Rail Vehicle Air Conditioning Overpressure Engine Compartment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rail vehicle air conditioning systems fail to sufficiently reduce the failure rate of electrical and electronic components in the engine compartment due to contamination and moisture, and using multiple air conditioning units increases manufacturing costs.

Innovation Solution

A rail vehicle air conditioning system that generates overpressure in the engine compartment by introducing filtered and cooled air from the driver's cab, minimizing impurities and moisture entry, using a combination of air guidance systems, filtering devices, and air handling devices to maintain a slight overpressure within the engine compartment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If multiple air conditioning units are used to cool the engine compartment and driver's cab, then the cooling effect is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling effectVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The air conditioning unit in the driver's cab is designed to perform dual functions: cooling the driver's cab interior and cooling the engine compartment. This is achieved by routing cooled air from the driver's cab through conduits into the engine compartment, eliminating the need for a separate dedicated engine compartment cooling unit and thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining effective cooling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the cooling functions of the driver's cab and engine compartment into a single air conditioning unit system. The cooled air generated for the driver's cab is subsequently directed through conduits to also cool the engine compartment, combining two cooling functions into one integrated system to reduce overall system complexity and manufacturing cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Temperature

If fresh air is continuously introduced into the engine compartment, then the cooling effect is improved, but the contamination and moisture increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling effectVSAvoidcontamination and moisture

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The driver's cab interior acts as an intermediary chamber between the external environment and the engine compartment. Fresh air is first introduced into the driver's cab where it is cooled and filtered, then this conditioned air is routed through conduits into the engine compartment. This intermediary approach ensures that only clean, cool air enters the engine compartment, preventing contamination and moisture while maintaining cooling effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If air is directed precisely onto components to be cooled, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the complexity of the conduit system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidconduit system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The air conditioning system uses a universal cooling approach where cooled air from the driver's cab is routed through conduits to cool multiple components in the engine compartment simultaneously. Rather than designing separate precise air delivery systems for each component, the system uses a single multi-functional air routing approach that efficiently cools various components through strategic conduit placement, balancing cooling efficiency with system simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach optimizes the failure safety of engine compartment components by reducing impurity and moisture entry, while maintaining a clean and dry environment, and minimizing air flow into the compartment, thus extending equipment lifespan and reducing maintenance costs.

Implementation Method 1

generating an overpressure in a preferably adjacent engine compartment at the same time

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOverpressure generation: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

a second air guidance system to transmit at least part of the fresh air introduced into the at least one driver's cab into the engine compartment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAir flow: Convection

Implementation Method 3

filtering devices, and air handling devices to maintain a slight overpressure within the engine compartment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 4

air conditioning system intended to control the climate of at least one driver's cab

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCooling: Cooling

Data Source

PatentUS10518787B2Rail vehicle comprising an engine compartment and at least one driver's cab, and method for generating overpressure in the engine compartment

Publication Date: 2019.12.31 BOMBARDIER TRANSPORTATION GMBH

AI summary

In order to optimize the failure safety of electrical and electronic components located in an engine compartment of a rail vehicle, which additionally comprises at least one driver's cab, the rail vehicle is operated with an air conditioning system, which is provided to generate overpressure in the engine compartment and to control the climate of the at least one driver's cab. The air conditioning system includes a first air guidance system to introduce fresh air into the at least one driver's cab and a second air guidance system to transmit at least one part of the fresh air introduced into the at least one driver's cab into the engine compartment.