FR2801403A1 - Electric railway engine simulator comprises electric motors with flywheels, and controls for simulation of driving during training - Google Patents

Abstract

The system uses two motors mounted in a common frame, with two flywheels for simulating front and rear bogies. The railway traction simulator comprises at least one and two electric motors (6a, 6b) mounted with a framework. An inertial load comprising a flywheel (25) is coupled to each motor, with a linkage which is intended to simulate the contact between the driving wheels of the train and the rails. A control system is provided, with a mechanism for applying either a load (30) to the flywheel(s), or an driving force in order to simulate the effect of a rising or a falling slope on the railway lines. The load may be applied by use of an aerodynamic brake consisting of a fan which is driven by the rotation of the flywheel, when this effect is to be applied. The two motors and flywheels may be used to simulate the operation of front and rear bogies on the engine.

Description

The present invention relates to a behavioral simulator for simulating electric rail traction.

Behavioral simulators are used to enable students to study the behavior of electrical machines in specific situations.

They generally comprise engines with various characteristics, coupled to loads with various characteristics.

These known simulators make it possible to approach in a rather satisfactory manner the behavior of current industrial installations.

However, they do not make it possible to satisfactorily simulate the behavior of an electric motor, because of the specificities of railway traction.

A conventional drive is usually equipped with two motors, respectively driving two independent bogies.

In addition, the load applied to the motors is likely to vary in a large proportion.

In fact, the profile of the track, sometimes rising, sometimes descending, changes frequently.

The number of cars in the convoy is also likely to vary.

Furthermore, the adhesion of a steel wheel on a rail is very variable, depending on whether the rail is dry or wet, or icy or covered with dead leaves.

Finally, several types of motorization are used according to the motor.

There is therefore a need to have a behavioral simulator for realistically simulating electric rail traction.

The subject of the invention is thus a new behavioral simulator, characterized in that it comprises - at least one electric motor, - an inertial load making it possible to simulate the inertia of the convoy, coupled by means of connection to said engine, said connecting means being arranged to simulate the contact of the wheels of a motor on a rail, and - control means for controlling the electric motor. Thus, in the invention, the inertia of a convoy moving in translation is simulated by the inertia of an inertial mass driven in rotation.

The invention makes it easier to simulate the behavior of a motor than a reduced model.

In addition, the invention makes it possible to simulate the slip during starting and clutching, that is to say the locking in rotation of the wheels moving on the rail, in case of braking. In a preferred embodiment, the simulator comprises load simulation means making it possible to exert a braking action or a driving action on the inertial mass and / or the motor, to simulate an upward or downward slope, and the control means are arranged to also control the charge simulation means.

In a particular implementation of the invention, the simulator further comprises aerodynamic braking simulation means for exerting a braking action on the inertial mass and / or the motor, preferably on the inertial mass, the braking action increasing with speed in order to simulate the resistance opposed by the air to the advancement of the convoy.

Still in a particular embodiment of the invention, the aerodynamic braking simulation means comprise a fan.

Preferably, the simulator comprises two motors respectively corresponding to the front and rear bogies of the motor whose behavior is sought to simulate, each coupled by means of connection to the inertial mass.

More preferably, the or each connecting means comprises a rail simulation roller rotated with the inertial mass and a motor roller driven in rotation by the associated motor, said motor roller being able to frictionally drive the simulation roller of rail to his touch.

It is possible, thanks to the invention, to satisfactorily simulate the physical realities such as the contact of the wheels on the rails, the slope of the track, the aerodynamic resistance and the inertia of the convoy.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the simulator comprises two motor rollers rotated respectively by the two aforementioned motors, and two rail simulation rollers respectively in contact with these two motor rollers, these two rail simulation rollers. being integral with one and the same link shaft. Advantageously, the inertial mass is subject to this connecting shaft. Advantageously, the rail simulation roller has a slightly conical rolling surface converging towards the outside and the associated motor roller has a rolling surface having a slightly convex profile, convex towards the outside.

In this way, it is simulated that in reality the upper surface of the rails is curved and the wheels conical.

In addition, it ensures the centering of the connecting shaft relative to the motor rollers.

In a particular implementation of the invention, the inertial mass comprises two flywheels respectively located in the vicinity of the two rail simulation rollers.

Preferably, the or each rail simulation roller rests on the associated motor roller and on a free roller.

Also preferably, each free roller has a rolling surface having a slightly convex profile, convex outwardly.

In order to simulate the fact that, in reality, the wheels of the front bogie may be of a smaller diameter than the rear bogie wheels, following for example a jamming of the front or rear wheels having damaged these wheels and need their one of the motor rollers has a smaller diameter than the other.

In this case, the motor rollers are arranged as the diametrically opposite corners of a rectangle and the diameter of each free roller corresponds to the diameter of the motor roller rotating about the same geometric axis of rotation.

Advantageously, the load simulation means comprise a reversible machine that can operate as a generator to simulate a rising channel or motor to simulate a downlink.

 This reversible machine is advantageously coupled to the connecting shaft connecting the rail simulation rollers so as to exert a force in an off-center thereof, in order to simulate a driving up phenomenon of the power unit.

In a particular embodiment, the reversible machine is coupled to the connecting shaft by a belt.

It is also hinged by an edge on the frame and means are provided to exert a predetermined force on the opposite edge to tension the belt.

It is thus possible to simulate a more or less significant pitching phenomenon. Advantageously, the control means comprise display and selection means arranged to allow the user to choose one of several walking configurations, one of several engine configurations, and one of several types of operation.

The gait configuration can thus be chosen from the following configurations: traction, electric braking, rheostatic braking with series excitation, rheostatic braking with separate excitation.

The drive configuration can be selected from the following configurations: serial sources coupled to series motors, serial sources coupled to parallel motors, parallel sources coupled to parallel motors, independent sources coupled to independent motors.

The type of operation of the simulator can be selected from the following types of operation: manual operation, speed control, speed control with anti-slip.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge on reading the detailed description which follows, of an example of non-limiting implementation, and on examining the appended drawing in which - FIG. 1 is a view partially schematic, of a simulator according to the invention, - Figure 2 is a side view along the arrow II of Figure 1, and - Figure 3 is a partial view of the opposite side, according to the arrow 111 of Figure 1.

The behavioral simulator 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a chassis 2 having three horizontal levels, namely a higher level 3, an intermediate level 4 and a lower level 5.

Two electric motors 6a, 6b are fixed on a removable base 7 carried by the upper level 3.

On the intermediate level 4 are fixed two pairs of bearings 8 respectively associated with the motors 6a and 6b. Each pair of bearings 8 is located substantially vertically above the corresponding motor 6a or 6b and supports a horizontal shaft 9.

This shaft 9 is rotated by the associated motor 6a or 6b by means of a toothed belt 10.

Sensors 11a and 11b are fixed on the vertical uprights 12 of the frame 2 in order respectively to measure the speeds of rotation of the two shafts 9.

Steel motor rollers 15a and 15b, respectively associated with the motors 6a and 6b, are mounted on the shafts 9 and rotate with the latter.

Next to each pair of bearings 8 is disposed a pair of bearings 16 for the rotational mounting of a horizontal shaft 19 parallel to the adjacent shaft 9 and supporting a steel roller.

The motor roller 15a and the associated free roller 18a support a rail simulation roller 20a made of steel.

The motor roller 15b and the associated free roller 18b support a rail simulation roller 20b, also made of steel.

The rail simulation rollers 20a and 20b are integral with a horizontal connecting shaft 21, parallel to the shafts 9.

The rail simulation rollers 20a and 20b are provided, on their facing faces, with flanges 17 which can bear axially on the respective motor rollers 15a and 15b in order to axially retain the connecting shaft 21.

The motor roller 15a has a diameter slightly greater than that of the motor roller 15b to take into account that, in reality, the wheels of the front bogie generally have a diameter different from that of the rear bogie wheels.

So that the link shaft 21 is horizontal despite the difference in diameter of the motor rollers 15a and 15b, the latter are crossed, that is to say that if the simulator is observed from above, the motor rollers 15a and 15b are placed as the diametrically opposite corners of a rectangle.

Thus, in Figure 1, only the motor roller 15a is visible.

The diameter of the free roller 18b, which rotates about the same geometric axis as the motor roller 15a, is the same as that of the motor roller 15a.

The free roller 18a has the same diameter as the motor roller 15b and rotates around the same geometric axis of rotation. The rail simulation rollers 20a and 20b have a slightly conical surface, converging towards the outside, as can be seen in FIG.

The running surface of the motor rollers 15a, 15b and free rollers 18a, 18b is slightly convex, outwardly convex, so as to allow the connecting shaft 21 to be centered automatically.

Two flywheels 25 are fixed on the connecting shaft 21, each wheel 25 being located substantially midway between the middle of the connecting shaft 21 and the rail simulation roller which is at the end. of the connecting shaft 21 on the same side as the flywheel in question.

At the lower level 5 is a reversible machine 30 that can operate either as a current generator or as a motor, associated with a speed sensor 43.

This machine 30 is coupled, via a toothed belt 31 and a wheel 32, to the connecting shaft 21.

The wheel 32 is fixed on the shaft 21 between the middle of the connecting shaft 21 and the flywheel 25 located next to the rail simulation roller 20a.

On the lower level 5 is also a fan 40 which is rotated by the connecting shaft 21 by means of a toothed belt 41, engaged in a wheel 42 fixed in the middle of the connecting shaft 21.

The tension of the belt 31 is adjustable so as to apply a force directed downwards to a greater or lesser extent on the connecting shaft 21, in order to simulate a greater or lesser pitch-up phenomenon, as will be specified in FIG. after.

In the embodiment described, the reversible machine 30 is articulated by an edge on the frame 2 along a horizontal axis 50.

A spring 51 presses down on the opposite edge 52 to urge the reversible machine 30 downwardly to tension the belt 31.

The upper end of the spring 51 comes to bear against a handle 53 engaged on a threaded shaft integral with the frame 2 and acting as a guide for the spring 51.

By turning the handle 53, the spring 51 can be further compressed in order to exert greater pressure on the edge 52 and thus, indirectly, further tension the belt 31.

The motors 6a and 6b can be continuous, synchronous or asynchronous motors, so as to simulate the different existing engines.

The motors 6a and 6b respectively simulate the driving of the two bogies of a motor.

The inertia in translation of the convoy is simulated by the inertia in rotation of the two flywheels 25.

The mass of the motor that applies the wheels to the railway is simulated in part by the weight of the two flywheels 25 and by that of the connecting shaft 21 and partly by the tension of the belt 31.

To size flywheels 25, a similarity ratio is applied, as will be explained below.

A similarity ratio is also used to size the fan 40 and determine the operating conditions of the reversible machine 30.

In general, a train in acceleration phase must provide a total power equal to P = p # ,, + pf + p, + pp + pa, where p. is the power intended to compensate the mechanical losses, pf is the power intended to overcome the rolling friction, p, is the power intended to ensure the penetration into the air, pp is the power due to a possible slope and pa is the power intended to overcome the inertia of the convoy in acceleration.

Each of the elements p. , pf, pv, pp and pa of the total power P can be expressed in a simple manner as a function of generally constant coefficients and of the rotation frequency w of the motors or of their angular acceleration w ', in the form Aw + Bw2 + Cw3 + D.pw + Ew.w 'where A, B, C, D, E are coefficients, p the slope, w the motor rotation frequency, w' the angular acceleration, and the total power P under the P = A'w + B'w2 + C'w3 + D'.pw + E'cw.w 'The power at the shaft of a motor 6a or 6b will have the expression Ps = a cos <B > + </ B> b <B> Co, 2 + cw, 3 + dp w, + ew, ws' where a, b, c, d, e are coefficients specific to the simulator, <B> Co, is the frequency of rotation of a motor 6a or 6b, and its acceleration The similarity between the simulator and the actual motor will be established at the power level.

The similarity ratio K will be the ratio of the powers P / Ps.

Afin de simplifier, on choisira (o = ù), et<B>a)' =</B> co,'. In the exemplary embodiment described, it is sought to make each of the

In order to simplify, we will choose (o = ù), and <B> a) '= </ B>co,'.

In the embodiment described, the powertrain taken as a model is a BB 16 500 machine of 2580 kW of power, mass 72 t and it is assumed that it drives a convoy consisting of two empty cars, either about 5.45 t.

The simulator is equipped with two motors of <B> 1100 W each. The similarity ratio is: K = 2,580 / 2 x 1,1 = <B> 1173. </ B>

The maximum speed of the motor is 90 km / h.

It is therefore possible to calculate the kinetic energy of the convoy and one can apply the similarity ratio above to determine the kinetic energy to be stored by the flywheels 25.

The calculations give an inertia of 2.5 m2 kg.

The procedure is similar to determine the power of the fan 40 and the operating conditions of the reversible machine 30.

Moreover, the reversible machine 30 can be controlled so as to oppose to the motors 6a and 6b a torque proportional to the acceleration of the convoy, in order to create a virtual inertia, simulating the filling of the cars.

By applying an eccentric point of the connecting shaft 21 of the tension of the belt 31, it is ensured that the rail simulation roller 20b is more strongly applied to the motor roller 15b than is the rail simulation roller 20a on the motor roller 15a.

In this way, it is possible to simulate the pitching of the power unit, that is to say the fact that the front bogie tends to lift at start-up, the towing hitch being not at the level of the wheel axis but slightly above.

The fact of resting the connecting shaft 21 on two rollers at each end provides great stability and makes it possible to dispense with additional lateral guide means. Control means housed in a cabinet 51 are arranged to control the motors 6a, 6b and the reversible machine 30, as well as for measuring the currents, the motor voltage and the speeds of rotation thanks to the sensors 11a, 11b and 43.

Advantageously, these control means comprise an interface for displaying different screens and offering the user the possibility of selecting a particular mode of operation.

Thus, the control means are arranged in the embodiment described to allow the user to select different configurations of traction or braking, in order to simulate for example traction, electric braking, dynamic braking with serial excitation or the dynamic braking with separate excitation.

The control means also enable the user to select a particular type of coupling between the motors and the sources, for example a coupling in which the sources are in series and the motors also, in which the sources are in series and the motors in parallel, in which the sources and the motors are in parallel, or in which the sources and motors are independent.

The reversible machine 30 can be driven to simulate a downward slope, during which the load of the convoy tends to drive the motor, or a generator operation, with energy return to the network, to simulate a rising channel.

The control of the reversible machine 30 may be in the form of a step or voltage ramp, so as to allow the user to program a time varying path profile.

In the embodiment described, the reversible machine is also controllable so as to simulate an increase in the inertia corresponding to the filling of the cars.

The control means also allow the user to choose the operating mode of the motors, for example manual operation, speed control with or without anti-slip.

Each motor 6a or 6b can be controlled independently.

Both motors 6a and 6b can be controlled simultaneously or be with commands applied successively. In the embodiment described, the control means allow the user to choose, in the case of proportional and integral servocontrols to process the slip, for example, the gain of the proportional action and the integration constant.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment which has just been described.

In particular, the simulator that has just been described can be simplified to a certain extent by, for example, eliminating the fan and controlling the reversible machine so as to simulate aerodynamic braking.

Claims (21)

1. Behavioral simulator for simulating rail traction, characterized in that it comprises - at least one electric motor (6a; 6b), - an inertial load (25) for simulating the inertia of the convoy, coupled by means of connecting means (10, 9, 15a, 20a, 21; 10, 9, 15b, 20b, 21) to said motor (6a; 6b), said connecting means being arranged to simulate wheel contact of a motor on a rail, and - control means for controlling the motor. 2. Simulator according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises load simulation means (30) for exerting a braking action or a motor action on the inertial mass and / or the engine to simulate a slope. rising or falling, and in that the control means are arranged to control the load simulation means. 3. Simulator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises aerodynamic braking simulation means (40) for exerting a braking action on the inertial mass and / or the engine, preferably on the inertial mass (25), the braking action increasing with the speed in order to simulate the resistance opposed by the air to the advancement of the convoy. 4. Simulator according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the aerodynamic braking simulation means comprise a fan (40). 5. Simulator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises two motors respectively corresponding to the front and rear bogies, each coupled by means of connection to the inertial mass. 6. Simulator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the or each connecting means comprises a rail simulation roller (20a; 20b) driven in rotation with the inertial mass (25) and a driving roller ( 15a, 15b) rotated by the associated motor, this motor roller being adapted to frictionally drive the rail simulation roller to its contact. 7. Simulator according to the two immediately preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises two motor rollers (15a; 15b) rotated respectively by the two motors and two rail simulation rollers (20a; 20b) respectively in contact with each other. two motor rollers, these two rail simulation rollers being integral with the same connecting shaft (21). 8. Simulator according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the inertial mass (25) is secured to the connecting shaft (21). 9. Simulator according to one of the two immediately preceding claims, characterized in that each rail simulation roller has a slightly conical running surface, converging towards the outside. 10. Simulator according to one of the three immediately preceding claims, characterized in that each motor roller has a rolling surface having a slightly convex profile, convex outwardly. 11. Simulator according to one of the four immediately preceding claims, characterized in that the inertial mass comprises two flywheels (25) respectively located in the vicinity of the two rail simulation rollers (20a, 20b). 12. Simulator according to any one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that each rail simulation roller (20a; 20b) rests on the associated motor roller (15a; 15b) and on a free roller (18a; 18b). ). 13. Simulator according to the preceding claim, characterized in that each free roller (18a; 18b) has a rolling surface having a slightly convex profile, convex outwardly. 14. Simulator according to one of the two immediately preceding claims, characterized in that the two motor rollers have different diameters, in that they are arranged as the diametrically opposite corners of a rectangle, and by the fact that the diameter of each free roller corresponds to the diameter of the motor roller rotating about the same geometric axis of rotation. 15. Simulator according to claim 2 and any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the load simulation means comprise a reversible machine (30) operable in a generator to simulate a rising channel or engine to simulate a path down. 16. Simulator according to claims 7 and 15, characterized in that the reversible machine is coupled to the connecting shaft (21) so as to exert a force in an off-center position thereof, to simulate a phenomenon of wheeling of the motor. 17. Simulator according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the reversible machine (30) is coupled to the connecting shaft by a belt (31), in that the reversible machine is hinged by an edge on the frame ( 2), and in that means (51, 53) are provided for exerting a predetermined force on the opposite edge (52) to tension the belt (31). 18. Simulator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control means comprise display and selection means arranged to allow the user to choose one of several walking configurations, a motorization configuration. among several, and one type of operation among several. 19. Simulator according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the gait configuration is selected from the following configurations: traction, electric braking, rheostatic braking with series excitation, rheostatic braking with separate excitation. 20. Simulator according to one of the two immediately preceding claims, characterized in that the motorization configuration is chosen from among the following configurations: series sources coupled to motors in series, series sources coupled to parallel motors, sources in parallel coupled to motors in parallel, independent sources coupled to independent motors. 21. Simulator according to any one of the three immediately preceding claims, characterized in that the type of operation is selected from the following types of operation: manual operation, speed control with or without anti-slip.