IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0385412
(2012-02-17)
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등록번호 |
US-8381658
(2013-02-26)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Miller, Arnold R.
- Hess, Kris S.
- Erickson, Timothy L.
- Dippo, James L.
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
6 인용 특허 :
8 |
초록
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A method of operating a locomotive including a set of electrical traction motors, a fuel cell power module for generating electrical current for the traction motors, an air system for providing an air mass to the fuel cell power module, and a cooling system for cooling the fuel cell power module. Wh
A method of operating a locomotive including a set of electrical traction motors, a fuel cell power module for generating electrical current for the traction motors, an air system for providing an air mass to the fuel cell power module, and a cooling system for cooling the fuel cell power module. When an amount of power is requested from the power module, a required current and a stoic set point for the power module are determined. From the required current, the stoic set point, and numerical factors characterizing the power module, an air mass flow set point is determined for producing the requested amount of power. A compressor set point including speed and torque set points of a compressor motor are determined for the air system to produce the air mass flow corresponding to the requested amount of power.
대표청구항
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1. A method of operating a locomotive including a set of electrical traction motors, a fuel cell power module for generating electrical current for driving the traction motors by reacting hydrogen and an air mass, an air system for providing the air mass, a cooling system for cooling the fuel cell p
1. A method of operating a locomotive including a set of electrical traction motors, a fuel cell power module for generating electrical current for driving the traction motors by reacting hydrogen and an air mass, an air system for providing the air mass, a cooling system for cooling the fuel cell power module, and an electronic processing system, the method comprising performing with the processing system: requesting an amount of power from the power module;determining a required current for producing the requested amount of power;determining a stoic set point for the power module from the required current;determining an air mass flow set point for producing the requested amount of power from the required current, the stoic set point, and numerical factors characterizing the power module; andsetting a compressor set point including a speed set point and torque set point of a compressor motor of the air system to produce the air mass flow for the requested amount of power. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing with the processing system: measuring a radiator coolant outlet temperature at a radiator outlet of a radiator of a cooling system cooling loop wherein a radiator inlet of the radiator receives coolant from a fuel cell power module coolant outlet and the radiator outlet selectively provides coolant to a fuel cell power module coolant inlet;if the radiator coolant outlet temperature is below a selected threshold, setting a radiator fan to a warm-up fan speed;if the radiator coolant outlet temperature is above the selected threshold, interpolating linear between minimum fan speed and a maximum fan speed based on heat loading on the fuel cell power module to determine an open loop fan speed; andmeasuring the radiator coolant outlet temperature and in response performing closed loop correction on the open loop fan speed with the processing system to set a run mode fan speed. 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising performing with the processing system: measuring power module coolant inlet temperature at the power module coolant inlet;if the power module coolant inlet temperature is below a selected threshold, closing a radiator outlet valve and opening a bypass valve to bypass the radiator such that coolant from the power module coolant outlet is provided to the power module coolant input;if the power module coolant inlet temperature is above the selected threshold: opening the radiator outlet valve;measuring a radiator inlet temperature at the radiator coolant inlet;if the radiator inlet temperature is below a selected power module coolant input temperature set point, opening the bypass valve; andif the radiator inlet temperature is above the selected power module coolant input temperature set point, closing the bypass valve by an amount proportional to a ratio of a difference between the radiator inlet temperature and a power module input set point and a difference between the radiator inlet temperature and radiator outlet temperature. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the fuel cell power module comprises one of first and second fuel cell power modules, each fuel cell power module including a stoic control valve for balancing air flow between the first and second power modules, the method further comprising performing with the systems processor: determining a required current;determining a corresponding stoichiometric ratio for each of the first and second power modules from the required current;allocating a portion of the required current to each of the first and second power modules;determining an air mass flow set point for each of the first and second power modules from the corresponding allocated current, the corresponding stoic set point, and numerical factors characterizing of the power module;for each of the first and second power modules, determining a process variable from a ratio of a measured air mass flow to the power module to a sum of measured air mass flows to the first and second power modules; andfor each of the first and second power modules, correcting the corresponding air mass flow set point with the corresponding process variable to generate a command for commanding the stoic valve of the selected power module to open or close. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the locomotive includes a set of batteries for storing energy produced by the power module, electrical equipment, and a DC to DC converter for interfacing the power module with the batteries and the electrical equipment, the method further comprising performing with the processor: during a start up mode, transferring energy from the batteries to the electrical equipment across a medium voltage bus;during a run mode, transferring energy from the power module to the batteries across a battery bus and from the power module to the equipment across the medium voltage bus;during an initial phase of a shutdown mode, transferring energy from the power module to the equipment across the medium voltage bus and during a subsequent phase of the shutdown mode, transferring energy from the batteries to the equipment across the medium voltage bus. 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising managing with the processing system the power provided to the batteries from the power module during the run mode, comprising: determining a gross power available from the power module by determining a current available from the present air flow mass to the power module;determining a net power available to the batteries by subtracting power required for the equipment on the medium voltage bus from the power gross power available; andsetting from the net power available a set point of the DC to DC converter for controlling an amount of energy transferred from the power module to the batteries across the battery bus. 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining with the processing system a maximum on the gross power available: calculating a maximum allowable power from the power module by multiplying a default maximum allowable power by a power factor; andcalculating a gross allowable power as a minimum of the maximum allowable power and the requested power. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the power cell is provided hydrogen fuel from a set of tanks, and the method further comprises determining the hydrogen in the tanks during a run mode by: recording a present minimum amount of hydrogen in the tanks;calculating an amount of hydrogen consumed based on the current produced by the power module and the hydrogen flow rate to the power module; andcalculating a current weight of the remaining hydrogen in the tanks based on the hydrogen consumed. 9. A method of operating a hydrogen hybrid locomotive including a set of electrical traction motors, a fuel cell power plant having first and second fuel cell modules for generating electrical energy for driving the electrical traction motors, and a set of batteries for storing the electrical energy generated by the fuel cell power plant, comprising: receiving a request for an amount of power from the power plant;determining a required electrical current for producing the requested amount of power;allocating a portion of the required electrical current to each of the first and second fuel cell modules;determining an air mass flow to the first and second fuel cell modules required to generate the corresponding portions of the required electrical current;providing the required air mass flow to the first and second fuel cell modules with a compressor to produce the corresponding portions of the required electrical current;balancing the air mass flow through the first and second fuel cell modules with corresponding first and second stoic control valves;setting a radiator fan speed for a radiator within a coolant fluid path providing coolant flow between a coolant outlet of a selected fuel cell module and a coolant inlet of the selected fuel cell module to control a radiator coolant outlet temperature;selectively bypassing a portion of the coolant flow around the radiator through a bypass fluid path between the coolant outlet of the selected fuel cell module and the coolant inlet of the selected fuel cell module to control a coolant inlet temperature of the selected fuel cell module; andcontrolling the transfer of electrical energy from the fuel cell power plant to the batteries through a DC to DC converter system including a first DC to DC converter interfacing with a fuel cell bus coupled to the fuel cell power plant and a second DC to DC converter interfacing with a battery bus coupled to the batteries. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing coolant fluid to the DC to DC converter and the compressor through a second coolant fluid path including a secondary radiator. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein: determining the required current for producing the requested amount of power comprises determining the required current from a polarization curve characterizing a corresponding first and second power module; anddetermining an air mass flow for each of the first and second power modules comprises: determining a stoic set point for the power module from the allocated current;determining a corresponding air mass flow set point for producing the allocated amount of current from the stoic set point of the power module and numerical factors characterizing the power module. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein balancing the air mass flow through the first and second fuel cell modules with corresponding first and second stoic control valves comprises: for each of the first and second power modules: determining a process variable from a ratio of a measured air mass flow to the power module to a sum of measured air mass flows to the first and second power modules; andcorrecting the corresponding air mass flow set point with the process variable to generate a command for commanding the corresponding stoic valve of the power module to open or close. 13. The method of claim 9, wherein setting a radiator fan speed for a radiator within a coolant fluid path providing coolant flow between a coolant outlet of a selected fuel cell module and a coolant inlet of the selected fuel cell module to control a radiator coolant outlet temperature comprises: measuring the radiator coolant outlet temperature;if the radiator coolant outlet temperature is below a selected threshold, setting a radiator fan to a warm-up fan speed;if the radiator coolant outlet temperature is above the selected threshold, calculating a open loop fan speed based on heat loading on at least one of the first and second power plants; andmonitoring the radiator coolant outlet temperature and in response performing closed loop correction on the open loop fan speed. 14. The method of claim 9, wherein selectively bypassing a portion of the coolant flow around the radiator through a bypass fluid path between the coolant outlet of the selected fuel cell module and the coolant inlet of the selected fuel cell module to control a coolant inlet temperature of the selected fuel cell module comprises: measuring a coolant inlet temperature at the coolant inlet of the selected fuel cell module;if the coolant inlet temperature is below a selected threshold, closing a radiator outlet valve and opening a bypass valve to bypass the radiator such that coolant from the selected fuel cell module coolant outlet is provided to coolant input of the selected fuel cell module;if the coolant inlet temperature is above the selected threshold: opening the radiator outlet valve;measuring a radiator inlet temperature;if the radiator inlet temperature is below a selected coolant input temperature set point for the selected fuel cell module, opening the bypass valve; andif the radiator inlet temperature is above the selected coolant temperature set point for the selected fuel cell module, closing the bypass valve by an amount proportional to a ratio of a difference between the radiator inlet temperature and the selected coolant temperature set point and a difference between the radiator inlet temperature and a radiator outlet temperature. 15. The method of claim 9, wherein controlling the transfer of electrical energy from the fuel cell power plant to the batteries through a DC to DC converter system including a first DC to DC converter interfacing with a fuel cell bus coupled to the fuel cell power plant and a second DC to DC converter interfacing with a battery bus coupled to the batteries comprises: during a start up mode, transferring energy from the battery bus through to a medium voltage bus through the second DC to DC converter and a third DC to DC converter interfacing with the medium voltage bus;during a run mode, transferring energy from the fuel cell modules to the batteries to the battery bus through the first and second DC to DC converters and from the fuel cell modules to the medium voltage bus through the first and third DC to DC converters; andduring an initial phase of a shutdown mode, transferring energy from the fuel cell modules to the medium voltage bus through the first and third DC to DC converters and during a subsequent phase of the shutdown mode, transferring energy from the batteries to the medium voltage bus through the second and third DC to DC converters. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: determining a gross power available from the fuel cell modules by determining a current available from the present air flow mass to the power module;determining a net power available to the batteries by subtracting power required for equipment on the medium voltage bus from the power gross power available; andsetting from the net power available a set point of the DC to DC converters for controlling an amount of energy transferred from the fuel cell modules to the batteries. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining a maximum on the gross power available: calculating a maximum allowable power from the fuel cell modules by multiplying a default maximum allowable power by a power factor; andcalculating a gross allowable power as a minimum of the maximum allowable power and the requested power. 18. A hydrogen hybrid locomotive comprising: a set of electrical traction motors;a fuel cell power plant having first and second fuel cell modules for generating electrical energy for driving the electrical traction motors;a set of batteries for storing the electrical energy generated by the fuel cell power plant; andan electronic processing system including at least one electronic processor operable to: receive a request for an amount of power from the power plant;determining a required electrical current for producing the requested amount of power;allocate a portion of the required electrical current to each of the first and second fuel cell modules;determine an air mass flow to the first and second fuel cell modules required to generate the corresponding portions of the required electrical current;command a compressor to provide the required air mass flow to the first and second fuel cell modules to produce the corresponding portions of the required electrical current;command first and second stoic control valves to balance the air mass flow through the first and second fuel cell modules;set a radiator fan speed for a radiator within a coolant fluid path providing coolant flow between a coolant outlet of a selected fuel cell module and a coolant inlet of the selected fuel cell module to control a radiator coolant outlet temperature;selectively bypass a portion of the coolant flow around the radiator through a bypass fluid path between the coolant outlet of the selected fuel cell module and the coolant inlet of the selected fuel cell module to control a coolant inlet temperature of the selected fuel cell module; andcontrol the transfer of electrical energy from the fuel cell power plant to the batteries through DC to DC converter system including a first DC to DC converter interfacing with a fuel cell bus coupled to the fuel cell power plant and a second DC to DC converter interfacing with a battery bus coupled to the batteries. 19. The hydrogen hybrid locomotive of claim 18, wherein the processing system is further operable to: calculate the required current for producing the requested amount of power; andcalculate an air mass flow for each of the first and second fuel cell modules by: calculating a stoic set point for each fuel cell module from the allocated current for the fuel cell module; andcalculating a corresponding air mass flow set point for each fuel cell module for producing the allocated amount of current from the stoic set point of the fuel cell module and numerical factors characterizing the fuel cell module. 20. The hydrogen hybrid locomotive of claim 18, wherein the processing system is further operable to balance the air mass flow through the first and second fuel cell modules with the first and second stoic control valves by: for each of the first and second fuel cell modules: calculate an open-loop process variable from a ratio of a measured air mass flow to the fuel cell module to a sum of measured air mass flows to the first and second fuel cell modules; andperform closed-loop correction of the corresponding air mass flow set point with the process variable to generate a command for commanding the corresponding stoic valve of the power module to open or close. 21. The method of claim 18, wherein the processing system is operable to set the radiator fan speed by: measuring the radiator coolant outlet temperature;if the radiator coolant outlet temperature is below a selected threshold, set the radiator fan to a warm-up fan speed;if the radiator coolant outlet temperature is above the selected threshold, calculate a open loop fan speed based on heat loading on at least one of the first and second fuel cell modules; andmonitor the radiator coolant outlet temperature and in response performing closed loop correction on the open loop fan speed. 22. The method of claim 18, wherein the processing system is operable to selectively bypass a portion of the coolant flow around the radiator by: measuring coolant inlet temperature at the coolant inlet of the selected fuel cell module;if the coolant inlet temperature is below a selected threshold, commanding a radiator outlet valve to close and commanding a bypass valve to open to bypass the radiator such that coolant from the selected fuel cell module coolant outlet is provided to coolant input of the selected fuel cell module;if the coolant inlet temperature is above the selected threshold: commanding the radiator outlet valve to open;measuring a radiator inlet temperature;if the radiator inlet temperature is below a selected coolant input temperature set point for the selected fuel cell module, commanding the bypass valve to open; andif the radiator inlet temperature is above the selected coolant temperature set point for the selected fuel cell module: calculating a ratio of a difference between the radiator inlet temperature and the selected coolant temperature set point and a difference between the radiator inlet temperature and a radiator outlet temperature; andin response to calculating the ratio, commanding the bypass valve to close by a proportional amount. 23. The hydrogen hybrid locomotive of claim 18, wherein the processing system is operable to control the transfer of electrical energy by: during a start up mode, commanding the transfer of energy from the battery bus through to a medium voltage bus through the second DC to DC converter and a third DC to DC converter interfacing with the medium voltage bus;during a run mode, commanding the transfer or energy from the fuel cell modules to the batteries through the battery bus and the first and second DC to DC converters and from the fuel cell modules to the medium voltage bus through the first and third DC to DC converters; andduring an initial phase of a shutdown mode, commanding the transfer of energy from the fuel cell modules to the medium voltage bus through the first and third DC to DC converters and during a subsequent phase of the shutdown mode, commanding the transfer of energy from the batteries to the medium voltage bus through the second and third DC to DC converters.
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