Cabless hybrid locomotive

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a hybrid locomotive that can operate in a multitude of operational modes, including a slug operating mode, an energy storage operating mode, a B-locomotive operating mode, an independent operating mode, and a power source operating mode, and/or can provide electrical energy to an external power distribution system, such as a power grid, catenary, and third rail.

1 . A method. comprising: 
 (a) providing a locomotive, the locomotive comprising a plurality of axles, each connected to a plurality of wheels, an energy storage unit for storing electrical energy, and a generator for providing electrical energy to the energy storage unit;    (b) electrically connecting the locomotive to an external power distribution system, the external power distribution system providing electrical energy to at least one electrical device external to the locomotive; and    (c) at least one of the energy storage unit and generator providing electrical energy to the external power distribution system.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the locomotive further includes a plurality of traction motors connected to and driving the plurality of axles and a power conditioning unit for matching the electrical energy output by the at least one of the energy storage unit and generator to the power distribution system.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the external power distribution system comprises at least one of a catenary and a third rail for powering other locomotives.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the energy storage unit provides electrical energy to the external power distribution system and wherein the external power distribution system is a power grid.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein, during the providing step (c), the at least one of the energy storage unit and generator is in an switched state, wherein, in the switched state, the at least one of the energy storage unit and generator is disconnected from the plurality of traction motors and, in the unswitched state, the at least one of the energy storage unit and generator is connected to the plurality of traction motors.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the locomotive further includes a dynamic braking resistance grid system and wherein, in the switched state, the dynamic braking resistance grid system is disconnected from the energy storage unit and, in the unswitched state, the dynamic braking resistance grid system is connected to the energy storage unit.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the energy storage unit is at least one of a battery pack, a capacitor bank, a compressed air storage system, and a flywheel, wherein a power rating of the generator ranges from about 100 to about 2,500 kW, and wherein the energy storage unit has a storage capacity ranging from about 500 to about 2,500 kW-hrs.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the locomotive further includes a power conversion unit electrically connected to both the generator and energy storage unit, wherein the power conversion unit is electrically connected to the energy storage unit by a bus, and wherein electrical energy is provided by the energy storage unit to the traction motors by the bus, and wherein at least one of a chopper circuit and inverter drives the traction motors.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the power conditioning unit is an inverter and a transformer.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the power conditioning unit is a buck/boost circuit.  
     
     
         11 . A locomotive. comprising: 
 a plurality of axles, each connected to a plurality of wheels;    an energy storage unit for storing electrical energy;    a plurality of traction motors driving the plurality of axles; and    a generator for providing electrical energy to the energy storage unit, wherein, in a switched state, at least one of the energy storage unit and generator is disconnected from the plurality of traction motors and connected to an external power distribution system and, in an unswitched state, the at least one of the energy storage unit and generator is connected to the plurality of traction motors and disconnected from the external power distribution system, whereby, when in the switched state the at least one of the energy storage unit and generator provides electrical energy to the external power distribution system.    
     
     
         12 . The locomotive of  claim 11 , wherein the locomotive further includes a power conditioning unit for matching the electrical energy output by the at least one of the energy storage unit and generator to the power distribution system.  
     
     
         13 . The locomotive of  claim 11 , wherein the external power distribution system comprises at least one of a catenary and third rail for powering other locomotives.  
     
     
         14 . The locomotive of  claim 11 , wherein the energy storage unit provides electrical energy to an external power grid.  
     
     
         15 . The locomotive of  claim 11 , wherein the locomotive further includes a dynamic braking resistance grid system and wherein, in the switched state, the dynamic braking resistance grid system is disconnected from the energy storage unit and, in the unswitched state, the dynamic braking resistance grid system is connected to the energy storage unit.  
     
     
         16 . The locomotive of  claim 11 , wherein the energy storage unit is at least one of a battery pack, a capacitor bank, a compressed air storage system, and a flywheel, wherein a power rating of the generator ranges from about 100 to about 2,500 kW, and wherein the energy storage unit has a storage capacity ranging from about 500 to about 2,500 kW-hrs.  
     
     
         17 . The locomotive of  claim 1 , wherein the locomotive further includes a power conversion unit electrically connected to both the generator and energy storage unit, wherein the power conversion unit is electrically connected to the energy storage unit by a bus, and wherein electrical energy is provided by the energy storage unit to the traction motors by the bus, and wherein at least one of a chopper circuit and inverter drives the traction motors.  
     
     
         18 . The locomotive of  claim 12 , wherein, if the electrical energy provided to the power distribution system is alternating current, the power conditioning unit is an inverter and transformer and, if the electrical energy provided to the power distribution system is direct current, the power conditioning unit is a buck/boost circuit.  
     
     
         19 . In a consist comprising a plurality of members interconnected by a direct current power bus for exchanging electrical energy, at least one of the members being a locomotive, the locomotive comprising a plurality of axles, each axle connected to a plurality of wheels, an energy storage unit for storing electrical energy, a generator for providing electrical energy to the energy storage unit, and a plurality of traction motors for receiving electrical energy from at least one of the energy storage unit and generator and driving the plurality of axles, a method comprising: 
 monitoring, for the locomotive, at least the voltage of and/or current to and/or from the energy storage unit, the output volts and/or current of the generator, and the current to and/or from and/or revolutions-per-minute of one or more of the traction motors; and    for the locomotive, using the results of the monitoring step to select from among at least one of the following discrete operational modes: 
 in a first operational mode, powering the plurality of traction motors of the locomotive using predominantly electrical energy from one or more other members of the consist, wherein, in the first operational mode, the locomotive stores more energy in the energy storage unit than is being removed from the energy storage unit and electrical energy is not being provided by the locomotive to another consist member;  
 in a second operational mode, powering the plurality of traction motors of the locomotive using predominantly electrical energy from the locomotive's energy storage unit and/or generator, wherein, in the second operational mode, the amount of electrical energy stored in the locomotive's electrical storage unit is less than the amount of electrical energy removed from the locomotive's energy storage unit and electrical energy is not being provided by the locomotive to another consist member;  
 in a third operational mode, storing electrical energy in the locomotive's energy storage unit, wherein, in the third operational mode, at least most of the electrical energy being stored in the energy storage unit is received from one or more other consist members and the amount of electrical energy stored in the energy storage unit is greater than the amount of electrical energy removed from the energy storage unit and electrical energy is not being provided by the locomotive to another consist member;  
 in a fourth operational mode, storing electrical energy in the locomotive's energy storage unit, wherein, in the fourth operational mode, at least most of the electrical energy being stored in the energy storage unit is received from the locomotive's generator and/or regenerative braking of at least one of the locomotive's plurality of traction motors and the amount of electrical energy stored in the locomotive's electrical storage unit is greater than the amount of electrical energy removed from the locomotive's energy storage unit and electrical energy is not being provided by the locomotive to another consist member;  
 in a fifth operational mode, the locomotive dissipating electrical energy through dynamic braking, wherein, in the fifth operational mode, neither the generator nor energy storage unit powers the traction motors and wherein the energy storage unit does not receive and store additional electrical energy and electrical energy is not being provided by the locomotive to another consist member; and  
 in a sixth operational mode, providing energy from at least one of the locomotive's electrical storage unit, generator and traction motor in braking mode to one or more other consist members, wherein, in the sixth operational mode, the selected locomotive is removing more energy from the selected locomotive's energy storage unit than is being stored in the selected locomotive's energy storage unit.  
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the consist comprises a plurality of locomotives and, during a selected time interval, a first locomotive in the consist is in the first operational mode and a second locomotive in the consist is in the sixth operational mode.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the consist comprises a plurality of different locomotives and a plurality of the locomotives are, at a selected time, in a plurality of different ones of the operational modes.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein at least some of the locomotives are separated by haulage cars and wherein the common power bus is supported by the haulage cars.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first operational mode is selected when a charge in the electrical storage unit of the locomotive is less than a first selected threshold, a charge in the electrical storage unit of one or more other consist members is greater than a second selected threshold, and an amount of electrical energy being provided to the locomotive's plurality of traction motors exceeds an amount of electrical energy output by the generator.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the second operational mode is selected when a charge in the electrical storage unit of the locomotive is greater than a selected threshold and the electrical energy required by the locomotive's plurality of traction motors is less than a selected electrical energy threshold, the selected energy threshold being related to an available amount of electrical energy from the locomotive's energy storage unit and generator.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the third operational mode is selected when a charge in the electrical storage unit of the locomotive is less than a first selected threshold and a charge in the electrical storage unit of one or more other consist members is greater than a second selected threshold.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the fourth operational mode is selected when a charge in the electrical storage unit of the locomotive is less than a selected threshold.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the fifth operational mode is selected when a charge in the electrical storage unit of the locomotive is greater than a selected threshold.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the sixth operational mode is selected when a charge in the electrical storage unit of the one or more other consist members is less than a first selected threshold, a charge in the electrical storage unit of locomotive is greater than a second selected threshold, and an amount of electrical energy being provided to the one or more other consist member's traction motors exceeds an amount of electrical energy output by the generator of the one or more other consist members.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of consist members convert electrical energy from alternating current for powering traction motors to direct current for storage and transportation over the power bus and vice versa.  
     
     
         30 . A method for operating a locomotive, comprising: 
 (a) providing at least a first locomotive, the first locomotive comprising a plurality of axles, each connected to a plurality of wheels, an energy storage unit for storing electrical energy, a generator for providing electrical energy to the energy storage unit, and a plurality of traction motors for receiving electrical energy from at least one of the energy storage unit and generator and driving the plurality of axles; and    (b) an operator selecting from among at least three of the following discrete operational modes: 
 (i) in a slug operating mode, the first locomotive is a member of a consist and the plurality of traction motors of the first locomotive are powered using predominantly electrical energy from another consist member, wherein, in the slug operating mode, more electrical energy is provided to the first locomotive's traction motors than is stored in the first locomotive's energy storage unit;  
 (ii) in an energy storage operating mode, the first locomotive is a member of the consist and electrical energy is stored in the energy storage unit, wherein, in the energy storage operating mode, at least a portion of the stored electrical energy is received by at least one of regenerative braking of the first locomotive and consist member, and more electrical energy is stored in the first locomotive's energy storage unit than is provided to the first locomotive's traction motors;  
 (iii) in a B-locomotive operating mode, the first locomotive is a member of the consist and electrical energy provided by the first locomotive's energy storage unit and/or generator is at least one of stored and consumed, wherein, in the B-locomotive operating mode, the first locomotive is a member of the consist and the amount of electrical energy provided by the first locomotive's energy storage unit and/or generator is greater than an amount of electrical energy received from another locomotive;  
 (iv) in an independent operating mode, electrical energy provided by the first locomotive's energy storage unit and/or generator is at least one of stored and consumed, wherein, in the independent operating mode, the first locomotive is a not member of a consist; and  
 (v) in a power source operating mode, electrical energy is provided to an external power distribution system that supplies electrical energy to one or more electrical devices, wherein, in the power source operating mode, at least most of the electrical energy provided by the first locomotive's storage unit and/or generator is provided to the external power distribution system.  
   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the operator selects from among all of the operating modes (i)-(v).  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the operator selects the slug operating mode (i).  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the locomotive consist, in the absence of the operator selecting the slug operating mode (i), has insufficient tractive surface to avoid wheel slip and/or skid.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the operator selects the energy storage mode (ii).  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the operator selects the B-locomotive operating mode (iii).  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein, in the B-locomotive operating mode (iii), the first locomotive is under the control of an A-locomotive.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the operator selects the independent operating mode (iv).  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the first locomotive is remote controlled by the operator.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the operator selects the power source operating mode (v).  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the external power distribution system is at least one of a catenary and a third rail and the one or more electrical devices is another locomotive.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the external power distribution system is a power grid.