JP2013102655A - Vehicle control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle control device that can prevent the life of a specific electric motor from being shortened while driving the electric motor in a condition of high efficiency and can improve maintainability.SOLUTION: The vehicle control device includes: an operating number model storage part 30 that stores the relation of vehicle speed or rotation speed of electric motors, necessary vehicle tensile force necessary for a vehicle, and the number of a plurality of operating electric motors to be operated; an operation number decision part 20 that calculates the operating number of a plurality of electric motors to be operated corresponding to the vehicle speed of the vehicle or the rotation speed of the electric motors, and the necessary vehicle tensile force by referring to the operating number model storage part; an index management part 50 that calculates and manages the temperature rise evaluation indexes corresponding to the temperature rise factors of a plurality of electric motors respectively; and a tensile force command part 40 that generates a tensile force command information that shows the tensile force which the electric motor to be operated out of a plurality of electric motors should generate based on the number of a plurality of electric motors to be operated, and the necessary vehicle tensile force calculated by the operation number decision part, and a plurality of electric motors and the respective temperature rise evaluation indexes which the index management part manages.

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle control device that controls the speed of a vehicle driven by a plurality of electric motors.

  In general, the tensile force required when performing constant-speed traveling control that maintains the vehicle speed at a predetermined target speed is smaller than that required when accelerating the vehicle. Therefore, when all the electric motors provided in the vehicle are always operated during the constant speed traveling control, the individual electric motors are operated with a relatively small load. In general, the efficiency of the electric motor with respect to the load state is often low in a region where the load is small. Therefore, in the conventional constant speed traveling control, the electric motor may be operated under a low efficiency condition.

  In order to solve such problems, the required tensile force is calculated based on the vehicle weight, the required acceleration, etc., and the number of operating units and individual motors are set so that the load on each individual motor is not reduced according to the required required tensile force. A method for determining an output is disclosed (Patent Document 1). However, Patent Document 1 mentions how to perform speed control by changing the number of operating units when the required acceleration changes from moment to moment according to the route conditions, etc., as in constant speed traveling control. Absent.

  Further, as a method for changing the number of operating motors during constant speed traveling control, a method of increasing or decreasing the number of operating motors according to the deviation between the actual vehicle speed and the target speed and the current acceleration is disclosed (Patent Document 2). In Patent Document 2, after determining the number of operating units, when determining the motors to be specifically operated, the priority order set for each motor is specified by changing the priority order every predetermined time or notch command change. The method of preventing only the electric motor of this from being loaded and shortening the lifetime is described.

JP 7-308004 A JP 2007-325338 A

  The life of an electric motor is affected by temperature rise caused by internal heat generation. In order to equalize the life of individual motors, it is necessary to equalize the amount of heat generated. In Patent Document 2, the amount of heat generated is equalized by equalizing the operating time of individual motors. . However, the amount of heat generated per unit time actually differs depending on the operating condition of the motor, and for example, the amount of heat generated is large under conditions where the output of the motor is large and the loss is large. Therefore, there is a case where the heat generation amount cannot be equalized only by equalizing the operation time.

  Embodiments of the present invention have been made to solve such a problem, and are capable of preventing vehicle life from being shortened while operating the motor under high-efficiency conditions, and improving vehicle maintainability. The object is to provide a device.

The vehicle control device of the embodiment is a control device that controls a vehicle including a plurality of electric motors, and is a vehicle speed or a rotation speed of the electric motor, a necessary vehicle tensile force required for the vehicle, and an operation of the plurality of electric motors to be operated. An operation number model storage unit that stores an operation number model indicating the relationship between the numbers, and an operation corresponding to the vehicle speed of the vehicle or the rotation speed of the motor and the required vehicle tensile force with reference to the operation number model of the operation number model storage unit And an operating unit determining unit that calculates the operating units of a plurality of electric motors to be operated. The vehicle control device includes an index management unit that calculates and manages a temperature increase evaluation index corresponding to a temperature increase factor of each of the plurality of electric motors, and an operating number of the plurality of electric motors to be operated that is calculated by the operating number determination unit. Based on the required vehicle tensile force and the temperature rise evaluation index of each of the plurality of electric motors managed by the index management unit, the electric motor to be operated among the plural electric motors and the tensile force command information indicating the tensile force to be generated by the electric motor are generated. And a tensile force command unit.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle control apparatus of embodiment. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the vehicle tension | tensile_strength of a certain speed area | region in a vehicle provided with the several electric motor, and efficiency for every motor operation number. It is a conceptual diagram explaining an electric motor loss estimation model. It is a figure explaining arrangement | positioning of the electric motor which operates a vehicle organization. It is a figure explaining arrangement | positioning of the electric motor which operates a vehicle organization.

(Configuration of the embodiment)
Hereinafter, a vehicle control apparatus according to an embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the vehicle control device of the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle control apparatus 1 according to the embodiment includes a knitting tensile force determination unit 10, an operating unit determination unit 20, an operating unit model storage unit 30, a tensile force command unit 40, and an index management unit 50. A loss estimation model storage unit 60, an electric motor control unit 70, and a train information storage unit 80 that holds vehicle weight information of the entire vehicle.

  The knitting tensile force determination unit 10 compares the vehicle speed acquired by the speed detection sensor 14 with the target speed of the constant speed traveling control set by the target speed setting unit 12, and the vehicle speed becomes close to the target speed. It is a calculation part which determines the required tensile force of the whole vehicle. Here, the target speed setting unit 12 has a memory that holds a preset target speed, and the knitting tensile force determination unit 10 can refer to the target speed at any time. The speed detection sensor 14 outputs train speed information calculated from, for example, the rotational speed of the axle of the vehicle. That is, the knitting tensile force determination unit 10 can calculate the tensile force of the entire vehicle to be increased or decreased by comparing the target speed with the current speed and using the train information in the train information storage unit 80.

  For example, the knitting tensile force determination unit 10 predicts the vehicle speed after the elapse of a predetermined time when the tensile force command for all the vehicles at the current time is maintained, taking into account the gradient condition in front of the vehicle. If the predicted vehicle speed is close to the target speed, the current tensile force is maintained.If the predicted vehicle speed exceeds the allowable range and falls below the target speed, the tensile force is increased and predicted. If the measured vehicle speed exceeds the target speed beyond the allowable range, necessary tensile force information for reducing the tensile force is generated.

  The operating number determination unit 20 is a calculation unit that calculates the number of operating motors based on the necessary tensile force information generated by the knitting tensile force determination unit 10 and the current vehicle speed output by the speed detection sensor 14. When a train of trains is equipped with a plurality of electric motors, if all the electric motors are operated under conditions that require only a small tensile force, the individual motors are operated in a state with a small load, so the overall efficiency is reduced. . Based on the vehicle speed and the necessary tensile force information generated by the knitting tensile force determining unit 10, the operating number determining unit 20 calculates the number of operating motors with the maximum efficiency.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 2, the relationship between the number of motors and efficiency in a certain speed region will be described. FIG. 2 shows the efficiency characteristic a when all motors are operated, the efficiency characteristic b when 70% of the motors are operated, and the efficiency characteristic c when 40% of the motors are operated. An example is shown.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the region A where the tensile force required for the entire knitting is Fb or more, it can be seen that the efficiency is highest when all the motors are operated. In the region B where the tensile force required for the entire knitting is from Fa to Fb, the efficiency is highest when 70% of all the motors are operated. Similarly, in the region C where the tensile force required for the entire knitting is Fa or less, the efficiency is highest when 40% of all the motors are operated.

  In the vehicle control apparatus 1 of the embodiment, the operating unit model storage unit 30 stores data and formulas such as efficiency characteristics a to c, or boundary values of the tensile force range (Fa, Fb, etc. in FIG. 2) and the tensile force. The combination information of the number of operating units selected in the range is stored as a model for determining the number of operating motors. The operating number determining unit 20 refers to the operating number model storage unit 30 by using the necessary tensile force information and the speed information generated by the knitting tensile force determining unit 10 and determines the operating number of the electric motor having the highest efficiency.

  The index management unit 50 estimates the loss of each motor based on the tensile force borne by each motor and the vehicle speed or the rotation speed of the motor, and calculates the temperature rise evaluation index by integrating the loss over time. Since the temperature rises due to heat generation according to the loss of the electric motor, the degree of temperature rise is evaluated based on the loss. In the vehicle control apparatus 1 of the embodiment, the number of electric motors to be operated is changed according to a required vehicle tensile force. Unlike the case where all the units are always operated, there is a possibility that the maintenance time varies because the operating time and the heat generation amount are different between the operating motor and the stopped motor. Therefore, the index management unit 50 calculates a temperature rise evaluation index as a burden on each motor, and manages the loss amount of each motor.

  Here, the loss estimated by the index management unit 50 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is an example of a loss characteristic (motor loss estimation model) indicating a loss generated in the motor using the tensile force and speed generated by the motor as parameters.

  The motor loss estimation model is obtained by, for example, measuring losses generated in the motor in accordance with various tensile forces and vehicle speeds or motor rotation speeds, and formulating the characteristics. The motor loss estimation model can obtain the loss of the motor by giving the tensile force borne by the motor and the vehicle speed or the rotation speed of the motor as input parameters. FIG. 3 is a graph of this model.

  The motor loss estimation model organizes parameters as motor current and speed, not tensile force and speed, and configures the motor loss output by inputting motor current and vehicle speed or motor rotation speed. Also good. Of the motor loss, the copper loss can be expressed as a function of the current value, the iron loss or the like can be expressed as a function of the speed, and the both can be combined. The motor current input to the motor loss estimation model may be measured or estimated from the tensile force and speed based on the motor design data. The loss estimation model storage unit 60 stores such a motor loss estimation model.

  For example, the index management unit 50 can obtain the tensile force borne by each electric motor from the tensile force command of each electric motor determined by the tensile force command unit 40 described later. Further, the index management unit 50 can obtain the vehicle speed from the speed detection sensor 14 and can obtain the rotation speed of the electric motor from the speed sensor of the electric motor. These are parameters for estimating the loss of each electric motor.

  The index management unit 50 refers to the motor loss estimation model in the loss estimation model storage unit 60 every predetermined period (for example, 100 ms) to determine the loss of the motor, integrates the loss with time, and calculates the temperature rise evaluation index. calculate. Specifically, the index management unit 50 calculates the loss amount by adding the product of the loss value and the calculation cycle every cycle. That is, the index management unit 50 manages the relative operating status of each electric motor. Here, the loss of the electric motor is an amount lost as heat in the energy input to the electric motor, and this corresponds to the amount of heat generated. Thereby, the difference of the emitted-heat amount of each electric motor can be evaluated. Note that copper loss, which is one of the main causes of motor loss, is proportional to the square of the current value of the motor. Therefore, simply measuring or estimating the motor current and integrating the square value over time. Thus, the temperature rise factor may be evaluated.

  By the way, the temperature rise that affects the life of the electric motor differs depending not only on the amount of heat generated by the electric motor but also on the amount of heat released from the electric motor. Therefore, a heat dissipation amount calculation unit having a heat dissipation amount estimation model for calculating a heat dissipation amount is further added to the loss estimation model storage unit 60, and the heat generation amount obtained by the motor loss estimation model and the heat dissipation amount obtained by the heat dissipation amount estimation model are calculated. The temperature rise evaluation index may be obtained by integrating the difference between the two over time. The heat dissipation amount estimation model is obtained, for example, by simulating the heat dissipation amount according to the motor temperature and the vehicle speed (the number of rotations of the motor) when cooling is performed by a fan attached to the shaft of the motor. This is a mathematical expression of the characteristics. By giving the temperature of the electric motor and the vehicle speed (the number of rotations of the electric motor) as input parameters, the heat dissipation amount of the electric motor can be obtained.

  The heat release amount estimation model is used not for obtaining an accurate temperature rise value but for equalizing the temperature load condition for each electric motor. Therefore, it is only necessary to obtain an approximate heat release characteristic relating to speed. Therefore, when the temperature of the motor cannot be obtained as an input parameter of the heat radiation amount estimation model, a saturation temperature under a condition that assumes a predetermined condition such as during rated operation may be used as the input parameter. Alternatively, the heat capacity of the electric motor is estimated in advance by simulation or actual measurement, the temperature rise is obtained by dividing the difference between the heat generation amount and the heat release amount by the heat capacity, and the temperature rise value is integrated by time as the temperature rise evaluation index. Good.

  Integration of evaluation values for loss amounts and temperature rise factors starts at the start of operation of the vehicle, when the vehicle control device is turned on, at manual reset, etc., but all motors have the same evaluation value at the start of integration. It becomes. Further, since there may be a plurality of electric motors having the same evaluation value at a certain point in time, it is desirable to set a priority order rule (for example, selecting serial numbers in ascending order) for the same evaluation value.

  The tensile force command unit 40 includes the necessary number of operating motors calculated by the operating unit determining unit 20, the necessary tensile force calculated by the knitting tensile force determining unit 10, and the loss amount of each motor calculated by the index management unit 50 ( Based on the temperature rise evaluation index), the electric motor to be actually operated is determined, and the tensile force borne by each of the electric motors to be operated is determined. The electric motors to be operated are selected up to the number of operating units determined by the operating unit determining unit 20 in order from the smallest temperature rise evaluation index.

  In the case of a knitted vehicle composed of a plurality of electric cars, the entire knitted car is divided into a plurality of blocks in order to suppress the unevenness of the loss amount in the knitting, and the temperature rise evaluation of the electric motor to be operated in each block Select in ascending order of index. For example, when equally dividing into two blocks on the front side and the rear side of the formation vehicle and operating half of the total number of units, half of the number of blocks in order from the smallest temperature rise evaluation index in the block on the front side of the formation And the half of the number of the blocks is selected in order from the smallest temperature rise evaluation index in the block on the rear side of the knitting.

  4 shows an example in which 8 (or 8 vehicles) are selected from all 16 (or 16 vehicles), and FIG. 5 shows that all 16 (or 16 vehicles) are divided into two blocks in the front and back, and the front side 4 (or 4 vehicles) are selected from among the 8 vehicles (or 8 vehicles), and 4 (or 4 vehicles) are selected from the 8 vehicles (or 8 vehicles) on the rear side. As the number of divisions, an appropriate number can be selected in accordance with the total number of units and the status of switching the number of operating units. At this time, the number of divisions may be dynamically switched according to the number of operating units.

  The tensile force command unit 40 equally divides the vehicle tensile force by the number of operating units, or proportionally distributes according to the axial load of the motor to be operated by referring to the axial load of each motor from the train information in the train information storage unit 80. Calculate the tensile force for each motor.

(Operation of the embodiment)
Then, with reference to FIG. 1, operation | movement of the train control system of embodiment is demonstrated.

  When the traveling maintenance speed of the train is given, the target speed setting unit 12 holds the target speed information. On the other hand, the speed detection sensor 14 detects the current speed of the train and gives it to the knitting tensile force determination unit 10. The knitting tensile force determination unit 10 is based on the target speed held by the target speed setting unit 12, speed information given by the speed detection sensor 14, vehicle weight information of all trains of the train stored in advance by the train information storage unit 80, and the like. The necessary tensile force information necessary to reach the target speed is calculated.

  The number-of-operations determination unit 20 uses necessary tensile force information generated by the knitting tensile force determination unit 10, speed information detected by the speed detection sensor 14, information on the number of vehicle formations and motors stored in the train information storage unit 80, and the like. Thus, the number of operating motors is determined by referring to the model for determining the number of operating motors in the operating unit model storage unit 30.

  On the other hand, the index management unit 50 calculates the temperature increase evaluation index by applying the motor loss estimation model of the loss estimation model storage unit 60 using the tensile force, the vehicle speed, or the rotation speed of the motor that is borne by each motor. To do. The temperature rise evaluation index is, for example, an integrated value (loss amount) of each motor loss.

  Subsequently, the tensile force command unit 40 uses the number of operating electric motors calculated by the operating number determination unit 20, the necessary tensile force information generated by the knitting tensile force determination unit 10, and the temperature rise evaluation index generated by the index management unit 50. Then, it calculates how much tensile force is generated in which of the electric motors included in the train, and generates electric motor tensile force command information. The motor pulling force command information generated by the pulling force command unit 40 is given to the motor control unit 70 that controls each motor, and each motor control unit 70 drives the corresponding motor according to the motor pulling force command information.

  As described above, according to the train control system of the embodiment, the number of motors to be operated is adjusted according to the necessary tensile force information and the train speed in the entire vehicle, and the motors with lower temperature rise evaluation indices are preferentially operated. By adjusting the number of operating motors, it is possible to equalize the amount of heat generated by each motor while operating the motor in a highly efficient region and prevent the life of a specific motor from being shortened.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Train control system, 10 ... Knitting tensile force determination part, 20 ... Active number determination part, 30 ... Active number model memory | storage part, 40 ... Tensile force command part, 50 ... Index management part, 60 ... Loss estimation model memory part, 70: Electric motor controller, 80 ... Train information storage unit.

Claims (9)

A control device for controlling a vehicle including a plurality of electric motors,
An operating number model storage unit storing an operating number model indicating a relationship between a vehicle speed or a rotational speed of the electric motor, a necessary vehicle tensile force required for the vehicle, and an operating number of the plurality of electric motors to be operated;
An operation for calculating the operation number of the plurality of electric motors to be operated corresponding to the vehicle speed of the vehicle or the rotation speed of the electric motor and the required vehicle tensile force with reference to the operation number model of the operation number model storage unit. A unit for determining the number of units;
An index management unit that calculates and manages a temperature increase evaluation index corresponding to a temperature increase factor of each of the plurality of electric motors;
Based on the operating number of the plurality of motors to be operated calculated by the operating number determination unit, the required vehicle tensile force, and the temperature increase evaluation index of each of the plurality of motors managed by the index management unit, the plurality of motors A vehicle control apparatus comprising: an electric motor to be operated; and a tensile force command unit that generates tensile force command information indicating a tensile force to be generated by the electric motor.   The index management unit obtains a loss of each of the plurality of motors based on a tensile force generated by each of the plurality of motors and a vehicle speed of the vehicle or a rotation speed of the motor, and accumulates the losses over time. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature rise evaluation index is calculated by the above. A current acquisition unit for acquiring a current value of each of the plurality of electric motors;
The index management unit obtains a loss of each of the plurality of electric motors based on the current value acquired by the current acquisition unit and the vehicle speed or the rotation speed of the electric motor, and integrates the loss over time to calculate the temperature. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an increase evaluation index is calculated. A current acquisition unit for acquiring a current value of each of the plurality of electric motors;
The index management unit calculates the temperature rise evaluation index by obtaining a loss of each of the plurality of electric motors based on the current value acquired by the current acquisition unit and integrating the loss with time. The vehicle control device according to claim 1. A current acquisition unit for acquiring a current value of each of the plurality of electric motors;
The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the index management unit calculates the temperature increase evaluation index by integrating the square value of the current value acquired by the current acquisition unit with time. The current acquisition unit
Detecting a current value of each of the plurality of electric motors, or
The current value is obtained by estimating a current value of each of the plurality of electric motors based on a vehicle speed of the vehicle or a rotation speed of the electric motor and a tensile force of each of the plurality of electric motors. 6. The vehicle control device according to any one of items 5 to 5. A heat dissipation amount calculating unit that calculates a heat dissipation amount of each of the plurality of electric motors based on a vehicle speed of the vehicle or a rotation speed of the electric motor;
The index management unit calculates the temperature increase evaluation index by calculating each loss of the plurality of electric motors, and calculating the loss amount by integrating the difference between the loss and the heat dissipation amount over time. The vehicle control device according to claim 1. A heat dissipation amount calculating unit that calculates a heat dissipation amount of each of the plurality of electric motors based on a vehicle speed of the vehicle or a rotation speed of the electric motor;
The index management unit calculates a temperature rise evaluation index by obtaining a loss of each of the plurality of electric motors and estimating a temperature rise based on a difference between the loss and the heat dissipation amount. Item 2. The vehicle control device according to Item 1. The plurality of electric motors are respectively distributed in a plurality of vehicles,
The tensile force command unit divides the plurality of vehicles into a plurality of blocks, and generates a tension command information indicating an electric motor to be operated for each block and a tensile force to be generated by the electric motor. Item 2. The vehicle control device according to Item 1.

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