GB1562674A - Regenerating an auxiliary air drier for use in raising the pantograph of an electric locomotive - Google Patents

Regenerating an auxiliary air drier for use in raising the pantograph of an electric locomotive Download PDF

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Publication number
GB1562674A
GB1562674A GB8721/78A GB872178A GB1562674A GB 1562674 A GB1562674 A GB 1562674A GB 8721/78 A GB8721/78 A GB 8721/78A GB 872178 A GB872178 A GB 872178A GB 1562674 A GB1562674 A GB 1562674A
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United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
main
pantograph
pneumatic system
auxiliary
air
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
GB8721/78A
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Alsthom Atlantique SA
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Alsthom Atlantique SA
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Publication date
Application filed by Alsthom Atlantique SA filed Critical Alsthom Atlantique SA
Publication of GB1562674A publication Critical patent/GB1562674A/en
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
    • B60L5/00—Current collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles
    • B60L5/18—Current collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles using bow-type collectors in contact with trolley wire
    • B60L5/22—Supporting means for the contact bow
    • B60L5/28—Devices for lifting and resetting the collector
    • B60L5/32—Devices for lifting and resetting the collector using fluid pressure
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D53/00—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
    • B01D53/26—Drying gases or vapours
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
    • B60L2200/00—Type of vehicles
    • B60L2200/26—Rail vehicles

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Current-Collector Devices For Electrically Propelled Vehicles (AREA)
  • Electric Propulsion And Braking For Vehicles (AREA)
  • Valves And Accessory Devices For Braking Systems (AREA)
  • Drying Of Gases (AREA)

Description

(54) REGENERATING AN AUXILIARY AIR DRIER FOR USE IN RAISING THE PANTOGRAPH OF AN ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE (71) We, Society Anonyme dite ALSTHOM-ATLANTIQUE, a French Body Corporate of 38, avenue Kléber 75784 Paris Cedex 16, France; do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to a pneumatic system for an electric locomotive having a pantograph, and to a method of operating said system. The pneumatic system includes a main pneumatic system that operates on electric power drawn from the pantograph once it is raised into contact with an overhead power line and an auxiliary pneumatic system for raising the pantograph. The main pneumatic system has the principal function of applying the brakes and includes a main air drier to avoid condensation in the pneumatic piping.
To bring a locomotive into operation, it is known to use an auxiliary air compressor which runs off batteries and raises the pantograph, thereby connecting the locomotive to its electricity power supply. The air produced by the auxiliary compressor contains impurities such as oil, dust and water, and therefore requires cleaning. To eliminate these impurities, auxiliary filter means are used and they can be cleaned and regenerated by dry compressed air from the main pneumatic system once it is in operation. In a known system the cleaning operation is performed automatically each time the main pneumatic system starts up. thereby avoiding the need to rely on manuallyoperated cleaning of the auxiliary filter means. Unfortunately a single cleaning operation per cycle of locomotive use with its pantograph up may not be sufficient.
The present invention provides a method of regenerating an auxiliary air drier in the pneumatic system of an electric locomotive having a pantograph and a pneumatic cylinder for raising the pantograph, a main pneumatic system that operates on electric power drawn from the pantograph once it is raised into contact with an overhead power line and which includes a main air drier, and an auxiliary pneumatic system that operates from an auxiliary power supply to raise the pantograph into contact with an overhead power line and which includes the said auxiliary air drier to dry the compressed air delivered to raise the pantograph; the method comprising providing means for delivering a back flow of dry compressed air from the main pneumatic system once it is in operation to regenerate the auxiliary air drier by flowing through the auxiliary air drier in the reverse direction to the flow direction of the air which raises the pantograph, and operating said means to deliver said back flow in a cyclic or repetitive manner throughout the time the main pneumatic system is in operation.
The auxiliary air drier may be arranged to be regenerated each time the main air drier is regenerated. Thus the auxiliary air drier is regenerated automatically and repeatedly even though it is only used once per operative cycle of the locomotive.
The present invention also provides a pneumatic system for an electric locomotive having a pantograph and a pneumatic cylinder for raising the pantograph, the pneumatic system comprising a main pneumatic system that operates on electric power drawn from the pantograph once it is raised into contact with an overhead power line and which includes a main air drier, and an auxiliary pneumatic system that operates from an auxiliary power supply to raise the pantograph into contact with an overhead power line and which includes an auxiliary air drier to dry the compressed air delivered to raise the pantograph, wherein the auxiliary air drier comprises filter means which are also connected to receive a back flow of dry compressed air from the main pneumatic system to regenerate the filter means once the main pneumatic system is in operation by flowing through the filter means in the reverse direction to the flow direction of the air which raises the pantograph, and wherein the outlet of the filter means in the direction of back flow is connected to an electrically-operated vent of the main air drier which vents to the outside air, whereby, in operation, the auxiliary air drier is automatically regenerated each time the main air drier is regenerated.
There is thus no need for regeneration controlling apparatus specific to the auxiliary pneumatic system.
The filter of the auxiliary air drier preferably includes a mass of alumina, and by regenerating it at each cycle of the main drier it is certain that regenerated alumina will be available whenever required, in particular when the auxiliary compressor is used for the next occasion on which the locomotive is brought into service.
Indeed, when the bed of alumina is saturated with water it is necessary to use a large quantity of dry air to regenerate it, which is why a scheme which only provides for one regeneration per operation cannot guarantee a good dew-point while an independent cyclic regeneration insures final regeneration of the alumina of the auxiliary drier. Tests have shown that a large number of cvcles are necessary to recuperate alumina which is saturated with water.
An embodiment of the present invention is described by way of example with reference to the sole figure of the accompanying drawing which shows schematically the pneumatic circuit of an auxiliary air drier associated with a main air drier.
On the figure an auxiliary air drying assembly 100 can be seen associated with a main air drying assembly 200 known per se.
The assembly 200 is constituted by a two-tank main air drier 20, a main compressor 21, a regeneration tank 22, an electrically-operated valve 4 and a regulator 24. The regulator 24 is pressure-sensitive and ensures that the main compressor is started, for example, at 8 bars and is stopped at 9 bars. Further, it ensures the opening of the electrically-operated valve 4 when the main compressor 21 stops, thereby causing the alumina of the drier 20 to be regenerated by dry air coming from the regeneration tank 22.
The assembly 100 is constituted principally by an auxiliary air drier 1 within which there are successively, in the downstream direction of working air flow, a grid filter element and a volume of alumina.
An inlet end 2 of the drier 1 is connected to a conduit 3 which is in communication both with an electrically-operated valve 4 leading to a vent 5 to the outside air and with a non-return valve 6 leading to an auxiliary air compressor 7. The non-return valve 6 allows air to pass from the compressor 7 to the drier 1 but not vice-versa. The auxiliary compressor runs off electricity supplied by a storage battery and is capable of supplying a pressure of up to 7 bars. An outlet end 8 of the drier 1 is connected to a conduit 9 which is in communication firstly with a non-return valve 10 leading via a conduit 11 and a non-return valve 19 to a cylinder 12 for raising the pantograph 13.
The non-return valves 10 and 19 allow air to pass from the drier 1 to the cylinder 12 but not vice-versa. When compressed air is introduced into the cylinder 12 the pantograph 13 rises into contact with a catenary 14. The conduit 9 is also in communication with a conduit 18 of the main pneumatic system via a back flow feed conduit 17, a non-return valve 16 and a portion of conduit 15 having a calibrated bore. The non-return valve 16 allows air to flow from the main pneumatic system to the conduit 9 but not vice-versa. The conduit 18 of the main pneumatic system is supplied with compressed air from a main compressor 21 of the locomotive which is driven from electricity drawn from the catinary via the pantograph, when raised. The compressed air of the main pneumatic system is dried by a main air drier 20. The maximum pressure of pure air in the main pneumatic system is 9 bars.
The auxiliary air drier 1 operates as follows: Initially, the auxiliary compressor 7 is turned on and sends compressed air through the non-return valve 6 to the end 2 of the drier 1.
The air is then purified and leaves the drier 1 via its outlet end 8 and the conduit 9.
The non-return valve 16 prevents the air passing while the non-return valve 10 allows the air to pass. The compressed air thus operates the cylinder 12 which raises the pantograph 13 and enables the auxiliary compressor 7 to be turned off.
Subsequently, the raising of the pantograph 13 connects the locomotive to its electricity supply and powers the main compressor of the locomotive. The main air drier then allows purified air to pass into the main conduit 18 at a pressure which rises from one to 9 bars, for example. The compressed air comes from the conduit 18 to the conduit 17 and to the non-return valve 16 through which it passes to balance the pressure existing in the cylinder 12.
When the pressure limit (for example 9 bars) is reached in the conduit 18, the main compressor 21 is turned off by its regulator device 24 which also controls the electrically-operated valve of the main drier 20 thereby starting the regeneration process in the main drier 20. At the same time, the opening of the electrically-operated valve 4 of the main drier also connects the conduit 3 to the outside air 5. The air pressure at the inlet end 2 of the auxiliary drier is consequently reduced. Purified air coming from the main conduit 18 expands in the calibrated bore 15 and sweeps the auxiliary air drier from its outlet end 8 to the outside air 5. The alumina contained in the auxiliary air drier is thus regenerated and the condensates accummulated in the metal filters are thus cleaned by back-flow. When the pressure in the regeneration tank 22 of the main drier 20 falls to 0.3 bars, for example, the relay of the electrically-operated valve 4 closes access to the outside air 5. This operation also isolates the conduit 3 from the outside air 5. The auxiliary air drier 1 is no longer swept clean.
Its regeneration is stopped at the same time as that of the main air drier 20.
This process is repeated at each cycle of the main compressor 21 thereby ensuring permanent regeneration of the alumina of the auxiliary air drier by purified air from the main conduit. This makes it absolutely certain that it will be possible to supply the cylinder 12 of the pantograph 13 with purified air, particularly during any subsequent starting up operation.
The auxiliary compressor 7 is protected during regeneration by the non-return valve 6.
Attention is hereby drawn to our U.K.
application No. 151/78 (Serial No. 1562673) which claims an auxiliary pneumatic system for raising the pantograph of an electric locomotive which includes a main pneumatic system that operates on electric power drawn from the pantograph when raised into contact with an overhead power line, the auxiliary pneumatic system comprising an auxiliary air compressor connected pneumatically in series with an auxiliary air drier and with pneumatic means for raising the pantograph to enable the pantograph to be raised with dry compressed air from the auxiliary compressor, wherein the auxiliary air drier comprises filter means which are also connected to receive a back flow of dry compressed air from the main pneumatic system to regenerate the filter means once the main pneumatic system is in operation.
WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of regenerating an auxiliary air drier in the pneumatic system of an electric locomotive having a pantograph and a pneumatic cylinder for raising the pantograph, a main pneumatic system that operates on electric power drawn from the pantograph once it is raised into contact with an overhead power line and which includes a main air drier, and an auxiliary pneumatic system that operates from an auxiliary power supply to raise the pantograph into contact with an overhead power line and which includes the said auxiliary air drier to dry the compressed air delivered to raise the pantograph; the method comprising providing means for delivering a back flow of dry compressed air from the main pneumatic system once it is in operation to regenerate the auxiliary air drier by flowing through the auxiliary air drier in the reverse direction to the flow direction of the air which raises the pantograph, and operating said means to deliver said back flow in a cyclic or repetitive manner throughout the time the main pneumatic system is in operation.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary air drier is arranged to be regenerated each time the main air drier is regenerated.
3. A pneumatic system for an electric locomotive having a pantograph and a pneumatic cylinder for raising the pantograph, the pneumatic system comprising a main pneumatic system that operates on electric power drawn from the pantograph once it is raised into contact with an overhead power line and which includes a main air drier, and an auxiliary pneumatic system that operates from an auxiliary power supply to raise the pantograph into contact with an overhead power line and which includes an auxiliary air drier to dry the compressed air delivered to raise the pantograph, wherein the auxiliary air drier comprises filter means which are also connected to receive a back flow of dry compressed air from the main pneumatic system to regenerate the filter means once the main pneumatic system is in operation by flowing through the filter means in the reverse direction to the flow direction of the air which raises the pantograph, and wherein the outlet of the filter means in the direction of back flow is connected to an electricallyoperated vent of the main air drier which vents to the outside air, whereby, in operation, the auxiliary air drier is automatically regenerated each time the main air drier is regenerated.
4. A pneumatic system according to claim 3, wherein the said filter means comprises a grid of droplet-trapping fibres.
5. A pneumatic system according to claim 4, wherein the said filter means further comprises a mass of alumina which is downstream of the droplet-trapping fibres in the working direction of air flow.
6. A pneumatic system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the said fibres are metal fibres.
7. A pneumatic system according to
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. device 24 which also controls the electrically-operated valve of the main drier 20 thereby starting the regeneration process in the main drier 20. At the same time, the opening of the electrically-operated valve 4 of the main drier also connects the conduit 3 to the outside air 5. The air pressure at the inlet end 2 of the auxiliary drier is consequently reduced. Purified air coming from the main conduit 18 expands in the calibrated bore 15 and sweeps the auxiliary air drier from its outlet end 8 to the outside air 5. The alumina contained in the auxiliary air drier is thus regenerated and the condensates accummulated in the metal filters are thus cleaned by back-flow. When the pressure in the regeneration tank 22 of the main drier 20 falls to 0.3 bars, for example, the relay of the electrically-operated valve 4 closes access to the outside air 5. This operation also isolates the conduit 3 from the outside air 5. The auxiliary air drier 1 is no longer swept clean. Its regeneration is stopped at the same time as that of the main air drier 20. This process is repeated at each cycle of the main compressor 21 thereby ensuring permanent regeneration of the alumina of the auxiliary air drier by purified air from the main conduit. This makes it absolutely certain that it will be possible to supply the cylinder 12 of the pantograph 13 with purified air, particularly during any subsequent starting up operation. The auxiliary compressor 7 is protected during regeneration by the non-return valve 6. Attention is hereby drawn to our U.K. application No. 151/78 (Serial No. 1562673) which claims an auxiliary pneumatic system for raising the pantograph of an electric locomotive which includes a main pneumatic system that operates on electric power drawn from the pantograph when raised into contact with an overhead power line, the auxiliary pneumatic system comprising an auxiliary air compressor connected pneumatically in series with an auxiliary air drier and with pneumatic means for raising the pantograph to enable the pantograph to be raised with dry compressed air from the auxiliary compressor, wherein the auxiliary air drier comprises filter means which are also connected to receive a back flow of dry compressed air from the main pneumatic system to regenerate the filter means once the main pneumatic system is in operation. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:
1. A method of regenerating an auxiliary air drier in the pneumatic system of an electric locomotive having a pantograph and a pneumatic cylinder for raising the pantograph, a main pneumatic system that operates on electric power drawn from the pantograph once it is raised into contact with an overhead power line and which includes a main air drier, and an auxiliary pneumatic system that operates from an auxiliary power supply to raise the pantograph into contact with an overhead power line and which includes the said auxiliary air drier to dry the compressed air delivered to raise the pantograph; the method comprising providing means for delivering a back flow of dry compressed air from the main pneumatic system once it is in operation to regenerate the auxiliary air drier by flowing through the auxiliary air drier in the reverse direction to the flow direction of the air which raises the pantograph, and operating said means to deliver said back flow in a cyclic or repetitive manner throughout the time the main pneumatic system is in operation.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary air drier is arranged to be regenerated each time the main air drier is regenerated.
3. A pneumatic system for an electric locomotive having a pantograph and a pneumatic cylinder for raising the pantograph, the pneumatic system comprising a main pneumatic system that operates on electric power drawn from the pantograph once it is raised into contact with an overhead power line and which includes a main air drier, and an auxiliary pneumatic system that operates from an auxiliary power supply to raise the pantograph into contact with an overhead power line and which includes an auxiliary air drier to dry the compressed air delivered to raise the pantograph, wherein the auxiliary air drier comprises filter means which are also connected to receive a back flow of dry compressed air from the main pneumatic system to regenerate the filter means once the main pneumatic system is in operation by flowing through the filter means in the reverse direction to the flow direction of the air which raises the pantograph, and wherein the outlet of the filter means in the direction of back flow is connected to an electricallyoperated vent of the main air drier which vents to the outside air, whereby, in operation, the auxiliary air drier is automatically regenerated each time the main air drier is regenerated.
4. A pneumatic system according to claim 3, wherein the said filter means comprises a grid of droplet-trapping fibres.
5. A pneumatic system according to claim 4, wherein the said filter means further comprises a mass of alumina which is downstream of the droplet-trapping fibres in the working direction of air flow.
6. A pneumatic system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the said fibres are metal fibres.
7. A pneumatic system according to
claim 3, 4, 5 or 6, wherein the connection to receive the back flow of dry compressed air includes a back flow feed conduit connected between the outlet side of the filter means and the main pneumatic system, said back flow feed conduit including at least a portion of sufficiently small bore to limit the rate of back flow.
8. A pneumatic system for an electric locomotive having a pantograph and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
GB8721/78A 1977-03-07 1978-03-06 Regenerating an auxiliary air drier for use in raising the pantograph of an electric locomotive Expired GB1562674A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR7706637A FR2383332A1 (en) 1977-03-07 1977-03-07 AUXILIARY AIR DRYER FOR PANTOGRAPH OF AN ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB1562674A true GB1562674A (en) 1980-03-12

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB8721/78A Expired GB1562674A (en) 1977-03-07 1978-03-06 Regenerating an auxiliary air drier for use in raising the pantograph of an electric locomotive

Country Status (4)

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DE (1) DE2809317A1 (en)
FR (1) FR2383332A1 (en)
GB (1) GB1562674A (en)
SE (1) SE430971B (en)

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2809317A1 (en) 1978-09-21
FR2383332A1 (en) 1978-10-06
SE7802508L (en) 1978-09-08
FR2383332B1 (en) 1980-01-11
SE430971B (en) 1983-12-27

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
694A Case decided by the comptroller (rule 94(3)/1968)
PS Patent sealed [section 19, patents act 1949]