Hybrid energy power management system and method

Claim 2

The hybrid energy locomotive system of claim 1 wherein the electrical energy capture system (204) is in electrical communication with the electric

Claim 3

A hybrid energy locomotive system for propelling a consist on a track, said system comprising: an engine (102); a power converter (104) driven by the engine for providing primary electric power; a traction bus (122) coupled to the power converter (104) and carrying the primary electric power; a locomotive traction system (124) coupled to the traction bus (122), said locomotive traction system (124) having a motoring mode and a dynamic braking mode, said locomotive traction system (124) propelling the consist in response to the primary electric power in the motoring mode and said locomotive traction system (124) generating electricity in the dynamic braking mode; and an energy storage system (109) selectively capturing the electricity generated by the locomotive traction system (124) in the dynamic braking mode and selectively transferring a first portion of the captured electricity to the locomotive traction system (124) to augment the primary electric power in the motoring mode.

Claim 4

An energy tender for use in connection with a hybrid energy locomotive system propelling a train, said train including a locomotive, an engine (102), a power converter (104) driven by the engine (102) for providing primary electric power, a traction bus (122) coupled to the power converter (104) and carrying the primary electric power, and a locomotive traction system (124) coupled to the traction bus (122), said locomotive traction system (124) having a motoring mode and a dynamic braking mode, said locomotive traction system (124) propelling the train in response to the primary electric power in the motoring mode and said locomotive traction system (124) generating electrical energy in the dynamic braking mode, the energy tender comprising: an energy tender vehicle (202) coupled to the locomotive; an electrical energy storage system (204) selectively capturing the electrical energy generated by the locomotive traction system (124) in the dynamic braking mode, said electrical energy storage system (204) selectively transferring a first portion of the captured electrical energy to the locomotive traction system (124) to augment the primary electric power in the motoring mode; an energy tender converter electrically coupled to the energy storage system (204) wherein the energy storage system selectively transfers a second portion of the captured electricity to the energy tender converter said energy tender converter being responsive to the transferred second portion of the captured electricity to provide energy tender drive power; and an energy tender traction system (208) associated with the energy tender vehicle (202), said energy tender traction system (208) being electrically coupled to the energy tender converter and propelling the energy tender vehicle (202) in response to the energy tender drive power.

Claim 5

A hybrid energy locomotive system for propelling a train on a track, said system comprising: an engine (102); a power converter (104) driven by the engine (102) for providing primary electric power; a traction bus (122) coupled to the power converter (104) and carrying the primary electric power; a locomotive traction system (124) coupled to the traction bus (122), said locomotive traction system (124) having a motoring mode and a dynamic braking mode, said locomotive traction system (124) propelling the train in response to the primary electric power in the motoring mode and said locomotive traction system (124) generating electrical energy in the dynamic braking mode; an electrical energy storage system (204) coupled to the traction bus (122) selectively captures the electrical energy generated by the locomotive traction system (124) in the dynamic braking mode and selectively transfers a first portion of the captured electrical energy to the traction bus (122) to augment the primary electric power; and an energy tender vehicle (202) coupled to the locomotive and housing the energy storage system (204).

Claim 6

An energy tender, other than a locomotive, for use with a train consist, said consist including a diesel-electric locomotive having locomotive engine (102) driving a locomotive power converter (104) for supplying a prime mover electric power, said energy tender comprising: an energy tender vehicle (202) having a plurality of energy tender wheels; a traction motor system (208) for driving one of the plurality of energy tender wheels in response to electric input power, said traction motor system (208) having a dynamic braking mode of operation generating electrical energy in the form of electricity; an energy capture system (204) on the energy tender vehicle (202) and in electrical communication with the traction motor system (208), said energy capture system (204) selectively storing electrical energy generated in the dynamic braking mode; and an energy converter system selectively providing tender electric power from the electrical energy stored by the energy capture system (204), said tender electric power being supplied to the traction motor system (208) to selectively provide at least part of the electric input power for driving the plurality of energy tender wheels.

Claim 7

A diesel-electric locomotive system comprising: a locomotive having an engine (102); a power converter (104) driven by the engine (102) providing primary electric power; a traction bus (122) coupled to the power converter (104) and carrying the primary electric power; a first inverter drive (106A) coupled to the traction bus (122) and receiving the primary electric power; a first traction motor (108A) coupled to the first inverter drive (106A), said first traction motor (108A) having a dynamic braking mode of operation and a motoring mode of operation, said first traction motor (108A) generating dynamic braking electrical power which is returned to the traction bus (122) when operating in the dynamic braking mode, said first traction motor (108A) propelling the locomotive in response to the primary electric power when operating in the motoring mode; a second inverter drive (1106F) coupled to the traction bus (122) and receiving the primary electric power; a second traction motor (1108F) coupled to the second inverter drive (1106F); and a hybrid energy system, said hybrid energy system comprising: an energy storage device (1102) providing secondary electric power; a transfer switch (1104) having first and second connection states, said first connection state connecting the second inverter drive (1106F) to the second traction motor (1108F) and said second connection state connecting the energy storage device (1102) to the second inverter drive (1106F); and a switch controller (1120) controlling the connection state of the transfer switch (1104), wherein when the first traction motor (108A) is in the dynamic braking mode of operation and the switch controller (1120) places the transfer switch (1104) in the second connection state, the second inverter drive (1106F) transfers a portion of the dynamic braking electrical power to the energy storage device (1102) for storage, such that the secondary electric power is derived from the portion of the dynamic braking electrical power stored in the energy storage device (1102).

Claim 8

A retrofit system for modifying a diesel-electric locomotive system to operate as a hybrid energy locomotive system, said diesel-electric locomotive system including a locomotive having an engine (102), a power converter (104) driven by the engine (102) providing primary electric power, a traction bus (122) coupled to the power converter (104) and carrying the primary electric power, a first inverter drive (106A) coupled to the traction bus (122) and receiving the primary electric power, a first traction motor (108A) coupled to the first inverter drive (106A), said first traction motor (108A) having a dynamic braking mode of operation and a motoring mode of operation, said first traction motor (108A) generating dynamic braking electrical power which is returned to the traction bus (122) when operating in the dynamic braking mode, said first traction motor (108A) propelling the locomotive in response to the primary electric power when operating in the motoring mode, the diesel-electric locomotive system also including a second inverter drive (1106F) coupled to the traction bus (122) and receiving the primary electric power, and a second traction motor (1108F) coupled to the second inverter drive (1106F), the retrofit system comprising: an energy storage device (1102) providing secondary electric power; a transfer switch )1104) having first and second connection states, said first connection state connecting the second inverter drive (1106F) to the second traction motor (1108F) and said second connection state connecting the energy storage device (1102) to the second inverter drive (1106F); and a switch controller (1120) controlling the connection state of the transfer switch (1104), wherein when the first traction motor (108A) is in the dynamic braking mode of operation and the switch controller (1120) places the transfer switch (1104) in the second connection state, the second inverter drive (1106F) transfers a portion of the dynamic braking electrical power to the energy storage device (1102) for storage such that the secondary electric power is derived from the portion of the dynamic braking electrical power stored in the energy storage device (1102).

Claim 9

A hybrid energy system for propelling an off-highway vehicle traversing a known course, said system comprising: an engine (102); a power converter (104) driven by the engine (102) for providing primary electric power; a traction motor system (124) receiving the primary electric power, said traction motor system propelling the off-highway vehicle in response to the received primary electric power, said traction motor system having a dynamic braking mode of operation generating electrical energy; an energy storage system (204) for capturing the electrical energy generated by the traction motor system (124) in the dynamic braking mode and transferring a portion of the captured electrical energy to the traction motor system to augment the primary electric power; and an energy management system (502) controlling the energy storage system (204), said energy management system determining a power storage parameter and a power transfer parameter whereby the energy management system (502) controls the capture of electrical energy by the energy storage system (204) as a function of the power storage parameter and controls the transfer of the portion of the captured electrical energy by the energy storage system (204) as a function of the power transfer parameter.

Claim 10

An energy management system (502) for use in connection with a hybrid energy off-highway vehicle traversing a known course, said hybrid energy off-highway vehicle including an engine (102), a power converter (104) driven by the engine for providing primary electric power, a traction motor system (106, 108, 124) receiving the primary electric power, said traction motor system selectively propelling the off-highway vehicle in response to the received primary electric power, said traction motor system (106, 108, 124) having a dynamic braking mode of operation generating dynamic braking electrical power, and an energy storage system (204) selectively storing a portion of the dynamic braking electrical power generated by the traction motor system in the dynamic braking mode, said energy storage system (204) selectively supplying secondary electric power derived from the portion of the dynamic braking electrical power stored therein, the energy management system (502) comprising an energy management processor (506) determining a power storage parameter and a power transfer parameter, said energy management processor controlling the storage of dynamic braking electrical power by the energy storage system (204) as a function of the power storage parameter, and said energy management processor (506) controlling the supply of secondary electric power from the energy storage system (204) as a function of the power transfer parameter.