Drive control means

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling the drive of a rail vehicle. In the process, at least one first rail vehicle of a number of interlinked rail vehicles provides information relating to the slip of the first rail vehicle, wherein the information relating to the slip of the first rail vehicle relates to a route portion currently being travelled on. A second rail vehicle of the number of interlinked rail vehicles receives, for the same route portion, the information relating to the slip of the first rail vehicle. The second rail vehicle evaluates the received information for the route portion currently being travelled on and uses the information to set its own slip and to implement said slip on the rail in the route portion being travelled on.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Drive control

[0003] The invention relates to a method for a drive control system for a rail vehicle.

[0004] Introduction and State of the Art

[0005] Rail vehicles, especially locomotives, have a drive control system that is optimized, for example, to ensure that the rail vehicle achieves the highest possible tractive force in relation to a rail being traveled on, or that it can convert the highest possible tractive force onto the rail.

[0006] The drive control system reacts to the current friction between a wheel of the rail vehicle and the rail it is traveling on. This friction depends on the wheel-rail system and its properties, as well as other factors, including environmental conditions and weather.

[0007] Because the friction currently present is difficult to determine, so-called "slip-controlled" drive systems or concepts have become established in rail transport.

[0008] A slip-controlled drive system ensures that the wheel neither locks nor spins freely in relation to the rail. This enables safe operation with acceptable driving and braking force while maintaining acceptable wear.

[0009] The term "slip" refers to a relative movement between a wheel surface and a rail surface.

[0010] The amount of slip largely determines which driving or braking force can be transmitted to the wheel-rail system.

[0011] A so-called ideal slip, i.e., the slip at which the greatest driving or braking force can be transmitted, depends on: a driving force or braking force acting on the wheel-rail system, the speed of the rail vehicle, environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, rain, snow, ice, etc.) along a section of track, ambient conditions (gradient, etc.) along the section of track, properties of the wheel-rail system, etc.

[0012] The slip-controlled drive system (i.e., a drive system with variable slip and the goal of determining an optimal slip) varies the friction between wheel and rail via the slip in such a way that optimized frictional forces acting on the wheel-rail system are applied at a slip considered ideal.

[0013] With an ideal slip, there is maximum friction between the wheel and the rail - meaning that a higher driving or braking force cannot be applied under the given environmental conditions.

[0014] The drive control with variable slip and the aim of determining an optimal slip selects an ideal slip for the currently prevailing conditions, for example, so that the rail vehicle converts a maximum tractive force or braking force onto the rail being traveled.

[0015] However, other control strategies are also conceivable, for example finding or setting the lowest possible slip at a given driving force or braking force.

[0016] In addition to rail vehicles that have such slip-controlled drive systems, rail vehicles without slip-controlled drive systems are also known and in operation.

[0017] In these rail vehicles, the tractive effort and braking force are adjusted manually, i.e., by a train driver. Both wear and tear and optimized operation of the rail vehicle therefore depend on the driver's experience.

[0018] Other strategies for controlling the drive also exist; for example, control based on the speed change of the drive is known.

[0019] In summary, slip-controlled drive with variable slip and determination of the optimal slip achieves maximum tractive forces. The challenge lies in determining the ideal slip for the given conditions. Task

[0020] The object of the invention described below is to provide a method for optimized drive control.

[0021] This problem is solved by the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0022] Description of the invention

[0023] The invention relates to a method for a drive control system for a rail vehicle.

[0024] Of a number of interconnected rail vehicles, one rail vehicle provides information about its slippage, with this information relating to a currently traveled section of track.

[0025] The specified slip of the first rail vehicle may, for example, be a slip currently used by the first rail vehicle, a slip considered optimal by the first rail vehicle in which, with regard to a given control objective, a frictional force acting on the wheel-rail system is applied in an optimized manner (e.g., optimized in terms of wear, abrasion, service life, etc.), or a slip considered ideal by the first rail vehicle in which there is maximum friction between wheel and rail, so that under the given environmental conditions no higher driving or braking force can be applied to the wheel-rail system.

[0026] The second rail vehicle evaluates this slip data for the currently traveled section of track and uses this information to determine a (current / ideal / optimal) slip for itself.

[0027] In a beneficial training course, the following information is exchanged in addition to the slippage:

[0028] - Information on the drive control system used by the rail vehicle and, if applicable, the associated parameters, - Information on the current speed of the rail vehicle,

[0029] - Information on the desired force (tractive force or braking force) that the rail vehicle is to implement,

[0030] - Information on the weight of the rail vehicle or the weight of a train of which the rail vehicle is a part,

[0031] - Information on the available (maximum) traction power of the rail vehicle (e.g. by specifying an available overhead line voltage and / or by specifying characteristics of the wheel-rail system),

[0032] - Information on the available (maximum) braking performance of the rail vehicle (e.g. by specifying the characteristics of the wheel-rail system),

[0033] - Information on weather and environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, rain, snow, ice, etc.) along the section of road traveled,

[0034] - Indication of environmental conditions (gradient, etc.) along the section of the route travelled,

[0035] - Information on the properties of the wheel-rail system,

[0036] - Information on the position of the rail vehicle (e.g., via GPS data obtained by the rail vehicle), etc.

[0037] In a beneficial training course, the information is exchanged using an internet-based cloud.

[0038] In a supplementary or optional advanced training course, the data is exchanged directly between rail vehicles on the same section of track.

[0039] In an advantageous further development process, the cloud determines an ideal slip value for the second rail vehicle for the track section, taking into account the information provided by the first rail vehicle, and transfers this value to the second rail vehicle.

[0040] In an advantageous further development process, the second rail vehicle applies the transferred slip and subsequently transmits the above-mentioned and now updated information back to the cloud.

[0041] Based on this and updated information from the first rail vehicle, the cloud determines another slip value deemed ideal for the second rail vehicle and sends it to the second rail vehicle. This process is repeated step by step until an optimized slip value is set for the second rail vehicle.

[0042] In an advantageous further training, rail vehicles that use a slip-controlled drive system are networked together in order to optimize the process across the large number of participating rail vehicles.

[0043] Advantages:

[0044] The present invention enables an improved slip setting for rail vehicles that have a slip-controlled drive system.

[0045] The present invention enables a rail vehicle to exert a higher tractive force than was previously possible.

[0046] The present invention provides an improved database for adjusting the self-slip. This database is all the more effective the more rail vehicles provide relevant data or participate in the method according to the invention.

[0047] Character description:

[0048] The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of a drawing. The single figure, FIG 1, shows a flowchart of the present invention.

[0049] In a first step, S1, one of a number of interconnected rail vehicles provides information about its current slip. This slip data is based on the current track section being traveled.

[0050] In a second step, S2 receives information about the current slip of the first rail vehicle for the same section of track, based on the number of interconnected rail vehicles.

[0051] In a third step S3, the second rail vehicle evaluates the received information for the currently traveled section of track and uses this information to set a slip for itself for a maximum force (tractive force or braking force) and to implement this on the rail of the traveled section of track.

[0052] In other words, the second rail vehicle varies its own slip based on the received information until it applies maximum force to the rail of the track section it is traveling on.

[0053] The information exchanged in steps S1 to S3 described above includes, for example:

[0054] - Information on the slippage of the rail vehicle,

[0055] - Information on a drive control system used by the rail vehicle and, if applicable, the associated parameters,

[0056] - Information on the current speed of the rail vehicle,

[0057] - Information on the desired tractive or braking force that the rail vehicle is to implement,

[0058] - Information on the weight of the rail vehicle or the weight of a train of which the rail vehicle is a part,

[0059] - Information on the available traction power of the rail vehicle,

[0060] - Information on the available braking power of the rail vehicle,

[0061] - Information on weather and / or environmental conditions along the section of road traveled,

[0062] - Description of environmental conditions along the section of road travelled,

[0063] - Information on the characteristics of the wheel-rail system of the rail vehicle, and / or

[0064] - Information on the position of the rail vehicle.

[0065] The information described in steps S1 to S3 is either exchanged between the rail vehicles using an internet-based cloud or - alternatively or additionally - directly between the rail vehicles of the same track section.

[0066] The cloud determines an ideal slip value for the second rail vehicle for the section of track, taking into account the information provided by the first rail vehicle, and transfers this value to the second rail vehicle.

[0067] The second rail vehicle applies the transmitted slip value and subsequently transmits the aforementioned, now updated, data back to the cloud. Based on this and on updated data from the first rail vehicle, the cloud determines another slip value deemed ideal for the second rail vehicle and sends this value to the second rail vehicle.

[0068] This procedure is repeated step by step until an optimized slip is set for the second rail vehicle.

[0069] The information described in steps S1 to S3 is preferably exchanged between rail vehicles that use a slip-controlled drive system.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Method for a drive control system of a rail vehicle, - in which, of a number of interconnected rail vehicles, at least one first rail vehicle provides information on its slippage, the information relating to a currently traveled section of track, - where, depending on the number of interconnected rail vehicles, a second rail vehicle receives the slip information for the same section of track, - in which the second rail vehicle evaluates the received information for the currently traveled section of track and uses this information to set a slip for itself and to implement this on the rail of the traveled section of track.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the slip of the first rail vehicle is specified as an indication - a slipway currently used by the first rail vehicle is provided, and / or - a slip deemed optimal by the first rail vehicle is provided, in which a frictional force acting on the wheel-rail system is optimally applied with respect to a predetermined control objective, and / or - a slip rate considered ideal by the first rail vehicle is provided, in which there is maximum friction between wheel and rail, so that under the given environmental conditions no higher driving or braking force can be applied to the wheel-rail system.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the following details is provided in addition to the slip: - Information on a drive control system used by the rail vehicle and, if applicable, the associated parameters, - Information on the current speed of the rail vehicle, - Information on the desired tractive or braking force that the rail vehicle is to implement, - Information on the weight of the rail vehicle or the weight of a train of which the rail vehicle is a part, - Information on the available traction power of the rail vehicle, - Information on the available braking power of the rail vehicle, - Information on weather and / or environmental conditions along the section of road traveled, - Description of environmental conditions along the section of road travelled, - Information on the characteristics of the wheel-rail system of the rail vehicle, and / or - Information on the position of the rail vehicle.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the information is exchanged between the rail vehicles using an internet-based cloud.

5. Method according to claim 4, - where, taking into account the information provided by the first rail vehicle, the cloud determines an ideal slip for the second rail vehicle for the section of track and transfers it to the second rail vehicle, - where the second rail vehicle applies the transferred slip and subsequently reports updated information back to the cloud, - where, based on this and on updated information from the first rail vehicle, the cloud determines a further slip value deemed ideal for the second rail vehicle and sends this value to the second rail vehicle, - in which this procedure is repeated step by step until an optimized slip is set on the second rail vehicle.

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the information is exchanged directly between the rail vehicles of the same track section.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein rail vehicles using a slip-controlled drive system are networked together for the purpose of exchanging slip data.

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