Rail Vehicle Cooling Air Mass Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rail vehicles experience increased traction power requirements due to unregulated cooling air mass flow, leading to higher power consumption and driving resistance as speed increases, as the air mass flow acceleration results in additional driving resistance that increases quadratically with speed.
Innovation Solution
A control device is implemented to regulate the cooling air mass flow, reducing its intensity below a predetermined speed and adjusting fan speed or switching fans on/off to minimize the sum of component, fan, and traction power consumption, ensuring efficient cooling within the permissible temperature range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the cooling air mass flow is maintained at its predetermined nominal value to ensure sufficient cooling effect, then the component is cooled adequately, but the traction power consumption increases quadratically with driving speed due to additional driving resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the cooling air mass flow variable rather than constant. The control device dynamically adjusts the intensity of the cooling air mass flow based on the actual thermal load of the component and driving speed. At lower driving speeds, the cooling air mass flow is reduced below the nominal value, and at higher speeds, it is increased again, optimizing the balance between cooling effectiveness and traction power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of cooling air mass flow intensity from a fixed nominal value to a variable parameter. The control device modifies this parameter based on measured thermal load and driving speed conditions, thereby adapting the cooling effect to actual requirements and reducing unnecessary power consumption at lower speeds.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the cooling air mass flow intensity is reduced below the nominal value to decrease traction power consumption, then the power requirement is reduced, but the cooling effect may become insufficient for maximum thermal load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control where the control device continuously monitors the actual thermal load of the component and the driving speed. Based on this feedback information, the control device adjusts the cooling air mass flow intensity to match the actual cooling requirements, ensuring sufficient cooling effect while minimizing power consumption. The system increases cooling air mass flow when thermal load approaches maximum levels.
3Ease of operation
If a fixed nominal cooling air mass flow is used for all operating conditions, then the cooling system is simple to operate, but the power consumption increases sharply with increasing driving speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the cooling system to automatically adjust its own operating parameters. The control device autonomously regulates the cooling air mass flow intensity based on measured thermal load and driving speed without requiring manual intervention. This maintains ease of operation while significantly reducing power consumption through adaptive control.
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 reduces the overall power requirement of the rail vehicle, leading to lower installed traction power, reduced weight, and lower production costs, while maintaining effective cooling, especially at higher speeds.
Implementation Method 1
Such coolers are present, for example, as heat exchangers in an air conditioning system or also as cooling fins in a traction converter of a rail vehicle
Implementation Method 2
When rail vehicles are in motion, an air mass flow of the air taken in from the environment, which is provided for cooling purposes, must be accelerated to a speed composed of a driving speed and a through-flow speed or flow-around speed of the cooler
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle having at least one component (K) which, for cooling purposes, is impinged on by a cooling air mass flow delivered by means of at least one delivery device such as a fan (L) or spoiler, for which cooling air mass flow a setpoint value is predetermined which, for an assumed maximum thermal loading of the at least one component (K), provides a cooling action adequate for the operation of said component, wherein a control device (S) is provided for controlling an intensity of the cooling air mass flow and is designed such that the cooling air mass flow is dimensioned, taking into consideration thermal demands of the component (K) at least in an upper driving speed range, such that a sum of a power consumption of the at least one component (K), of the at least one delivery device and of a fraction, allotted to the delivery of the cooling air mass flow, of a traction power of the vehicle is smaller than a sum of the power consumption of the at least one component (K), of the at least one delivery device and of a fraction, allotted to the delivery of the cooling air mass flow at the predetermined setpoint value thereof, of a traction power of the vehicle.