PASSENGER TRANSPORT VEHICLE WITH PRESSURE PROTECTION DEVICE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle for the transport of persons according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] A vehicle for the transport of persons is known, comprising at least one air opening that connects an environment of the vehicle, which has an external pressure, with an interior of the vehicle intended for the accommodation of persons, which has an internal pressure, at least one pressure protection flap for opening or closing the air opening, and a pressure protection device for controlling the at least one pressure protection flap. The pressure protection device includes a measuring device for detecting a pressure difference between the external pressure applied to an external pressure port of the measuring device and the internal pressure applied to an internal pressure port of the measuring device, as well as a pressure evaluation device for monitoring the pressure difference values ​​supplied by the measuring device. The pressure evaluation device is designed such that, when the pressure difference reaches a predetermined closing threshold, it initiates a closing and,When the pressure difference reaches a predetermined opening threshold, at least one pressure relief valve opens.

[0003] From DE 102 33 517 A1 a ventilation system with pressure protection system for the interior of a vehicle is known, in which the air exchange with the outside space can be realized even when pressure surges or pressure waves occur on the outer skin of the vehicle.

[0004] Vehicles exposed to high pressure fluctuations, such as rail vehicles entering tunnels, are often equipped with a pressure relief device to improve pressure comfort in the passenger compartment. Such a pressure relief device typically operates passively and comprises a pressure evaluation unit and various pressure relief flaps, for example, at the vehicle's fresh air and / or exhaust air openings.

[0005] The pressure protection device detects critical pressure events, such as a rail vehicle entering a (narrow) tunnel at high speed, and triggers the closure of the pressure protection flaps and thus the associated air vents via a suitable signal. This prevents air from being forced into the vehicle's interior through the air vents connecting the vehicle's surroundings due to the temporarily high external pressure in the vehicle's environment.

[0006] Once the critical pressure event is no longer present, for example after exiting a tunnel, the pressure relief flaps must be reopened, particularly to prevent exceeding a permissible CO2 concentration in the vehicle's interior. Opening the pressure relief flaps is also accomplished by the pressure relief device, specifically through appropriate monitoring of the pressure differential values ​​supplied by the pressure differential measuring device. A control algorithm stored in the pressure evaluation unit analyzes the measured pressure differential values ​​and, once the necessary conditions for opening the pressure relief flaps are met, triggers the opening of the pressure relief flaps and thus the associated air vents.

[0007] The problem with the known pressure relief device is measuring a sufficient pressure difference between the outside and inside pressure when the pressure relief flaps are open to trigger the detection of a critical pressure event, without negatively affecting the detection of the flaps reopening. This results in the pressure relief device either not triggering at all, triggering too late, or triggering too frequently (e.g., even when rail vehicles meet on open track). If the pressure relief device is optimized to ensure reliable detection of the flaps closing, problems often arise when they reopen, frequently leading to the flaps being forcibly opened for fresh air intakes due to excessively high CO2 concentrations in the vehicle interior. This significantly reduces pressure comfort in the vehicle interior.

[0008] Document CN 105 539 476 A concerns a vehicle of the type.

[0009] Based on this, the invention aims to further develop the vehicle of the type mentioned above in such a way that critical pressure events can be better represented, resulting in a significant reduction in false triggering of the pressure protection flaps without significantly negatively affecting the reopening of the pressure protection flaps.

[0010] This task is solved in the vehicle described at the beginning by the characterizing features of the claim. 1.

[0011] According to the invention, the pressure protection device is designed such that, when at least one pressure protection flap is open, the pressure difference between the external pressure and a reference internal pressure provided by a reference device is calculated at the measuring device. The reference device simulates the internal pressure behavior of the vehicle when the pressure protection flap is closed.

[0012] As a result, when the pressure relief flap is open, the pressure difference is not calculated from the outside pressure and the actual inside pressure of the vehicle. Rather, the pressure difference results from the outside pressure and a reference inside pressure provided by a reference device.

[0013] The reference device simulates the vehicle's internal pressure behavior with the pressure relief flaps closed. This offers the advantage that, compared to the state of the art, significantly higher pressure differentials can be measured at the measuring device while the pressure relief flap is still open. This, in turn, allows for better adjustment of the pressure evaluation system's control algorithm and largely prevents false detections of critical pressure events. Furthermore, compared to the state of the art, pressure comfort in the vehicle interior can be considerably improved, while simultaneously maintaining high air quality (low CO2 concentrations).

[0014] Preferably, the reference device for simulating the interior pressure comprises an external air connection that is connected to the vehicle's environment, an air reservoir for simulating the vehicle's interior, and a throttle valve for simulating an interior leak. One side of the air reservoir is fluidically connected to the external connection via the throttle valve, and the other side of the air reservoir is connected to the interior pressure connection of the measuring device. A key aspect for simulating the pressure conditions in the vehicle's interior is the simulation of the interior leak. The throttle valve used for this purpose is preferably adjustable to simulate the interior leak as realistically as possible.

[0015] Preferably, the throttle valve is designed as a capillary whose effective length and / or effective diameter is adjustable. Changing the effective length of the capillary, and thus increasing its flow resistance, can therefore produce different leakage rates for the vehicle's interior.

[0016] To prevent contamination from the vehicle's surroundings, a filter can be provided between the throttle valve and the external air connection.

[0017] Preferably, the capillary is adjustable in both its inner diameter and length to achieve a desired seal or to realistically simulate a leak in the vehicle's interior. An inner diameter of 0.13–0.75 mm and a total length of 2–30 cm are preferred.

[0018] Using a capillary tube for the throttle valve has the advantage that a defined leakage area can be made very small in order to achieve typical so-called "Tau values" (pressure tightness) of essentially pressure-tight rail vehicles. It should be noted that the size of the leakage area depends on the size of the air reservoir. The size of the reservoir is limited by the rather confined space available, for example, in a rail vehicle.

[0019] To implement the function of reopening at least one pressure relief valve, it is preferable not to use the reference device that is used when the pressure relief valve is open to provide a simulated value for the vehicle's internal pressure. If the reference device were also used when the pressure relief valve is closed, the problem would arise that internal pressure equalization could no longer occur when the pressure relief valve is closed. This would prevent accurate detection of the pressure relief valve reopening.

[0020] Therefore, it is preferred that the internal pressure connection of the measuring device is connected to the interior of the vehicle via a switchable solenoid valve and that the pressure evaluation device is designed such that, when the at least one pressure protection flap is closed, it opens the solenoid valve, so that the pressure difference between the external pressure and the actual internal pressure in the interior of the vehicle is formed at the measuring device.

[0021] To improve the acoustic properties of the pressure relief device, it is advantageous to place a silencer between the solenoid valve and the interior of the vehicle.

[0022] The term "air opening" as used in this description refers to any opening that connects the vehicle's surroundings to the vehicle's interior via airflow. Therefore, an air opening could be, for example, a fresh air intake through which fresh air is drawn in for a vehicle's air conditioning system. It could also be an exhaust air intake through which exhaust air from the vehicle's interior is discharged into the vehicle's surroundings.

[0023] Preferably, the vehicle is equipped with several pressure relief flaps, each assigned to a different air opening, which are jointly controlled by the pressure relief device via a control line. For example, an external pressure measurement can be taken for the right and left sides of the vehicle, with each side being equipped with a pressure relief device of the type described above.

[0024] In contrast, it is also possible that each air opening is assigned its own individual pressure relief device.

[0025] The pressure protection device can be used independently of commercially available fresh and exhaust air systems and their control algorithms, and can therefore be used across various vehicle projects where a pressure protection system is required. In particular, the reference unit for simulating the interior pressure consists of only a few components and is easy to maintain. Installation and removal are simple. This enables an efficient increase in pressure comfort at a low cost.

[0026] The external pressure connection of the measuring device on one side of the vehicle can preferably be fluidically connected to an external pressure connection of a measuring device on the other side of the vehicle via a connecting line.

[0027] An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings, wherein functionally identical components are designated by the same reference numerals. The drawings show: Figure 1 is a schematic circuit diagram of a pressure protection device for a vehicle, and Figure 2 is a schematic side view of the pressure protection device. Figure 1 .

[0028] Figure 1 illustrates a pressure protection device, with a right side of the Figure 1 a right side and a left side of the Figure 1The pressure protection system is assigned to the left side of a passenger vehicle. This vehicle can be, in particular, a rail vehicle, such as a high-speed train. The central element of the pressure protection system is a pressure evaluation unit 1, common to both sides of the vehicle. Its function is to detect critical pressure events, such as those that occur when a high-speed train enters a tunnel, where the external pressure of the vehicle increases abruptly. To prevent pressure surges into the passenger compartment I of the vehicle, the pressure evaluation unit 1 controls pressure protection flaps 2. These pressure protection flaps 2 are each assigned to air openings in the vehicle that allow air exchange between the vehicle's surroundings U and the passenger compartment I.For example, the air vents include fresh air vents, through which fresh air is typically drawn in for the vehicle's air conditioning system, and exhaust air vents, through which air from the interior (I) is expelled from the vehicle. All of these air vents must be closed in the event of a critical pressure event.

[0029] To detect a critical pressure event, the pressure evaluation unit 1 is connected in the present embodiment with two measuring devices 3, which can be designed as differential pressure sensors and transmit currently measured differential pressure values ​​to the pressure evaluation unit 1, which is used jointly by both sides of the vehicle, via signal lines 4.

[0030] On the open road, the pressure protection flaps 2 are open, so that a climate control system provided for in the vehicle, which includes the air conditioning system, various air ducts, supply and exhaust fans, can operate in normal operation.

[0031] On open track with the pressure relief flaps 2 fully open, the pressure relief device operates as follows: On each side of the vehicle, the measuring device 3 is connected to the vehicle's environment U via an external pressure connection 5. A reference device 7, comprising an air reservoir 8, an adjustable throttle valve 9, and a filter 10, is arranged between an internal pressure connection 6 of the measuring device 3 and the vehicle's environment U. The air reservoir 8, which simulates the interior I, is connected on one side to the internal pressure connection 6 of the measuring device 3 via lines 11 and 17, while the other side of the air reservoir 8 is connected to the environment U via the throttle valve 9 and the filter 10. The adjustable throttle valve 9 simulates a typical leakage from the interior I, while the filter 10 serves to keep contaminants originating from the vehicle's environment U away from the throttle valve 9.The throttle valve 9 is preferably designed as a capillary adjustable in length and / or diameter, so that it can replicate very low leakage values, such as those found in modern high-speed trains, which are essentially pressure-tight. As a result, the differential pressure values ​​supplied by the measuring device 3 with the pressure relief flaps 2 open are based on the actual external pressure present in the vehicle's environment U and an internal pressure simulated by the reference device 7 under the boundary condition that the pressure relief flaps 2 are closed. This allows the measurement of higher differential pressures when the pressure relief flaps are (still) open. 2.

[0032] Upon entering a tunnel, the differential pressure values ​​measured by the measuring device 3 rise sharply, causing a predefined closing threshold for the pressure relief flaps 2 to be reached. This is detected by the pressure evaluation unit 1, which triggers the closing of the pressure relief flaps 2 on both sides of the vehicle. With the detection of this critical pressure event, the value for the internal pressure at the internal pressure connection, which is used in the differential pressure measurement, changes. 6.An electrical control line 12 opens solenoid valves 13 assigned to each side of the vehicle. These solenoid valves 13 have an interior connection 14 assigned to the interior I, which is fluidically connected to the interior I via a silencer 15. A connection 16 of the solenoid valves 13 facing away from the interior I is connected both directly to the air reservoir 8 via lines 19 and 11, and to the interior pressure connection 6 of the measuring device 3 via lines 19 and 17. Therefore, when the solenoid valve 13 is open, the actual pressure present in the interior I is applied to the interior connection 6, so that the pressure differential value supplied by the measuring device 3 is based on the actual external pressure in the environment U of the vehicle and the actual internal pressure in the interior I of the vehicle.

[0033] As pressure equalization progresses, the pressure differential values ​​supplied by the measuring device 3 decrease. When a predetermined opening threshold for the pressure differential is reached, the pressure evaluation unit 1 triggers the opening of the pressure protection damper 2 and automatically closes the solenoid valves 13 via the electrical control line 12.

[0034] In a modified embodiment of the invention, the external pressure connection 5 of the measuring device 3 can be accessed on one side of the vehicle via a Figure 1 The connecting line 18 shown is fluidically connected to the external pressure connection 5 of the measuring device 3 on the other side of the vehicle. Since this compensates for one-sided pressure events (such as a train passing on an open track) and thus prevents false triggering of the pressure evaluation unit 1, a measuring device 3 can be eliminated or provided as a redundant unit.

[0035] It should be emphasized that, as demonstrated by Figure 1 As described, the pressure evaluation device 1 can be designed to control several pressure relief dampers 2. However, it is also possible that a separate pressure evaluation device 1 is provided for each individual pressure relief damper, regardless of the type of air opening between the environment U and the interior I to which it is assigned.

[0036] Figure 2 shows a part of the based on Figure 1The pressure protection device is described in its spatial configuration. The air reservoir 8 is located in a central position, one side of which is connected to the vehicle's environment U via the throttle valve 9 and the filter 10. The other side of the air reservoir 8 is connected to the internal pressure port 6 of the measuring device 3 via line 11. Furthermore, this latter side of the air reservoir 8 is fluidically connected to the solenoid valve 13 via line 19.

[0037] Of particular note is the design of the throttle valve 9 as a capillary. The inner diameter and length of the capillary 9 are selected depending on the volume of the air reservoir 8 used, such that the leakage area per volume corresponds to the behavior of the actual volume of the interior of the vehicle I with the characteristic leakage areas when the pressure relief flaps 2 are closed.

Claims

1. Vehicle for passenger transport, having at least one air opening which connects an environment (U) of the vehicle, which has an external pressure, to an interior (I) of the vehicle which has an internal pressure and is provided for accommodating passengers, at least one pressure protection flap (2) for opening or closing the air opening, and a pressure protection facility for controlling the at least one pressure protection flap (2), wherein the pressure protection facility has a measuring apparatus (3) for detecting a pressure differential between the external pressure prevailing at an external pressure connection (5) of the measuring apparatus (3) and the internal pressure prevailing at an internal pressure connection (6) of the measuring apparatus (3) and a pressure evaluation facility (1) for monitoring the pressure differential values supplied by the measuring apparatus (3), wherein the pressure evaluation facility (1) is designed such that, when the pressure differential reaches a predetermined closing threshold value, it triggers the closing of the at least one pressure protection flap (2) and, when the pressure differential reaches a predetermined opening threshold value, it triggers the opening of the at least one pressure protection flap (2), characterised in that the pressure protection facility is designed in such a way that, when the at least one pressure protection flap (2) is open, the pressure differential is formed at the measuring apparatus (3) from the external pressure and a reference internal pressure that is already provided by a reference apparatus (7) which simulates the internal pressure behaviour of the vehicle when the pressure protection flap (2) is closed.

2. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterised in that the reference apparatus (7) comprises an external air connection, which is connected to the environment (U) of the vehicle, for simulating the internal pressure, an air reservoir (8) for simulating the interior (I) and a throttle valve (9) for simulating a leakage of the interior (I), wherein one side of the air reservoir (8) is connected via the throttle valve (9) to the external air connection and the other side of the air reservoir (8) is connected to the internal pressure connection (6) of the measuring apparatus (3).

3. Vehicle according to claim 2, characterised in that a filter (10) is arranged between the throttle valve (9) and the external air connection.

4. Vehicle according to one of claims 2 to 3, characterised in that the throttle valve (9) is designed as a capillary that is adjustable in its effective length and / or in its effective inner diameter, wherein preferably an inner diameter of 0.13 - 0.75 mm with a total length of 2 - 30 cm is to be selected.

5. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the inner pressure connection (6) of the measuring apparatus (3) is connected to the interior (I) of the vehicle via a switchable solenoid valve (13) and the pressure evaluation facility (1) is designed in such a way that it opens the solenoid valve (13) when the at least one pressure protection flap (2) is closed, so that the pressure differential is formed at the measuring apparatus (3) from the external pressure and the actual internal pressure in the interior (I) of the vehicle.

6. Vehicle according to claim 5, characterised in that a sound damper (15) is arranged between the solenoid valve (13) and the interior (I) of the vehicle.

7. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the air opening is designed as a fresh air opening or an exhaust air opening.

8. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that multiple pressure protection flaps (2) which are each assigned to different air openings of the vehicle are provided and are jointly controlled by the pressure protection facility via a control line (12).

9. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the external pressure connection (5) of the measuring apparatus (3) on one vehicle side is connected in terms of flow via a connecting line (18) to an external pressure connection (5) of a measuring apparatus (3) on the other side of the vehicle.