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a single cross-sectional area (2a, 2b, 2ab) of a segment has the geometry of a square, a rectangle, a trapezium, a circle segment or another geometric area with at least one straight side.

4. Transformer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a single cross-sectional area of a segment has the geometry of a circle, an ellipse, an oval or another geometric area having a curved border.

5. Transformer according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a coil cross-sectional area (3a) is substantially determined by the total cross-sectional area (2c) of the winding form, and characterized in that the coil cross-sectional area (3a) has at least one oblique side (7) inclined to at least two parallel sides (5a, 5b) in addition to round regions (6) in which the winding experiences a change in direction.

6. Transformer assembly having a transformer according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a housing (8) comprises the core (2) and at least two coils (3, 4).

7. Transformer assembly according to Claim 6, characterized in that the housing (8) has a housing cross-sectional area (8a) which is at least partially trapezoidal in design.

8. Rail vehicle comprising a transformer (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 5, or a transformer assembly according to one of Claims 6 and 7.