Self-Powered Tender Car for Locomotive Fuel Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueled locomotives face inefficiencies due to the high energy required for storage, compression, vaporization, and transportation, which burdens the main engine and affects fuel efficiency and power availability.
Innovation Solution
A tender car equipped with a motor that converts kinetic energy into electric power to drive a fuel pump, reducing the energy load on the main engine by powering the fuel pump and enabling self-propulsion, thus alleviating the burden on the main engine for LNG storage and distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the main engine powers the fuel pump for LNG storage and distribution, then the fuel pump can operate to supply LNG, but the energy consumption of the main engine increases and fuel efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The tender car is equipped with its own motor that converts kinetic energy to electrical power to drive the fuel pump, allowing the tender car to serve itself and reduce the energy burden on the main engine. The motor generates electrical power when the wheel is rotated, and this power is used to drive the fuel pump independently.
2Ease of operation
If the main engine powers all ancillary equipment including fuel pump, then all equipment can operate, but the engine power availability for propulsion decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The power system is segmented into two independent sources: the main engine for propulsion and the tender car's motor for ancillary equipment. This segmentation allows the main engine to focus on propulsion while the tender car's motor handles fuel pump operations, improving overall power availability and efficiency.
3Loss of energy
If kinetic energy is not recovered during braking, then the braking system is simple, but energy is wasted and fuel efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The motor converts the kinetic energy that would normally be lost during braking into useful electrical power. When the tender car brakes, the motor acts as a generator, converting kinetic energy to electrical power that can be stored and used to drive the fuel pump, turning energy waste into a beneficial resource.
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
The tender car improves fuel efficiency and engine power availability by reducing the energy burden on the main engine, allowing for efficient storage, compression, and transportation of LNG, and enabling the locomotive to conserve energy through dynamic braking and stored electric power.
Implementation Method 1
a motor operatively connected to the wheel and configured to generate electric power when the wheel is rotated
Implementation Method 2
a fuel pump mounted to the frame and configured to pump the liquefied gaseous fuel from the tank. The fuel pump may be driven by electric power generated by the motor
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure is directed to a tender car for a consist. The tender car may have a frame, a truck configured to support the frame, and a wheel rotatably connected to the truck. The tender car may also have a motor operatively connected to the wheel and configured to generate electric power when the wheel is rotated. The tender car may further have a tank mounted to the frame and configured to hold a liquefied gaseous fuel, and a fuel pump mounted to the frame and configured to pump the liquefied gaseous fuel from the tank. The fuel pump may be driven by electric power generated by the motor.