초록

The present invention relates to a container-based locomotive power source that can be readily interchanged.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A train comprising: a locomotive comprising a plurality of track engaging wheels, an electrically powered motor for driving the wheels to cause rolling movement of the locomotive along the track, and a power input electrically coupled to the electrically powered motor for connection to a source e

1. A train comprising: a locomotive comprising a plurality of track engaging wheels, an electrically powered motor for driving the wheels to cause rolling movement of the locomotive along the track, and a power input electrically coupled to the electrically powered motor for connection to a source external to the locomotive;one or more cars each comprising a plurality of track engaging wheels, the one or more cars being coupled to the locomotive to enable the locomotive to pull the one or more cars along the track, said one or more cars comprising a container receiving car having an upwardly facing bed;an interchangeable container-based power generating system comprising: (i) an intermodal container removably received on the upwardly facing bed of the container receiving car, the intermodal container comprising corner brackets with pin receiving holes; and(ii) an electrochemical power source received in the intermodal container and comprising a fuel, the electrochemical power source being configured to generate electrical current by an electrochemical reaction comprising oxidation of the fuel and reduction of an oxidizer, the electrochemical power source comprising a power output for conducting the generated electrical current, the power output of the electrochemical power source comprising positive and negative contacts on an exterior of the intermodal container, the positive and negative contacts on the exterior of the intermodal container being coupled to a cathode and an anode, respectively, of the electrochemical power source, and the positive and negative contacts being coupled to positive and negative lines of the electrical motor; andan electrical connector connected between the power output of the electrochemical power source and the power input of the locomotive to enable the electrical current generated by the electrochemical power source to power the motor of the locomotive, the electrical connector comprising corresponding positive and negative contacts on the container receiving car to those on the exterior of the intermodal container, the electrical connector being disconnectable between the power input and the power output;wherein the removability of the intermodal container and the disconnectability of the electrical connector enables the interchangeable container-based power generating system to be removed and replaced as a unit,wherein the corresponding positive and negative contacts on the exterior of the intermodal container and on the container receiving car are engaged to establish the connection of the electrical connector between the power output of the electrochemical power source and the power input of the locomotive, andwherein the corresponding positive and negative contacts on the exterior of the intermodal container and on the container receiving car contacts are configured to be disengaged upon removal of the intermodal container from the container receiving car to affect disconnection of the electrical connector between the power input and the power output. 2. A train according to claim 1, wherein the locomotive comprises a plurality of electrically powered motors for driving the wheels. 3. A train according to claim 2, wherein the locomotive further comprises a bus for controlling distribution of electrical current to the electrically powered motors, the power input being coupled to the bus. 4. A train according to claim 3, wherein the locomotive further comprises an internal combustion engine and an engine-driven power generator coupled to the engine, the engine-driven power generator being constructed to be driven by the engine to generate electrical current, wherein the engine driven power generator is coupled to the bus. 5. A train according to claim 4, wherein the locomotive further comprises a switch device connecting the power input to the bus, the switch device being operable between a closed condition enabling delivery of electrical current to the bus via the power input and an open position disabling delivery of electrical current to the bus via the power input. 6. A train according to claim 5, wherein the locomotive further comprises a controller configured to control the switch device. 7. A train according to claim 6, wherein the controller is also configured to control the operation of the engine. 8. A train according to claim 1, wherein the locomotive is devoid of an internal combustion engine. 9. A train according to claim 1, wherein the electrochemical power source is selected from the group consisting of a fuel cell, a flow battery and a battery. 10. A train according to claim 1, wherein the container-based power generating system comprises a fuel storage tank within the intermodal container, the fuel being a fluid stored in the storage tank. 11. A train according to claim 1, wherein the fuel of the electrochemical power source comprises a metal fuel. 12. A train according to claim 1, wherein the container-based power generating system further comprises an oxidizer stored in an oxidizer storage tank. 13. A train according to claim 1, wherein the electrochemical power source has an air breathing cathode for exposure to ambient air for enabling ambient oxygen to be the oxidizer. 14. A train according to claim 13, wherein the intermodal container has one or more ports open to an exterior thereof for enabling ambient air to enter the intermodal container. 15. A train according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connector includes a flexible conductor. 16. A train according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connector includes a flexible conductor connected between the terminal thereof on the container receiving car and the power input of the locomotive. 17. A method for providing a power supply to a train, the train comprising: (a) a locomotive comprising a plurality of track engaging wheels, an electrically powered motor for driving the wheels to cause rolling movement of the locomotive along the track, and a power input electrically coupled to the electrically powered motor for connection to a source external to the locomotive; and (b) one or more cars each comprising a plurality of track engaging wheels, the one or more cars being coupled to the locomotive to enable the locomotive to pull the one or more cars along the track, said one or more cars comprising a container receiving car having an upwardly facing bed, the container receiving car comprising positive and negative contacts; the method comprising:removably mounting to the train an interchangeable container-based power generating system comprising: (i) an intermodal container comprising corner brackets with pin receiving holes; and (ii) an electrochemical power source received in the intermodal container and comprising a fuel source, the electrochemical power source being configured to generate electrical current by an electrochemical reaction comprising oxidation of the fuel and reduction of an oxidizer, the electrochemical power source comprising a power output for conducting the generated electrical current, the power output of the electrochemical power source comprising positive and negative contacts on an exterior of the intermodal container corresponding to the positive and negative contacts on the container receiving car, the positive and negative contacts on the exterior of the intermodal container being coupled to a cathode and an anode, respectively, of the electrochemical power source, and the positive and negative contacts configured to be coupled to positive and negative lines of the electrical motor;said removably mounting comprising removably mounting the intermodal container on the upwardly facing bed of the container receiving car, the positive and negative contacts on the exterior of the intermodal container and on the container receiving car configured to be engaged to establish the connection of the electrical connector between the power output of the electrochemical power source and the power input of the locomotive; andestablishing an electrical connection between the power output of the electrochemical power source and the power input of the locomotive to enable the electrical current generated by the electrochemical power source to power the motor of the locomotive, the electrical connection being disconnectable between the power input and the power output, the corresponding positive and negative contacts on the exterior of the intermodal container and on the container receiving car configured to be disengaged upon removal of the intermodal container from the container receiving car to affect disconnection of the electrical connector between the power input and the power output. 18. A method for interchanging a power supply of a train, the train comprising: (a) a locomotive comprising a plurality of track engaging wheels, an electrically powered motor for driving the wheels to cause rolling movement of the locomotive along the track, and a power input electrically coupled to the electrically powered motor for connection to a source external to the locomotive; (b) one or more cars each comprising a plurality of track engaging wheels, the one or more cars being coupled to the locomotive to enable the locomotive to pull the one or more cars along the track, said one or more cars comprising a container receiving car having an upwardly facing bed; (c) a first interchangeable container-based power generating system comprising: (i) a first intermodal container removably received on the upwardly facing bed of the container receiving car, the first intermodal container comprising corner brackets with pin receiving holes; and (ii) a first electrochemical power source received in the first intermodal container and comprising a fuel source, the electrochemical power source being configured to generate electrical current by an electrochemical reaction comprising oxidation of the fuel and reduction of an oxidizer, the first electrochemical power source comprising a power output for conducting the generated electrical current, the power output of the electrochemical power source comprising positive and negative contacts on an exterior of the first intermodal container, the positive and negative contacts on the exterior of the first intermodal container being coupled to a cathode and an anode, respectively, of the electrochemical power source, and the positive and negative contacts being coupled to positive and negative lines of the electrical motor; and (d) an electrical connector connected between the power output of the first electrochemical power source and the power input of the locomotive to enable the electrical current generated by the first electrochemical power source to power the motor of the locomotive, the electrical connector comprising corresponding positive and negative contacts on the container receiving car to those on the exterior of at least the first intermodal container, the electrical connector being disconnectable between the power input and the power output; the method comprising:removing the first interchangeable container-based power generating system from the train as a unit by disconnecting the electrical connector and removing the first intermodal container from the container receiving car, the corresponding positive and negative contacts on the exterior of the first intermodal container and on the container receiving car being disengaged upon removal of the first intermodal container from the container receiving car to affect disconnection of the electrical connector between the power input and the power output;removably mounting to the train a second interchangeable container-based power generating system comprising: (i) a second intermodal container; and (ii) a second electrochemical power source received in the second intermodal container and comprising a fuel source, the second electrochemical power source being configured to generate electrical current by an electrochemical reaction comprising oxidation of the fuel and reduction of an oxidizer, the second electrochemical power source comprising a power output for conducting the generated electrical current, the power output of the electrochemical power source comprising positive and negative contacts on an exterior of the second intermodal container, the positive and negative contacts on the exterior of the second intermodal container being coupled to a cathode and an anode, respectively, of the electrochemical power source, and the positive and negative contacts being coupled to positive and negative lines of the electrical motor;said removably mounting comprising removably mounting the second intermodal container of the second interchangeable container-based power generating system on the upwardly facing bed of the container receiving car;establishing an electrical connection between the power output of the second electrochemical power source of the second interchangeable container-based power generating system and the power input of the locomotive to enable the electrical current generated by the second electrochemical power source to power the motor of the locomotive, the corresponding positive and negative contacts on the container receiving car corresponding to those on the exterior of the second intermodal container such that the positive and negative contacts on the exterior of the second intermodal container and on the container receiving car are engaged to establish the connection of the electrical connector between the power output of the electrochemical power source and the power input of the locomotive, the electrical connection being disconnectable between the power input and the power output. 19. An interchangeable container-based power generating system for use on a train, the train comprising: (i) a locomotive comprising a plurality of track engaging wheels, an electrically powered motor for driving the wheels to cause rolling movement of the locomotive along the track, and a power input electrically coupled to the electrically powered motor for connection to a source external to the locomotive; (ii) one or more cars each comprising a plurality of track engaging wheels, the one or more cars being coupled to the locomotive to enable the locomotive to pull the one or more cars along the track, said one or more cars comprising a container receiving car having an upwardly facing bed; and (iii) an electrical connector for connection between a power output of the electrochemical power source and the power input of the locomotive to enable electrical current generated by the electrochemical power source to power the motor of the locomotive, the electrical connector comprising positive and negative contacts on the container receiving car, the electrical connector being disconnectable between the power input and the power output; the interchangeable container-based power generating system comprising:an intermodal container configured to be removably received on the upwardly facing bed of the container receiving car, the intermodal container comprising corner brackets with pin receiving holes; andan electrochemical power source received in the intermodal container and comprising a fuel, the electrochemical power source being configured to generate electrical current by an electrochemical reaction comprising oxidation of the fuel and reduction of an oxidizer, the electrochemical power source comprising a power output for conducting the generated electrical current, the power output of the electrochemical power source comprising positive and negative contacts on an exterior of the intermodal container corresponding to the positive and negative contacts on the container receiving car, the positive and negative contacts on the exterior of the intermodal container being coupled to a cathode and an anode, respectively, of the electrochemical power source, and the positive and negative contacts configured to be coupled to positive and negative lines of the electrical motor;wherein the removability of the intermodal container and the disconnectability of the electrical connector enables the interchangeable container-based power generating system to be removed and replaced as a unit, andwherein the positive and negative contacts on the exterior of the intermodal container and on the container receiving car are configured to be engaged to establish the connection of the electrical connector between the power output of the electrochemical power source and the power input of the locomotive, andwherein the corresponding positive and negative contacts on the exterior of the intermodal container and on the container receiving car are configured to be disengaged upon removal of the intermodal container from the container receiving car to affect disconnection of the electrical connector between the power input and the power output.