IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0346370
(2012-01-09)
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등록번호 |
US-9004994
(2015-04-14)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
- Union Pacific Railroad Company
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대리인 / 주소 |
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
6 |
초록
▼
Disclosed is a system and method for decreasing airflow and improving ventilation within a tunnel, such as a railroad tunnel, including a path for movement of a vehicle (e.g., train) therethrough. The system has a plurality of air baffles mounted within the tunnel, each device comprising a body and
Disclosed is a system and method for decreasing airflow and improving ventilation within a tunnel, such as a railroad tunnel, including a path for movement of a vehicle (e.g., train) therethrough. The system has a plurality of air baffles mounted within the tunnel, each device comprising a body and a mounting device. Each mounting device positions each body inside and along the length of the tunnel between the entrance and the exit. The air baffles are configured to restrict airflow at least in part in a longitudinal direction of the tunnel, thereby increasing a relative difference between a vehicle speed and air speed in a tunnel annulus when the vehicle passes through the tunnel. The restriction (e.g., decrease) of airflow in the tunnel reduces the piston effect resulting from the vehicle or train passing through, thus reducing emissions and heat generated by the locomotives in the tunnel.
대표청구항
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1. A system for decreasing airflow mounted in a railroad tunnel for passage of a train comprising at least one locomotive and one or more cars, the tunnel comprising an entrance, an exit, and a length extending in a longitudinal direction therebetween and including a path comprising rails for moveme
1. A system for decreasing airflow mounted in a railroad tunnel for passage of a train comprising at least one locomotive and one or more cars, the tunnel comprising an entrance, an exit, and a length extending in a longitudinal direction therebetween and including a path comprising rails for movement of the train therethrough; the system comprising: a plurality of air baffles mounted within the railroad tunnel, each air baffle comprising a body and a mounting portion, the body comprising a top side, a bottom side, a front side, a back side, a mounting side and an annulus side, the annulus side of the body extending into an annulus of the tunnel, the mounting portion on the mounting side of the body, each mounting portion mounting each body on a side wall of the tunnel and positioning the mounting portion inside the tunnel along the length such that the annulus side of each body extends into the tunnel,wherein the air baffles are configured to restrict airflow at least in part in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel, thereby increasing a relative difference between the train speed and air speed in the tunnel annulus when the train passes through the tunnel, andwherein each mounting portion positions the bottom side of each respective body at a height above the path and rails of the tunnel. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein each air baffle is positioned such that its body is perpendicular to the rails. 3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the mounting portion positions the front side or the back side of each respective body at an acute angle relative to a side wall of the tunnel. 4. The system according to claim 3, wherein each mounting portion comprises a hinge mechanism configured to enable its respective body to be rotated thereabout. 5. The system according to claim 3, wherein the mounting portion further positions a vertical centerline through each respective body of the plurality of air baffles at a non-right angle relative to the longitudinal direction of the path and rails. 6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the air baffles are configured for positioning in pairs, each pair comprising a first air baffle with a first mounting portion and a separate, second air baffle with a separate second mounting portion, and wherein the first air baffle is positioned relative to a first side wall within the tunnel using the first mounting portion and wherein the separate, second air baffle is positioned relative to a second, opposite side wall within the tunnel using the separate second mounting portion. 7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the first and separate second air baffles are positioned on their respective side walls such that the first air baffles on the first side wall are arranged in a symmetrical configuration relative to the separate second air baffles on the second, opposite side wall such that an annulus side of each first air baffle is substantially directly opposite an annulus side of each separate, second air baffle. 8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the first and second air baffles are positioned on their respective side walls such that the first air baffles on the first side wall are arranged in an asymmetrical configuration relative to the separate second air baffles on the second, opposite side wall such that the first and separate second air baffles are arranged in a staggered configuration relative to the longitudinal direction of the tunnel, wherein an annulus side of each first air baffle is not directly opposite of an annulus side of each separate second air baffle. 9. The system according to claim 1, wherein each mounting portion is configured to position its respective body such that its bottom side is about 5 feet to about 8 feet above the path of the tunnel. 10. The system according to claim 1, wherein each body comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: a para-aramid fiber material, a meta-aramid material, nylon, and an elastomer. 11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the mounting portion positions a vertical centerline through each respective body of the plurality of air baffles at a non-right angle relative to the longitudinal direction of the path and the rails. 12. The system according to claim 1, wherein each mounting portion positions the top side of each respective body at a distance below a top wall or a ceiling of the tunnel. 13. The system according to claim 12, wherein each mounting portion is configured to position its respective body such that its top side is about 10 feet to about 16 feet above the path of the tunnel. 14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the body further comprises a main body part and an extension part, the extension part provided on the annulus side of the body and extending into the annulus of the tunnel, wherein the extension part is provided at a right or obtuse angle relative to the main body part. 15. A method for decreasing airflow within a railroad tunnel for passage of a train comprising at least one locomotive and one or more cars, the tunnel comprising an entrance, an exit, and a length extending in a longitudinal direction therebetween and including a path comprising rails for movement of the train therethrough; the method comprising: providing a plurality of air baffles, each air baffle comprising a body and a mounting portion, the body comprising a top side, a bottom side, a front side, a back side, a mounting side and an annulus side, the annulus side of the body extending into an annulus of the tunnel, the mounting portion on the mounting side of the body, each mounting portion mounting each body on a side wall of the tunnel and positioning each body inside the tunnel along the length, andattaching the plurality of air baffles on side walls in the tunnel using the mounting portions such that the annulus side of each body extends into the tunnel,wherein the plurality of air baffles are configured to restrict airflow at least in part in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel, thereby increasing a relative difference between the train speed and air speed in the tunnel annulus when the train passes through the tunnel, andwherein the attaching of each air baffle positions the bottom side of each respective body at a height above the path and rails of the tunnel. 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the attaching of the plurality of air baffles comprises positioning the front side or the back side of each respective body of the plurality of air baffles at an acute angle relative to a side wall of the tunnel. 17. The method according to claim 16, wherein each mounting portion comprises a hinge mechanism configured to enable its respective body to be rotated thereabout and mount the body in a locked position at the acute angle relative to the side wall, and wherein the positioning of the plurality of air baffles further comprises rotating each respective body about the hinge mechanism to position and lock the body at the acute angle relative to the side wall. 18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the positioning of the plurality of air baffles further comprises positioning a vertical centerline through each respective body at a non-right angle relative to the longitudinal direction of the path and rails. 19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the air baffles are configured for positioning in pairs, each pair comprising a first air baffle with a first mounting portion and a separate, second air baffle with a separate second mounting portion, and wherein the method further comprises: positioning the first air baffle relative to a first side wall within the tunnel using the first mounting portion andpositioning the separate, second air baffle relative to a second, opposite side wall within the tunnel using the separate second mounting portion. 20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the positioning of the first and separate second air baffles on their respective side walls comprises arranging the first air baffles on the first side wall in a symmetrical configuration relative to the separate second air baffles on the second, opposite side wall such that an annulus side of each first air baffle is substantially directly opposite an annulus side of each separate, second air baffle. 21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the positioning of the first and separate second air baffles on their respective side walls comprises arranging the first air baffles on the first side wall in an asymmetrical configuration relative to the separate second air baffles on the second, opposite side wall such that the first and second air baffles are arranged in a staggered configuration relative to the longitudinal direction of the tunnel, wherein an annulus side of each first air baffle is not directly opposite of an annulus side of each separate, second air baffle. 22. The method according to claim 15, wherein the positioning of the plurality of air baffles comprises using each mounting portion to position its respective body such that its bottom side is about 5 feet to about 8 feet above the path of the tunnel. 23. The method according to claim 15, wherein the positioning of the plurality of air baffles comprises positioning a vertical centerline through each respective body of the plurality of air baffles at a non-right angle relative to longitudinal direction of the path and the rails. 24. The method according to claim 15, wherein the positioning of the plurality of air baffles positions the top side of each respective body at a distance below a top wall or a ceiling of the tunnel. 25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the positioning of the plurality of air baffles positions each respective body such that its top side is about 10 feet to about 16 feet above the path of the tunnel. 26. The method according to claim 15, wherein the body further comprises a main body part and an extension part, the extension part provided on the annulus side of the body and extending into the annulus of the tunnel, wherein the extension part is provided at a right or obtuse angle relative to the main body part, and wherein the attaching of the plurality of air baffles further comprises positioning the extension part in the annulus of the tunnel. 27. A method for decreasing airflow within a railroad tunnel for passage of a train comprising at least one locomotive and one or more cars, the tunnel comprising an entrance, an exit, and a length extending in a longitudinal direction therebetween and including a path comprising rails for movement of the train therethrough; the method comprising: mounting a plurality of air baffles on side walls in the tunnel between the entrance and the exit;wherein each air baffle comprises a body and a mounting bracket, the body comprising a top side, a bottom side, a front side, a back side, a mounting side and an annulus side, the annulus side of the body extending into an annulus of the tunnel, the mounting bracket on the mounting side of the body, each mounting bracket mounting each body on a side wall of the tunnel,wherein the mounting of the plurality of air baffles comprises inserting fastening devices through openings in the mounting brackets and securing the fastening devices in the openings such that: the annulus side of each body extends into the tunnel and the top side of each respective body is provided at a distance below a top wall or a ceiling of the tunnel, andwherein the air baffles are configured to restrict airflow at least in part in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel, thereby increasing a relative difference between the train speed and air speed in the tunnel annulus when the train passes through the tunnel. 28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the mounting of the plurality of air baffles further comprises positioning a bottom side of each respective body at a height above the path and rails of the tunnel. 29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the mounting of the plurality of air baffles comprises positioning the front side or the back side of each respective body of the plurality of air baffles at an acute angle relative to a side wall of the tunnel. 30. The method according to claim 27, wherein each mounting bracket comprises a hinge mechanism configured to enable its respective body to be rotated thereabout and mount the body in a locked position at the acute angle relative to the side wall, and wherein the mounting of the plurality of air baffles further comprises rotating each respective body about the hinge mechanism to position and lock the body at the acute angle relative to the side wall. 31. The method according to claim 27, wherein the body further comprises a main body part and an extension part, the extension part provided on the annulus side of the body and extending into the annulus of the tunnel, wherein the extension part is provided at a right or obtuse angle relative to the main body part, and wherein the mounting of the plurality of air baffles further comprises positioning the extension part in the annulus of the tunnel. 32. The method according to claim 27, wherein the mounting of the plurality of air baffles comprises arranging air baffles on a first side wall of the tunnel in an asymmetrical configuration relative to air baffles on a second, opposite side wall of the tunnel such that an annulus side of the air baffles on the first side wall are arranged in a staggered configuration relative to the air baffles on the second, opposite side wall in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel, and wherein annulus sides of the air baffles on the first side wall are not directly opposite of annulus sides of the air baffles on the second side wall. 33. The method according to claim 27, wherein the mounting of the plurality of air baffles positions a vertical centerline through each respective body at a non-right angle relative to the longitudinal direction of the path and rails. 34. A combination comprising: a railroad tunnel for passage of a train comprising at least one locomotive and one or more cars, the railroad tunnel comprising an entrance, an exit, and a length extending in a longitudinal direction therebetween and including a path comprising rails for movement of the train therethrough; anda plurality of air baffles mounted within the tunnel, each air baffle comprising a body and a mounting portion, the body comprising a top side, a bottom side, a front side, a back side, a mounting side and an annulus side, the annulus side of the body extending into an annulus of the tunnel, the mounting portion on the mounting side of the body, each mounting portion mounting the body on a side wall of the tunnel and positioning the body inside the tunnel along the length such that the annulus side of the body extends into the tunnel,wherein the air baffles are configured to restrict airflow at least in part in the longitudinal direction of the railroad tunnel, thereby increasing a relative difference between the train speed and air speed in the tunnel annulus when the train passes through the tunnel, andwherein the mounting portion positions the bottom side of the body at a height above the path and rails of the tunnel.
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