Rail Vehicle Power Management System for Standby Battery Preservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Locomotives and vehicles face challenges in managing power distribution during standby conditions, leading to battery dissipation and increased fuel consumption, as existing systems fail to efficiently shut off power-hungry applications and preserve battery state of charge.
Innovation Solution
A power management system that selectively disconnects power from battery-side applications, uses modular power supplies with control logic to distribute power at different voltage levels, and integrates battery-saving devices to prolong operation, allowing targeted shutdowns based on rule sets to preserve battery charge and prevent data loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If applications and appliances remain active during standby condition, then operational readiness is maintained, but battery dissipation increases and state of charge decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments applications into priority groups (first priority, second priority, third priority) and selectively shuts off power to lower-priority applications during standby conditions while maintaining power to higher-priority applications. This segmentation allows the system to maintain essential operational readiness while reducing battery dissipation from non-critical loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The power management system performs preliminary shutdown of lower-priority applications before the battery state of charge drops to critical levels. By proactively managing power distribution and shutting off applications in advance, the system prevents battery exhaustion while maintaining operational readiness of critical functions.
2Use of energy by moving object
If engine is shut off during standby condition, then fuel consumption is reduced, but power-hungry applications may drain the battery
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and removes power from lower-priority applications during standby conditions by opening the knife switch to disconnect the battery from the power source and selectively shutting off power to non-essential applications. This extraction of power from specific loads prevents battery charge depletion while the engine remains shut off to conserve fuel.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational state of applications by transitioning them from an active power-consuming state to an inactive state during standby conditions. By dynamically adjusting which applications remain powered based on priority levels and battery state of charge parameters, the system reduces overall power consumption while maintaining essential functions.
3Loss of energy
If power is systematically shut off to applications during standby, then battery state of charge is preserved, but applications may lose data if not properly shut down
Solution Approach 1:
The power management system provides preliminary notification to applications before shutting off power, allowing applications to perform data preservation and orderly shutdown procedures. By initiating the shutdown sequence in advance rather than abrupt power cutoff, the system preserves battery charge while preventing data loss in applications that can respond to shutdown signals.
Data Source
AI summary
A rail vehicle system and a method for managing distribution of power in the rail vehicle system are provided.