Rail Vehicle Fuel Storage Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rail vehicle fuel storage and supply systems inefficiently use available installation space, particularly in motor train sets with multiple railcars, leaving limited space for additional components.

Innovation Solution

Concentrating fuel storage in a main tank of the first railcar reduces the size of the fuel tank in the second railcar to a small buffer tank, allowing more space for additional driving units, with a fuelling device connecting the main and buffer tanks to manage fuel distribution efficiently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If fuel storage is distributed across multiple railcars with separate fuel tanks, then each railcar can operate independently with adequate fuel supply, but the installation space in each railcar is significantly reduced, limiting the addition of other components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel supply reliabilityVSAvoidinstallation space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The fuel storage system is segmented into a main fuel tank in the first railcar and a buffer fuel tank in the second railcar. The main tank provides bulk storage while the buffer tank ensures continuous supply to the second railcar's fuel consumers. This segmentation allows the second railcar to have reduced fuel tank space while maintaining operational reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A fuelling device acts as an intermediary mechanism between the main fuel tank and the buffer fuel tank. This device transfers fuel from the main tank to the buffer tank, enabling the buffer tank to be smaller in size while still providing adequate fuel supply to the second railcar, thus resolving the space constraint.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a large fuel tank is installed in each railcar to ensure adequate fuel supply, then fuel supply reliability is maintained, but the available installation space for additional components such as driving units is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel supplyVSAvoidspace for additional components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The fuel storage function is segmented between two railcars, with the first railcar housing the main fuel tank and the second railcar housing a smaller buffer fuel tank. This segmentation enables the second railcar to allocate more space to additional components while the main tank in the first railcar ensures overall fuel supply reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fuelling device serves as an intermediary that supplies fuel from the main tank to the buffer tank, allowing the buffer tank to be smaller in size. This reduces the space occupation in the second railcar, thereby increasing adaptability for installing additional driving units or other components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Area of stationary object

If fuel tanks are reduced in size to free up installation space, then more space is available for additional components, but the fuel supply reliability and capacity are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation spaceVSAvoidfuel supply reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The fuel storage system is divided into a main fuel tank in the first railcar and a buffer fuel tank in the second railcar. The main tank provides bulk storage capacity while the buffer tank ensures continuous supply to the second railcar. This segmentation allows reduced tank size in the second railcar without compromising overall fuel supply reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fuelling device acts as an intermediary mechanism that transfers fuel from the main tank to the buffer tank. This enables the buffer tank to be smaller in size while still maintaining adequate fuel supply to the second railcar, thus resolving the contradiction between space reduction and reliability maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 configuration optimizes space usage, enabling the installation of additional driving units in the second railcar while ensuring reliable and fail-safe fuel supply to all railcars, including features like fail-safe modes and excess pressure protection.

Implementation Method 1

A fuelling device (38) connects the main fuel tank (24) to the buffer fuel tank (36)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

fuel storage in a main fuel tank in the first railcar reduces the size of the fuel tank in the second railcar to a small buffer fuel tank

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP2783938B1On board fuel storage and supply in a rail vehicle

Publication Date: 2019.01.16 ALSTOM TRANSPORT TECH SAS

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AI summary

An on board fuel storage and supply system for a rail vehicle (10) with fuel consumers (20, 22, 30, 32, 34), characterised by a main fuel tank (24) adapted to be installed in a first railcar (12) of the rail vehicle (10), a buffer fuel tank (36) adapted to be installed in a second railcar (14) of the rail vehicle (10), and a fuelling device (38) for transferring fuel from the main fuel tank (24) to the buffer fuel tank (36). Preferred application to internal combustion engine rail vehicles with multiple railcars equipped with multiple diesel engines.