AU2008270512B2

AU2008270512B2 - Power supply installation for a railway vehicle

Info

Publication number: AU2008270512B2
Application number: AU2008270512A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Reinhart Christeller; Jean-Paul Moskowitz
Original assignee: Alstom Transport Technologies SAS
Current assignee: Alstom Transport Technologies SAS
Priority date: 2007-06-29
Filing date: 2008-05-26
Publication date: 2014-01-09
Anticipated expiration: 2028-05-26
Also published as: WO2009003765A1; CN101772437A; FR2918004B1; ES2626083T3; DK2162313T3; EP2162313A1; PT2162313T; EP2162313B1; AU2008270512A1; CN101772437B; FR2918004A1; PL2162313T3

Abstract

Power supply installation for a railway vehicle (2), the said vehicle (2) being capable of running on a track (5) punctuated with station stops (S

Description

1~ POWER SUPPLY INSTALLATION FOR A RAILWAY VERICLE The invention relates to an installation for supplying electrical energy to public transport vehicles employing electric traction. 5 The following discussion of the background to the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of LO the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application. Throughout the description and claims of this specification the 15 word "comprise" and variations of that word, such as "comprises" and "comprising", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps. There is known in the art an installation for supplying 20 electrical energy to a streetcar including a power supply device on board said streetcar. One such installation is described in patent application EP 0982 176 filed by the applicant. The onboard power supply device includes a flywheel. It is charged when the vehicle is stopped at a station to allow 25 passengers to board and alight. The onboard power supply device of said streetcar is charged by a device external to the vehicle located at the station stop. When the vehicle leaves the station, it operates autonomously, with only the onboard power supply device powering the traction motors and the 30 ancillary equipment (air conditioning, lighting, etc.) of the vehicle in order for the vehicle to be able to travel between two station stops and to make passengers comfortable. C:\pof\word\SPEC-876547.docx la The applicant has carried out simulations of the energy consumed by a streetcar of this type, on a route marked out by such stations Sx, Sy. 5 For example, a simulation was carried out for a streetcar 30 m long weighing 57 tonnes, fully laden and equipped with a flywheel-type power supply device on board the vehicle able to store a maximum of 4 kWh of energy and to deliver a maximum power of 200 kW. By fully laden vehicle is meant a vehicle LO conveying six persons per square meter. The vehicle used for the simulation also includes ancillary equipment comprising all units consuming electrical energy that do not contribute to propulsion of the traction vehicle, for 15 example onboard C:\pofnword\SPEC-875547.docx WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 -2 electronics, lighting, heating, air-conditioning compressor motors, passenger information systems, etc. The maximum power consumed by the ancillary equipment is 63 kW, for example when the heating is operating at 5 maximum power. The above simulation was carried out for a particular route plan defined by the operator. 10 By route plan is meant the requirements of the operator in terms of transport system performance over a route defined by station stops Sx, Sy. The trajectory of the vehicle starting at station stop Sx and traveling to station Sy and stopping there is denoted Txy. 15 These requirements are expressed as a function of the following criteria, for example: - The speed profile on each trajectory between two station stops. By speed profile on the trajectory 20 between two consecutive stations is meant the variation of the speed of the vehicle as a function of its position on the trajectory between two consecutive stations. In place of the speed profile, the operator defines, for example, a maximum time 25 that the vehicle is allowed to take to cover the trajectory between two consecutive stations under normal operating conditions. - The maximum time for which the vehicle stops at a station stop to enable passengers to board and alight 30 and to charge the onboard power supply device. - The level of comfort that it must be possible to provide for passengers. To be more precise, this refers to the power that the power supply installation is able to supply to the ancillary 35 equipment over each trajectory between two consecutive stations in order to operate the ancillary equipment. - Unexpected events, which the vehicle must be able to WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 -3 cope with on the trajectories between two consecutive stations. Unexpected events means events that the vehicle is 5 liable to encounter on its trajectory and that lead to overconsumption of energy. This refers, for example, to the vehicle stopping at a crossroads at which the vehicle crosses the path of another vehicle, this stop not being preplanned. It may also refer to an 10 unexpected stop imposed by a pedestrian crossing the track or a traffic jam. For example, the operator may require the vehicle to be capable of unexpectedly stopping once between stations, 15 restarting and accelerating to its cruising speed without its performance in terms of traction or passenger comfort deteriorating over the remainder of the trajectory. 20 To cope with an event of this type, the power supply installation must be able to make available to the motors and ancillary equipment the energy necessary to power the vehicle during its unscheduled stop and to restart the vehicle and accelerate it to its cruising 25 speed. The results of the simulation of the energy consumed by the streetcar over the trajectories between two consecutive station stops are set out in Table A 30 appended to this application. The route plan used to effect this simulation is as follows: - The operator defines a maximum travel time t,,y of the vehicle over each trajectory Txy between two consecutive stations S, and Sy. 35 - The level of comfort required by the operator is equivalent to a mode of operation of the ancillary equipment in which it consumes 63 kW over the whole of the route and thus over each trajectory. This mode WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 -4 of operation is equivalent to an energy Eazy expressed in kWh consumed by the ancillary equipment over the trajectory Txy equal to Eazy = 63 * txy/3600, where txy is expressed in seconds. This mode of operation is 5 equivalent to operating the heating system at the maximum setting. - The operator recommends coping with unexpected events as described in detail hereinafter without degrading operation, requiring the provision of a surplus 10 energy Esxy of 2.2 kWh over and above the energy consumed by the traction motors and the ancillary equipment when the trajectory TXy is traveled under normal operating conditions. - The maximum stopping time tax in the station Sx is set 15 so that the flywheel could always be charged completely in the station stop Sx. In energy terms, this amounts to stating that the flywheel stores an initial energy Ev'x of 4 kWh when it starts in station Sx and can arrive at station Sy empty, with zero 20 arrival energy Evy. During the simulation, the applicant calculated the energy consumed by the equipment of the vehicle to travel the trajectory Txy between two successive 25 stations Sx and Sy complying with the route plan defined above: - the energy Emxy consumed by the traction motors, - the total energy Etxy that the equipment must have available to cover the trajectory TXY in compliance 30 with the route plan, where Etxy = Emxy + Eay + Esxy, - the energy Ebxy consumed by the traction motors and the ancillary equipment to cover the trajectory TXY without encountering unexpected events. 35 The trajectory Txy has an average gradient Pxy (expressed in 88) and a length lxy (expressed in meters) . It can be seen clearly that the energy Emxy consumed by WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 -5 the traction motors on a trajectory Te, depends on the track profile on said trajectory and in particular the gradients and the distances to be traveled on those trajectories. 5 By track profile over a trajectory Te is meant the evolution of the slope of the ground along the trajectory of the vehicle and the length 1,y of the trajectory T . 10 On comparing the trajectories Ted and Tij with lengths that are not very different but with average gradients that are very different, it is found that the energy EmCd consumed by the traction motors is much lower than 15 the energy Emij. The energy consumed by the traction motors is greater if the track is on an upgrade over this trajectory. On comparing the energy consumed by the traction motors 20 over the trajectories Tik and Ti the respective lengths of which are 423 m and 888 m and that have substantially identical average gradients, it is found that the longer the trajectory, the more energy is consumed by the traction motors. 25 It is found that the energy Ebab, Ebbc and Ebij that the power supply installation must be able to make available to the vehicle to power the ancillary equipment and the traction motors over the respective 30 trajectories Tab, Tbc and Tij so that the vehicle travels those trajectories in the respective times tab, tbc, tij set by the operator are greater than over the rest of the trajectory of the vehicle. The trajectories Tab, Tbc, Tij respectively have a steep gradient, a long length 35 and a long average length and a steep average gradient. The energies Ebab, Ebbc and Ebij are all three greater than the energy that the electrical installation can 6 make available to the traction motors and the ancillary equipment over the trajectories Tab, Tbc, Tij. The energy that the electrical installation is capable of making available to 5 the traction motors and the ancillary equipment over the trajectories Txy, on which the vehicle is powered only by the flywheel, is equal to Evy = Ev'x - Evy. Here, Evy is equal to 4 kWh over the whole of the route of the vehicle. LO In conclusion, the electrical installation is not capable of making sufficient energy available to the traction motors and the ancillary equipment to cover the trajectories Tab, Tbc, Tij even if the vehicle does not encounter unexpected events on those trajectories. 15 Moreover, it is found that the prior art electrical installation is able to make available to the traction motors and the ancillary equipment the necessary energy Etxy, for the vehicle to travel between two successive stations in compliance 20 with the route plan only on the trajectory Thi having a short length and a steep average downward gradient and for which the energy Ethi is less than Evhi, i.e. 4 kWh. Consequently, the vehicle does not have sufficient energy to 25 comply with the route plan set by the operator over the trajectories Txy, with the exception of the trajectory Thi. The applicant has usefully shown that the prior art electrical installation does not enable the vehicle to comply with the 30 route plan over all the route of the vehicle and in particular over the trajectories between two successive stations on which the track profile has a long length and a steep upgrade. C:\pof~ord\SPEC-875547.doc" 7 It is therefore desirable to propose a rail vehicle power supply installation capable of supplying sufficient energy to said vehicle to enable it to cover a route in compliance with a predetermined route plan. 5 To this end, the invention relates to a power supply installation for a rail vehicle, said vehicle including: - at least one traction motor and at least one ancillary equipment, and LO - an energy storage device on board the vehicle, said onboard energy storage device being able to supply power to said at least one traction motor and said at least one ancillary equipment, and being adapted: 15 - to be supplied with electrical energy when said vehicle is stopped at a station stop, and - to cause said rail vehicle to travel on a track marked out by station stops, wherein the track comprises: 20 - at least one equipped track portions, disposed between two successive station stops, on which the energy that the energy storage device is able to make available to said at least one traction motor and/or said at least one ancillary equipment on a trajectory between said two 25 successive station stops is insufficient to comply with a predefined route plan, each equipped portion being provided with a ground power supply device able to power at least said energy storage device and/or said at least one traction motor and/or said at least one ancillary 30 equipment when said vehicle is connected to said ground power supply device, and - at least one unequipped track portion, disposed between another two successive station stops, no ground power supply device being provided on said unequipped portion, C:\pof\word\SPEC-875547.docx 8 when the rail vehicle is between these another two successive stations stops on the unequipped track portion, the rail vehicle is autonomous. 5 In particular embodiments of the invention, the power supply installation has one or more of the following features, separately or in all technically possible combinations: - a route plan defines on a trajectory Ty between the two consecutive station stops: LO - a travel time ty, on a trajectory Ty, - a maximum stopping time tax of the vehicle at the station stop Sx, - a passenger comfort level, - unexpected events that said vehicle must be able to cope L5 with; - The rail vehicle power supply installation as described above wherein the ground power supply device does not extend the whole length of the track between two consecutive station stops. 20 - a ground power supply device is disposed on a track portion between two consecutive station stops on which the energy and/or the power liable to be consumed by said at least one traction motor is greater than over the rest of the route; 25 - a ground power supply device is disposed on a track portion between two consecutive station stops on which the energy and/or the power liable to be consumed by said at least one ancillary equipment is greater than over the rest of the route; - a ground power supply device is disposed on a track portion 30 between two consecutive station stops, said track portion being on an upgrade; - a ground power supply device is disposed on a track portion between two consecutive station stops, said track portion being an acceleration area in the route plan; C:\pof\word\SPEC-875547 docx 9 - a ground power supply device is disposed on a track portion between two consecutive station stops, said track portion being an area in which the vehicle is liable to encounter an unexpected event; 5 - a ground power supply device is disposed on a track portion between two consecutive station stops, said track portion extending continuously over a track portion in which the vehicle is liable to stop and then restart and accelerate; - an onboard computer (38) controls the operation of the LO electrical equipment of the vehicle at a point p of the trajectory (Txy) between two successive station stops and/or the lowering of pick-up means as a function of the following parameters: - the state of charge Evp of the energy storage device at 15 the point p on the trajectory Tx, - the position p of the vehicle on the trajectory Ty, - the amount Ety of energy necessary to power the traction motors and the ancillary equipment as far as the next station stop in compliance with the route plan, 20 - the amount Evpy of energy that the energy storage device can make available to the traction motors and the ancillary equipment as far as the station stop Sy, - the command from the driver control, - the maximum current that the vehicle can draw from the 25 ground power supply device; - when the vehicle is connected to the ground power supply device an onboard computer is adapted to control the supply of power to the electrical equipment of the vehicle by the ground power supply device in such a manner as: 30 - to assist the energy storage device to power the traction motors and the ancillary equipment, or - to power the energy storage device and the traction motor and the ancillary equipment, or C:\po1\word\SPEC-875547.docx 10 - to power only the traction motor and the ancillary equipment - the ground power supply device is segmented longitudinally into power supply segments separated by insulating segments, 5 each insulating segment being supplied with electrical energy only when it is inside the footprint of the vehicle; - in the route plan: - the travel time txy of a trajectory Txy is between 30 seconds and 120 seconds; LO - the maximum stopping time tax of the vehicle at a station stop is between 15 seconds and 35 seconds; - the passenger comfort level corresponds to energy between 18 kWh and 132 kWh; - the unexpected events with which said vehicle must be able to 15 cope include at least one event consuming between 0.3 kWh and 2.2 kWh of energy. The invention also provides a rail transport system including a rail vehicle, said vehicle being adapted to travel on a track 20 (5) marked out by station stops, said rail vehicle being supplied with power by a power supply installation as previously described. The power supply installation of the invention has the 25 advantage of being esthetically pleasing as there is no power supply by overhead line between the two station stops, which is increasingly important in town centers. This system is less costly than a ground power supply system installed all along the route of the vehicle. 30 The vehicle power supply installation of the invention has the advantage of complying with the route plan defined by the operator regardless of the geography of the trajectory, i.e. the profile of the track between two consecutive stations. C:\powordiSPEC-875547.docx 10a The vehicle power supply installation of the invention also ensures that service is provided even if the vehicle encounters 5 unexpected events. The invention will be better understood after reading C:\pof\wordSPEC-875547.docx WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 11 the following description, which is given by way of example only and with reference to the appended drawings and table, in which: - Table A sets out the energy consumed by the vehicle, 5 already partly described, lists the energy consumed and supplied by the equipment of the vehicle over a route extending from one station Sa to a station Sk marked out by stations Sx where x = b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j. 10 - Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of variations in the altitude in meters of a transport track and the disposition of the ground power supply device forming part of the power supply installation of the invention over the route of the vehicle 15 between the station Sa and the station Sf. - Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of a power supply installation of the invention with a vehicle situated on a track portion equipped with a ground power supply device, said track portion so equipped 20 being adjacent a track portion with no ground power supply device. Figure 1 represents the track profile 5 over the route of the vehicle from the station Sa to the station Sf on 25 a track 5. The embodiment of the invention represented in figure 1 is adapted to anticipate shortages of energy for the equipment of the vehicle in order to supply sufficient 30 energy to the vehicle to comply with the route plan defined above over the whole of the route of the vehicle regardless of the track profile over the trajectory Ty . 35 As shown in figure 1, in a manner that is known in the art, the station stops Sx, SY adapted to allow passengers to board and alight are equipped with an in station charging device 18 represented in dashed WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 12 outline in figure 1. By in-station charging device 18 is meant a device for charging an energy storage system 15 and powering 5 ancillary equipment 12 when the vehicle is stopped at a station stop S, and electrically connected to said charging device. The energy storage system 15 and the ancillary 10 equipment 12 are represented in figure 2 and are explained hereinafter. According to the invention, the electrical installation includes a ground power supply device 19 equipping the 15 equipped track portions 20 of the trajectories Tab, Tbe, Tcd, Tef, Tij, Tjk, said ground power supply device 19 being adapted to supply the vehicle with electrical energy when it is traveling over a track portion 20 equipped with said ground power supply device 19 as 20 described in more detail hereinafter. An unequipped track portion 21 is a portion of the track 5 with no ground power supply device 19. By supplying the vehicle with electrical energy is 25 meant powering the electrical equipment of said vehicle. To be more precise, the ground power supply device 19 is adapted to power the energy storage system 15, the ancillary equipment 12 and the traction motors 11. 30 The chosen locations of the ground power supply devices 19 in the first embodiment of the invention are described next. 35 As described in more detail hereinafter, in the embodiment shown in figure 2, the traction motors 11 of the vehicle are reversible. They are adapted to operate in consumer mode in which they supply traction energy WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 13 to the wheels 4 of the vehicle 2 and in generator mode in which they generate a braking torque and are adapted to charge the energy storage system 15 on board the vehicle 2. 5 The remainder of the description describes a system comprising a vehicle equipped with an onboard energy storage device consisting of a kinetic energy power supply device. The person skilled in the art will 10 readily know how to replace this kinetic energy accumulator device with a supercapacitor- or battery type device. The vehicle energy consumption table thus includes the 15 braking energy Efxy, which is the energy that the traction motors 11 are able to supply to the flywheel on the trajectory Txy to charge it. The energy values Efxy on the trajectories Ty were obtained by simulation. 20 The energy Erxy is the real energy that the electrical installation must be able to supply to the vehicle 2 in compliance with the route plan on the trajectory TXY, a braking energy Efxy being used to charge the flywheel on the trajectory TXY. 25 Ery = Etxy - Efxy. In the embodiment described, the equipped trajectories are the trajectories Tab, Tbc, Ted, Tef, Tij, TjAk on which the energies Erab, Erbe, Ercd, Eref, Erij, Erik are higher 30 than the energies Evab, Evbe, Evcd, Evef, Evij, Ev-k that the onboard flywheel 15 is able to make available to the vehicle 2 on the respective trajectories Tab, Tbe, Tcd, Tef, Tij, Tjk. 35 Figure 1 shows only the trajectories Tab, Tbc, Ted, Tef. The energy Evxy that the kinetic energy accumulator system 15 is able to make available to the vehicle 2 on WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 14 a trajectory Txy is determined by the route plan and here is equal to the maximum energy that the kinetic energy accumulator system 15 is able to store, i.e. 4 kWh, because the maximum stopping time tax in a 5 station stop Sx is sufficient to charge completely the kinetic energy accumulator device 15. Ground power supply devices 19 are therefore provided outside the station stops on portions of the track 5 of 10 the trajectories Tab, Tbc, Tcd, Tef, Tij, Tjk to supply the vehicle 2 with power when it is on the track portion 20 equipped with said ground power supply device 19. In particular, a ground power supply device 19 equips 15 at least a portion of the track on a trajectory TXY between two consecutive stations on which the energy Evy that the kinetic energy accumulator system 15 is able to make available to the vehicle 2 is insufficient to power the traction motors 11 and the ancillary 20 equipment 12 in compliance with the route plan defined by the operator. As explained in more detail hereinafter, the ground power supply devices are preferably installed on track 25 portions in which the traction motors and/or the ancillary equipment are liable to consume more power than over the rest of the trajectory. To be more precise, a ground power supply device 19 preferably equips portions of the track 5 on an upgrade in the 30 direction of movement of the vehicle and portions of the track 5 on which it is highly probable that the vehicle will accelerate and/or make an unexpected stop. To this end, as can be seen in figure 1, a track 35 portion 20 equipped with a ground power supply device 19 extends over the entire length of the trajectory Tab. The energy Erab that the installation must be able to WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 15 supply to the vehicle is 9.51 kWh, which is more than twice the energy EVab. The whole of the track 5 between the stations Sa and Sb is therefore equipped with a ground power supply section. It is important to note 5 that the track portion Rl equipped with a ground power supply device 19 between the stations Sa and Sb is on average on an upgrade in the direction of the trajectory Tab. The adjacent track in the opposite direction is not equipped with a ground power supply 10 device because the track is on an overall downgrade in the direction of the trajectory Tba. Adjacent tracks on which the vehicle travels in opposite directions are not both equipped, which makes it possible to propose an economical system. 15 The energy requirements of the vehicle on the trajectory Tab are high because the upgrade is particularly steep on this trajectory. The motors consume a great deal of energy on this trajectory to 20 supply potential energy to the vehicle in addition to the kinetic energy necessary for it to move. A track portion R2 between the stations Sb and Se is equipped with a ground power supply device 19. Because 25 the trajectory Tbe is long, the energy Evbc that the kinetic energy accumulator system 15 can make available to the vehicle on the trajectory Tbe is less than the energy that the electrical installation must be able to make available to the vehicle to cover the trajectory 30 Tbc in compliance with the route plan. A track portion 20 between the stations Sb and Se is equipped with a ground power supply device 19. This track portion R2 extends continuously over the entire 35 length of the intersection I and to either side of the intersection I. The energy that must be available to the traction WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 16 motors and the ancillary equipment to comply with the route plan on the trajectory Tbe is 4.63 kWh, which is not very much higher than the energy EVbc that the flywheel has to make available to the vehicle on the 5 trajectory Tbc. By intersection is meant an area in which the streetcar track crosses a road, said track being liable to be crossed in this area by a vehicle traveling on the 10 road. There is a high probability of the rail vehicle being obliged to stop before or on said intersection to avoid colliding with a vehicle or a pedestrian crossing the intersection. 15 This type of stop consumes energy because it lengthens the duration of the trajectory, which increases the consumption of the ancillary equipment and imposes a restart followed by acceleration of the vehicle. This acceleration causes consumption of power and energy by 20 the traction motors. A track portion 20 between the stations Se and Sd is equipped with a ground power supply device 19. In this upgrade track portion R3 there is a high probability 25 that the traction motors 11 will consume a great deal of energy to overcome gravity and to propel the vehicle at a suitable speed. Alternatively, a ground power supply device 19 is 30 provided on a portion of the track 5 between the stations Sc and Sd that is level or on a downgrade but is defined in the route plan as an acceleration area. The traction motors 11 consume energy in an area defined in the route plan as an acceleration area. 35 The track has no ground power supply device 19 between the stations Sd and Se because the energy Evde that the flywheel is able to make available to the vehicle on WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 17 the trajectory Tde is greater than the energy Erde that the vehicle must have available on the trajectory Tde to comply with the route plan. 5 The track portion 20 is equipped with a ground power supply device 19 between the two stations Se and Sf and this track portion R4 is a level area defined as an acceleration area in the route plan. 10 The structure of the power supply installation for the rail vehicle 2 adapted to travel on parallel metal rails, not shown, is described next. The vehicle 2 comprises a passenger cabin 3 supported 15 by a set of wheels 4. The rails of the track are adapted to support and guide the wheels 4. Alternatively, the vehicle 2 comprises a succession of cars each having a cabin 3 and at least two of which 20 are supported by wheels 4. The power supply installation of the invention is adapted to supply electrical energy to electric traction motors 11 and to ancillary equipment 12 via a 25 DC power bus 7. The driving wheels 4 are driven by electric motors 11 supplied with power by traction converters that for clarity are not shown. 30 The traction converters are adapted to convert the DC voltage supplied by the power bus 7 into an AC motor supply voltage. The combination of the traction motors 11 and the traction converters constitutes the traction 35 system of the vehicle. The ancillary equipment 12 includes all units consuming electricity that do not contribute to propelling the WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 18 traction vehicle 2, for example onboard electronics, lighting, air conditioning, passenger information system, heating system, etc. 5 The vehicle 2 is shown as comprising only one car. In the case of a vehicle comprising a number of cars, the electrical equipment 7, 11, 12 is divided between the cars of the vehicle 2, for example. 10 The electric motors 11 are reversible. The traction electric motors 11 are either supplied with power by the power bus 7 or generate a braking torque supplying electrical energy to the traction converters, which convert the AC voltage generated by the traction motors 15 11 to produce a DC voltage on the power bus 7. The vehicle 2 carries an onboard kinetic energy accumulator device 15 adapted to accumulate energy in the form of kinetic energy and to restore it in the 20 form of electrical energy. In a manner that is known in the art, the energy storage device 15. The energy storage device of the embodiment described is a kinetic energy accumulator device that includes a motor with a rotor that serves as an inertia mass. Alternatively, 25 the onboard energy storage device can be any other storage device, such as a supercapacitor or battery device. The onboard kinetic energy accumulator device 15 is 30 adapted to operate in a discharge regime when supplying power to the ancillary equipment 12 and/or the traction motors 11 and in a charge regime during charging phases. An onboard computer 38 controls the switching of the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 from one 35 mode of operation to the other. In the discharge regime, the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 behaves as a generator and produces a DC WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 19 voltage on the power bus 7. In the charge regime, the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 behaves as a motor and takes electrical 5 energy from the power bus 7. The DC voltage is converted by a converter in the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 into an AC supply voltage for the flywheel of the kinetic energy accumulator device 15. 10 The phases of charging the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 are for example the phases of braking the vehicle during which the traction motors 11 operate in generator mode. 15 In a manner that is known in the art, the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 is equipped with means, not shown, for measuring the energy stored in said device 15. 20 The power supply installation includes in the conventional way means for measuring the position of the vehicle along its route. For example, the measuring means are means for measuring the speed of the traction motors, from which the speed of the traction vehicle 25 and its position on the route can be determined, or GPS means for determining the location of the vehicle. In a conventional way, the vehicle includes means for picking up energy from the in-station charging device 30 18, not shown, adapted to make an electrical connection between the power supply bus 7 and the in-station charging device 18 when the vehicle is stopped at a station stop. 35 The in-station charging device 18 is adapted to charge the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 and to power the ancillary equipment 12 when the vehicle is stopped at a station stop S. by supplying electrical energy to WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 20 the power bus 7. For example, the in-station charging device 18 includes for example an overhead line extending along the 5 station stop and the means for picking up energy include a pantograph electrically connected to the vehicle 2 and to be more precise to the power bus 7, for example. One such charging device is described in the applicant's patent application EP0982176 Al. 10 Instead of an overhead line, the in-station charging device 18 can include any other power supply means that can be connected to the vehicle by energy pick-up means. Such power supply means include a third rail or 15 a ground power supply device at the station stop, for example. The installation for supplying power to the vehicle includes a ground power supply device 19 equipping 20 portions of the track 5 outside the stations, as shown in figure 2. One such ground power supply device 19 is described in the document FR 2762810. 25 As shown in figure 2, the ground power supply device 19 is incorporated in the roadway between the two rails of the vehicle track and extends along and parallel to the two track rails. The ground power supply device is 30 flush with the surface of the track 5. In a manner that is known in the art, the ground power supply device 19 is segmented longitudinally into power supply segments 34 separated by insulating segments 36. 35 The ground power supply device 19 is connected via electrical substations, not shown, to the electrical distribution grid of the town. To prevent any risk of WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 21 electrocuting pedestrians, each power supply segment 34 is supplied with electrical energy only when it is inside the footprint of the vehicle 2. 5 To be more precise, the ground power supply device 19 is adapted to supply energy to the vehicle 2 when at least one segment 34 is inside the footprint of the vehicle 2 and at least one energy pick-up means 22 carried by the vehicle 2 are in physical contact with 10 at least one of the segments 34 supplied with electrical energy. As can be seen in figure 2, the vehicle 2 is equipped with means 22 for picking up electrical energy from the 15 ground power supply device 19. The electrically conductive pick-up means 22 are fixed to the vehicle. The pick-up means 22 provide a mechanical and electrical connection between the 20 vehicle and the ground power supply device 19. The pick-up means 22 comprise two shoes that are adapted to move between a raised position, not shown, in which the pick-up means 22 are not in physical 25 contact with the ground surface of the track 5, and a lowered position, shown in figure 2, in which the shoes are in sliding contact with the surface of the track 5, in particular with power supply segments 34 and insulating segments 36 if the vehicle 2 is located on a 30 portion 20 of the track 5 equipped with a ground power supply device 19. The spacing between the shoes of the pick-up means 22 is greater than the length of an isolating segment 36 35 to ensure continuous supply of power from the bus 7 via the shoes, at least one of which is connected to the conductive segment 34.

WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 22 In this way, as explained hereinafter, the ground power supply device 19 is able to power the kinetic energy accumulator device 15, the ancillary equipment 12 and the traction motors 11 when an electrical connection 5 between at least one segment 34 and the power bus 7 is made via the electrical energy pick-up means. As shown in figure 2, the power supply installation includes an onboard data network 37 connected to an 10 onboard computer 38. The computer 38 is connected to a driver control 39. The onboard computer 38 receiving an instruction from the driver control 39 controls the operation of the 15 traction motors 11, the ancillary equipment 12 and the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 via the onboard network. The driver control 39 is a manipulator device that the 20 driver can move to send a traction, braking or idle command to the onboard computer 38. A traction command is sent when the motors require energy, for example during acceleration or on an 25 upgrade. In this case, the onboard computer 38 commands powering of the traction motors 11 by absorption of energy from the power bus 7 so that the traction motors 11 generate a traction torque to propel the vehicle. 30 An idle command is sent if the traction motors 11 do not require energy. The vehicle is either stopped or coasting. When the driver control sends a braking command to the 35 onboard computer 38, the computer commands selection of the braking mode of the motors 11 and feeding of the power bus 7 with the electrical energy generated by the traction motors in braking mode.

WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 23 Alternatively, the driver control 39 is an automatic control device for sending the onboard computer traction or braking commands. 5 The operation of the power supply installation is described next. The operation of the electrical installation is 10 controlled by the onboard computer 38, which has access to information on the power supply, the energy pick-up means 22, the position of the vehicle 2 on its route, the state of charge of the kinetic energy accumulator, the route plan, the driver control 39 and the power 15 requirements of the ancillary equipment. The onboard computer 38 advantageously has access to a table of energy values listing, for each point on the route of the vehicle, the energy that the vehicle 2 20 requires to reach the next station stop S, in compliance with the route plan. These values are obtained either by simulation or by averaging values obtained during preliminary tests. 25 When the vehicle is stopped at a station stop Sx, the onboard computer 38 controls charging of the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 and of the ancillary equipment 12 by the in-station charging device 18, which supplies electrical energy to the traction bus 7, 30 the charging device 18 being connected to the bus 7 by energy pick-up means of the charging device 18 that are not shown. When the vehicle leaves the station S,, the kinetic 35 energy accumulator device 15 has available an amount Evx of energy depending on the route plan and more particularly on the time for which the vehicle stopped at the station stop Sx and the energy available to the WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 24 kinetic energy accumulator device 15 on arriving at the station stop S,. When the vehicle is between two consecutive stations S, 5 and Sy on a track portion 21 with no ground power supply device 19, the vehicle 2 is autonomous. In braking mode, when the driver control 39 sends a braking command, the onboard computer 38 controls 10 recovery of the braking energy to supply the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 and the ancillary equipment with energy supplied to the power bus 7 by the traction motors 11. 15 In traction mode, the onboard computer 38 manages the supply of power to the traction motors 11 and the ancillary equipment 12 by the kinetic energy accumulator device 15, which is in discharge mode at this time and delivers electrical energy to the power 20 bus 7. Before the vehicle reaches a track portion 20 equipped with a ground power supply device 19, the driver is alerted by a signaling device, not shown, to command 25 lowering of the pick-up means 22. The pick-up means 22 are lowered when the vehicle 2 is on a track portion 20 equipped with a ground power supply device 19 to establish physical contact between said pick-up means 22 and the at least one power supply segment 34 in line 30 with said pick-up means 22. Alternatively, the onboard computer 38 commands lowering of the shoe. 35 The onboard computer 38 implements a power supply process to manage the energy picked up by the vehicle 2 from the ground power supply device 19.

WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 25 At any point on the trajectory Try the onboard computer 38 is able to manage circulation of energy in the vehicle 2 and operation of the electrical equipment (15, 11, 12) of the vehicle as a function of: 5 - the state of charge of the flywheel, i.e. the amount Evp of energy contained in the kinetic energy accumulator device at the point p on the trajectory - the position p of the vehicle on the trajectory TXy, 10 - the amount Etpy of energy necessary to supply power to the traction motors 11 and the ancillary equipment 12 as far as the next station in compliance with the route plan, - the amount Evy of energy that the kinetic energy 15 accumulator device 15 can make available to the traction motors 11 and the ancillary equipment 12 as far as the station Sy, - the command from the driver control 39, - the maximum current that the vehicle can draw from 20 the ground power supply device, such as to comply with the predetermined route plan. In the remainder of the description it is assumed that the pick-up means 22 are lowered and that the vehicle 25 is moving on an equipped track portion 20. When the vehicle 2 is stopped at the station Sa, the onboard computer 38 controls charging of the flywheel 14 and supply of power to the ancillary equipment 12 by 30 the in-station charging device 18. The route plan described above providing a sufficiently long stopping time to charge the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 completely at the station stop Sa, 35 the flywheel is totally charged on leaving the station Sa. On the track portion R1 extending over the whole of the WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 26 trajectory Tab, the traction motors 11 and the ancillary equipment 12 are supplied with power over the whole of the trajectory Tab by the ground power supply device 19 as a function of their respective energy requirements. 5 Referring to the table of power consumption of the vehicle 2, it is seen that the vehicle 2 requires energy that the APS device can supply to it on the track section R2 only if the vehicle encounters an 10 unexpected event on its trajectory that consumes more than 0.63 kWh of energy, the amount Erxy of energy being equal to 4.63 kWh. On the track section R2, the ground power supply device 19 is able to supply energy to the vehicle 2 via the pick-up means 22 in electrical 15 contact with at least one power supply segment 34. When the vehicle is on the track portion R2, two situations can arise. Either the vehicle encounters an unexpected event or it does not. 20 If the vehicle 2 has encountered an unexpected event at the intersection I, it has been obliged to stop before the intersection I. 25 When the vehicle 2 stops before the intersection I, and when the vehicle starts and accelerates, the ancillary equipment 12 and the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 are supplied with power by the ground power supply device 19. On the track portion R2, the onboard 30 computer 38 compares the state of charge Evp of the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 to the amount EtY of energy necessary to reach the next station stop S, in compliance with the route plan and commands charging of the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 if the 35 remaining energy in the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 is insufficient to reach the next station with an amount Eve of energy and in compliance with the route plan.

WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 27 This embodiment has the advantage that it does not discharge the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 at a place where the traction motors 11 are liable to 5 consume a lot of power. A lot of energy can also be consumed on the track portion 20 equipped with the ground power supply device 19. Here, if the vehicle makes an unexpected stop at the intersection I, the traction motors 11 consume a lot of power to start and 10 accelerate the vehicle 2. In a second embodiment, the vehicle draws limited power from the ground power supply device. Thus when the vehicle 2 starts and accelerates, the onboard computer 15 38 commands supply of power to the ancillary equipment 12 by the ground power supply device 19 whereas the traction motors 11 are supplied with power by means of the ground power supply device 19 and the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 simultaneously. 20 This embodiment has the advantage that it draws a reasonable power and therefore a reasonable current from the ground power supply device 19 as well as limiting the energy that the kinetic energy accumulator 25 device 15 supplies to the traction motors 11 and thus limiting the discharging of the kinetic energy accumulator device 15. Providing the ground power supply device 19 at a place 30 where a lot of power is liable to be consumed by the traction motors 11, here an intersection, limits the discharging and/or charging of said kinetic energy accumulator device 15 at a place where it would be liable to be discharged a lot. 35 If the vehicle has not encountered an unexpected event at the intersection I and the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 is storing sufficient energy to WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 28 reach the station S, with an amount Eve of energy in compliance with the route plan, the onboard computer 38 nevertheless commands charging of the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 and supply of power to the 5 traction motors 11 and the ancillary equipment 12 by the ground power supply device 19. This charges the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 and for the remainder of the trajectory Tbc either 10 provides surplus energy available in the event of another unexpected event on the trajectory Tbe or a breakdown of the in-station charging device 18 at the station Se or reduces the stopping time at the station S, to charge the flywheel 14 with an amount Ev'e of 15 energy. Alternatively, if the vehicle 2 has not encountered an unexpected event at the intersection I and the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 is storing sufficient 20 energy to reach the station stop Sc with an amount Eve of energy in compliance with the route plan, the onboard computer 38 commands supply of power to the traction motors 11 and the ancillary equipment 12 by the kinetic energy accumulator device 15. Thus no 25 energy is drawn from the ground power supply device in the track portion R2. When the vehicle 2 is on the point of leaving the track portion 20 equipped with the ground power supply device 30 19, the driver receives an instruction via a signaling device to command raising of the pick-up means 22. Alternatively, the pick-up means 22 are raised automatically when the vehicle leaves the track portion 35 20. If the vehicle brakes on the track portion R2, the onboard computer 38 commands charging of the kinetic WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 29 energy accumulator device 15 and supply of power to the ancillary equipment 12 by the ground power supply device 19 and/or the traction motors 11. 5 On the track portion R3, which is an upgrade in the direction of movement of the vehicle 2, the onboard computer 38 can command either charging of the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 and powering of the ancillary equipment 12 and the traction motors 11 or of 10 powering the traction motors 11 and the ancillary equipment 12 without charging the kinetic energy accumulator device 15. These two strategies have the advantage of not 15 discharging the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 at a location where a lot of power and energy are consumed by the traction motors 11 because of the upgrade. Moreover, the two strategies have the advantages of charging the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 and 20 of not drawing excessive power from the ground power supply device 19. The track portion R4 is a level area of the track 5 defined as an acceleration area in the route plan. 25 In the track portion R4, the onboard computer 38 can command either charging of the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 and powering of the traction motors 11 and the ancillary equipment, or of powering 30 the traction motors 11 and the ancillary equipment 12 without charging the kinetic energy accumulator device 15. When the vehicle 2 is on a track portion 20 equipped 35 with a ground power supply device 19, the onboard computer 38 can use a number of strategies that comply with the route plan for operating the equipment of the vehicle and circulating energy in the vehicle. This has WO 2009/003765 PCT/EP2008/056403 - 30 the advantage of improving the quality of the power supply installation as a function of the priorities of the operator (drawing a low current from the ground power supply device, limiting the stopping time at 5 stations, having maximum energy available to cope with unexpected events). Alternatively, when the vehicle traveling on a trajectory Ty reaches a track portion 20 equipped with 10 a ground power supply device 19, the onboard computer 38 commands lowering of the pick-up means 22 only on reaching the equipped track portion 20, the energy contained in the kinetic energy accumulator device 15 being insufficient to power the traction motors 11 and 15 the ancillary equipment 12 as far as the station Sy in compliance with the route plan determined by the operator. The route plan of the vehicle is such that: 20 - in the route plan, - the travel time txy on a trajectory Txy is between 30 seconds and 120 seconds, preferably 60 seconds; - the maximum stopping time tax of the vehicle at a station stop is between 15 seconds and 35 seconds, 25 preferably 20 seconds; - the passenger comfort level corresponds to an energy between 18 kWh if there is no air conditioning or heating and 132 kWh if there is air conditioning, for example; 30 - the unexpected events with which said vehicle must be able to cope include at least one event consuming between 0.3 kWh and 2.2 kWh of energy, which is for example the energy consumed by an unscheduled stop of one minute duration.

Claims

1. A power supply installation for a rail vehicle, said vehicle including: 5 - at least one traction motor and at least one ancillary equipment, and - an energy storage device on board the vehicle, said onboard energy storage device being able to supply power to said at least one traction motor and said at least one 10 ancillary equipment, and being adapted: - to be supplied with electrical energy when said vehicle is stopped at a station stop, and - to cause said rail vehicle to travel on a track marked out 15 by station stops, wherein: the track comprises: - at least one equipped track portions, disposed between two successive station stops, on which the energy that the 20 energy storage device is able to make available to said at least one traction motor and/or said at least one ancillary equipment on a trajectory between said two successive station stops is insufficient to comply with a predefined route plan, each equipped portion being 25 provided with a ground power supply device able to power at least said energy storage device and/or said at least one traction motor and/or said at least one ancillary equipment when said vehicle is connected to said ground power supply device, and 30 - at least one unequipped track portion, disposed between another two successive station stops, no ground power supply device being provided on said unequipped portion, when the rail vehicle is between these another two C:\pcf\word\SPEC-875547.docx 32 successive stations stops on the unequipped track portion, the rail vehicle is autonomous.

2. The rail vehicle power supply installation as claimed in 5 claim 1, wherein a route plan defines on a trajectory between the two consecutive station stops: - a travel time on said trajectory, - a maximum stopping time of the vehicle at the station stop, LO - a passenger comfort level, - unexpected events that said vehicle must be able to cope with.

3. The rail vehicle power supply installation as claimed in 15 either of the preceding claims, wherein the ground power supply device does not extend the whole length of the track between two consecutive station stops.

4. The rail vehicle power supply installation as claimed in 20 any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a ground power supply device is disposed on an equipped track portion between two consecutive station stops on which the energy and/or the power liable to be consumed by said at least one traction motor is greater than over the rest of the route. 25

5. The rail vehicle power supply installation as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a ground power supply device is disposed on an equipped track portion between two consecutive station stops on which the energy and/or the power 30 liable to be consumed by said at least one ancillary equipment is greater than over the rest of the route.

6. The rail vehicle power supply installation as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a ground power supply device C:\pof\word\SPEC-875547.docx 33 is disposed on an equipped track portion between two consecutive station stops, said equipped track portion being on an upgrade. 5

7. The rail vehicle power supply installation as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a ground power supply device is disposed on an equipped track portion between two consecutive station stops, said equipped track portion being an acceleration area in the route plan. 10

8. The rail vehicle power supply installation as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a ground power supply device is disposed on an equipped track portion between two consecutive station stops, said equipped track portion being an 15 area in which the vehicle is liable to encounter an unexpected event.

9. The rail vehicle power supply installation as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a ground power supply device 20 is disposed on an equipped track portion between two consecutive station stops, said equipped track portion extending continuously over a track portion in which the vehicle is liable to stop and then restart and accelerate. 25 10. The vehicle power supply installation as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein an onboard computer controls the operation of the electrical equipment of the vehicle at a point of the trajectory between two successive station stops and/or the lowering of pick-up means as a function of the following 30 parameters: - the state of charge of the flywheel, - the position of the vehicle on the trajectory, C:\pof\wordSPEC-875547.docx 34 - the amount of energy necessary to power the traction motors and the ancillary equipment as far as the next station stop in compliance with the route plan, - the amount of energy that the energy storage device can 5 make available to the traction motors and the ancillary equipment as far as the station stop, - the command from the driver control, - the maximum current that the vehicle can draw from the ground power supply device.

10

11. The vehicle power supply installation as claimed in claim 10 wherein the state of charge of the flywheel is the amount of energy contained in the energy storage device at the point on the trajectory. 15

12. The power supply installation as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein when the vehicle is connected to the ground power supply device an onboard computer is adapted to control the supply of power to the electrical equipment of the vehicle by 20 the ground power supply device in such a manner as: - to assist the energy storage device to power the traction motors and the ancillary equipment, or - to power the energy storage device and the traction motor and the ancillary equipment, or 25 - to power only the traction motors and the ancillary equipment.

13. The power supply installation as claimed in claim 12, wherein the ground power supply device is segmented 30 longitudinally into power supply segments separated by insulating segments, each insulating segment being supplied with electrical energy only when it is inside the footprint of the vehicle. C:\pof~word\SPEC-875S47.docx 35

14. The rail vehicle power supply installation as claimed in claim 2, wherein in the route plan: - the travel time of a trajectory is between 30 seconds and 120 seconds; 5 - the maximum stopping time of the vehicle at a station stop is between 15 seconds and 35 seconds; - the passenger comfort level corresponds to energy between 18 kWh and 132 kWh; - the unexpected events with which said vehicle must be able LO to cope include at least one event consuming between 0.3 kWh and 2.2 kWh of energy.

15. A rail transport system including a rail vehicle, said vehicle being adapted to travel on a track marked out by 15 station stops, said rail vehicle being supplied with power by a power supply installation according to claim 1.

16. A power supply installation substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the 20 invention in the accompanying drawings. 25 C:\poftword\SPEC-875547.doocx