Compressor system for a rail vehicle and method for operating the compressor system with safe emergency operation

Abstract

A rail vehicle compressor system and method for controlling the same use a compressor driven by an electrical machine via a drive shaft, to produce compressed air for at least one compressed air tank, wherein the electrical machine can be activated at least indirectly via a control device for operating the electrical machine at at least one nominal speed between a maximum speed and a minimum speed, wherein at least one pressure sensor determines the pressure for the control device and is disposed in a compressed-air-carrying line downstream of the compressor. A final control element continuously influences the speed of the electrical machine and can be activated via the control device, and wherein a pressure switch for monitoring the pressure in the at least one compressed air tank and for influencing at least the speed of the electrical machine is disposed in the compressed-air-carrying line downstream of the compressor.

1 . A compressor system for a rail vehicle, the compressor system comprising:
 at least on compressed-air vessel;   an electric machine;   a drive shaft;   a compressor which is driven by the electric machine via the drive shaft and which generates compressed air for the at least one compressed-air vessel;   a regulation device which at least indirectly controls the electric machine for operation of the electric machine at at least a rated rotational speed between a maximum rotational speed and a minimum rotational speed;   a compressed air-conducting line arranged downstream of the compressor and including at least one pressure sensor for determining the pressure for the regulation device;   an electric supply; and   an actuator arranged between the electrical supply and the electric machine, wherein the actuator continuously manipulates the rotational speed of the electric machine and is controlled by the regulation device; and   a pressure switch arranged in the compressed air-conducting line downstream of the compressor for monitoring pressure in the at least one compressed-air vessel and for manipulation of at least the rotational speed of the electric machine.   
     
     
         2 . The compressor system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure switch is operatively connected to the regulation device to indirectly manipulate the rotational speed of the electric machine. 
     
     
         3 . The compressor system of  claim 1 , further comprising an isolating switch connected downstream of the actuator for separating the regulation device and the actuator from the electric machine. 
     
     
         4 . The compressor system of  claim 3 , wherein the pressure switch is connected to the isolating switch via an interposed control logic unit. 
     
     
         5 . The compressor system of  claim 1 , wherein the regulation device at least indirectly controls a cooler unit which is arranged downstream of the compressor and which has a cooler fan, wherein a rotational speed of the cooler fan is continuously adjustable by the regulation device. 
     
     
         6 . The compressor system of  claim 2  wherein the compressor is operated with a variable rotational speed which assumes any intermediate value between the maximum rotational speed and the minimum rotational speed, wherein the pressure switch monitors the pressure in the at least one compressed-air vessel and indirectly manipulates at least the rotational speed of the electric machine. 
     
     
         7 . The compressor system of  claim 6 , wherein, when the minimum pressure in the at least one compressed-air vessel is reached, the control logic unit receives from the pressure switch a signal for triggering the isolating switch and separating of the regulation device and the actuator from the electric machine, wherein the compressor is operated, via the isolating switch, with the rated rotational speed until the deactivation pressure is reached. 
     
     
         8 . The compressor system of  claim 6 , wherein, when the minimum pressure in the at least one compressed-air vessel is reached, the regulation device receives from the pressure switch a signal for triggering the actuator to operate the compressor at at least the rated rotational speed until the deactivation pressure is reached. 
     
     
         9 . The compressor system of  claim 6 , wherein, after the pressure of the at least one compressed-air vessel has fallen to the minimum pressure at least twice, the electric machine is operated with intermittent alternation between at least the rotational speed when the pressure falls to the minimum pressure and deactivation of the compressor when the deactivation pressure is reached. 
     
     
         10 . A method for controlling a compressor system for a rail vehicle, the method comprising:
 driving a compressor by an electric machine via a drive shaft to generate compressed air for the at least one compressed-air vessel;   at least indirectly controlling, using a regulation device, the electric machine to operate at at least a rated rotational speed between a maximum rotational speed and a minimum rotational speed;   determining pressure for the regulation device using at least one pressure sensor located in a compressed air-conducting line arranged downstream of the compressor;   continuously manipulating the rotational speed of the electric machine using an actuator arranged between an electrical supply and the electric machine, wherein the actuator continuously manipulates the rotational speed of the electric machine and is controlled by the regulation device; and   monitoring pressure in the at least one compressed-air vessel using a pressure switch arranged in the compressed air-conducting line downstream of the compressor and using the monitored pressure to control manipulation of at least the rotational speed of the electric machine.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the pressure switch is operatively connected to the regulation device to indirectly manipulate the rotational speed of the electric machine. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein an isolating switch is connected downstream of the actuator to separate the regulation device and the actuator from the electric machine. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the pressure switch is connected to the isolating switch via an interposed control logic unit. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the regulation device at least indirectly controls a cooler unit which is arranged downstream of the compressor and which has a cooler fan, wherein a rotational speed of the cooler fan is continuously adjustable by the regulation device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the compressor is operated with a variable rotational speed which assumes any intermediate value between the maximum rotational speed and the minimum rotational speed, wherein the pressure switch monitors the pressure in the at least one compressed-air vessel and indirectly manipulates at least the rotational speed of the electric machine. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein, when the minimum pressure in the at least one compressed-air vessel is reached, the control logic unit receives from the pressure switch a signal for triggering the isolating switch and separating of the regulation device and the actuator from the electric machine, wherein the compressor is operated, via the isolating switch, with the rated rotational speed until the deactivation pressure is reached. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein, when the minimum pressure in the at least one compressed-air vessel is reached, the regulation device receives from the pressure switch a signal for triggering the actuator to operate the compressor at at least the rated rotational speed until the deactivation pressure is reached. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein, after the pressure of the at least one compressed-air vessel has fallen to the minimum pressure at least twice, the electric machine is operated with intermittent alternation between at least the rotational speed when the pressure falls to the minimum pressure and deactivation of the compressor when the deactivation pressure is reached.