Dual Redundant Control Monitoring Unit for Rail Vehicle Safety
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rail vehicle monitoring and control systems lack redundancy, which can lead to safety issues during unstable operation or damper failures, particularly in high-speed trains, as they rely on a single combined control and monitoring device for data processing and do not adequately address interoperability standards for safety.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a dual redundant system with two combined control and monitoring devices connected via a device bus, each equipped with multiple sensors on separate bogies, ensuring that both sensors and electronic devices are redundant, enhancing safety by providing multiple signal pathways and data processing units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single combined control and monitoring device is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability decreases due to lack of redundancy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a redundant control and monitoring system where a second combined control and monitoring device (SG/ÜG 2, control unit SG 2, monitoring device ÜG 2) is introduced as a copy of the first device (SG/ÜG 1, control unit SG 1, monitoring device ÜG 1). This copying approach ensures that if one device fails, the other can take over, thereby improving reliability without significantly increasing operational complexity since both devices perform identical functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for potential failures by establishing redundant control and monitoring devices in advance. The devices are configured to monitor each other and can take over control functions before an actual failure occurs, providing a safety buffer that prevents system shutdown due to single-point failures.
2Reliability
If redundant sensors and electronic devices are implemented, then the reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the control and monitoring functions into separate, independent modules: control units (SG 1, SG 2), monitoring devices (ÜG 1, ÜG 2), and sensor groups on each bogie. This segmentation allows each component to be independently tested, maintained, and replaced, reducing the overall system complexity despite the presence of redundancy.
Solution Approach 2:
The combined control and monitoring devices are designed to perform multiple functions: they control brake devices, monitor running gear, process sensor data from multiple bogies, and can take over each other's functions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
3Reliability
If multiple signal pathways are provided through device bus connections, then the reliability improves through redundancy, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device bus serves as an intermediary communication network that connects the two combined control and monitoring devices. This standardized bus system provides a structured way for the devices to exchange data and control signals, simplifying the management of multiple signal pathways compared to point-to-point connections.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (48, 48') for a rail vehicle (1), said device comprising a control apparatus (SE), which has an electronic control unit (SG.1) and a first rotational speed sensor (57), and comprising a monitoring apparatus (ÜE), which has an electronic monitoring unit (ÜG.1), a first temperature sensor (73), and a first acceleration sensor (49), wherein the one electronic control unit (SG.1) and the one electronic monitoring unit (ÜG.1) are combined to form a structural unit, which forms a combined control and monitoring unit (SG/ÜG.1), and wherein the first sensors (57, 73, 49) are arranged on a first bogie (5) of a car (3) of the rail vehicle (1) and output first signals (n.1.1, T.1a.1, ay.Ü1.1) to the combined control and monitoring unit (SG/ÜG.1), and wherein the control apparatus (SE) has an additional second rotational speed sensor (62) and the monitoring apparatus (ÜE) has an additional second temperature sensor (78) and an additional second acceleration sensor (52), wherein the additional second sensors (62, 78, 52) are arranged on an additional bogie (6) of the one car (3) and output additional second signals (n.2.2, 25 T.2a.2, ay.Ü2.2). In order to improve the device in regard to the control function and/or the monitoring function of the device, the control apparatus (SE), according to the invention, has an additional electronic control unit (SG.2) and an additional electronic monitoring unit (ÜG.2), which are combined to form an additional structural unit, which forms an additional combined control and monitoring unit (SG/ÜG.2), wherein the additional second sensors (62, 78, 52) output the additional second signals (n.2.2, T.2a.2, ay.Ü2.2) of the additional second sensors to the additional combined control and monitoring unit (SG/ÜG.2).