KR102545247B1 - Apparatus and method of supplying power for railway signal - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for supplying power to loads for railway signaling includes a first power module that receives a first input power from a first power source and outputs a first output voltage to a bus, and a second power source. may include a second power module that receives second input power from and outputs a second output voltage to the bus, the first input power and the second input power may be a three-phase alternating current (AC) voltage, , the first output voltage and the second output voltage may be direct current (DC) voltages.

Description

Power supply device and method for railway signal {APPARATUS AND METHOD OF SUPPLYING POWER FOR RAILWAY SIGNAL}

The technical idea of the present invention relates to a power supply device, and more particularly, to a power supply device and method for railway signals.

The railway signal system may utilize various railway signals. For example, an automatic train stop (ATS) may operate by detecting information on a speed passing through a blocked section when an onboard device installed in a train passes a device installed on the ground. ATC (automatic train control) may be installed in a train, and may be used to decipher driving information received from a track circuit installed on a ground rail to protect a train from various information, such as obstacles on the track, overall running vehicles, and the like. ATO (automatic train operation) may also be referred to as an automatic train operation system, and through the interaction of ground devices and signal control devices, various controls such as acceleration, deceleration, It can automatically perform door control, stop at the right position, etc. In addition, unlike ATS and ATC based on the fixed blockage method, communication based train control (CBTC) based on the mobile blockage method may not use a track circuit by using a radio interface between the ground and the vehicle. In this way, accurately generating various railway signals in the railway signal system may be essential to secure railway operation safety and improve transportation efficiency.

The technical idea of the present invention provides an apparatus and method for supplying accurate power stably and efficiently to railway signal loads that generate or process railway signals.

In order to achieve the above object, an apparatus for supplying power to railway signal loads according to an aspect of the technical idea of the present invention receives a first input power from a first power source, and a bus ( bus), a first power module outputting a first output voltage, and a second power module receiving a second input power from a second power source and outputting a second output voltage to a bus line, The electric power and the second input power may be three-phase alternating current (AC) voltages, and the first output voltage and the second output voltage may be direct current (DC) voltages.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first power module and the second power module have the same dimensions, structure and performance and may be removable from the device.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a first power module includes an input terminal configured to be connected to a first power source, a three-phase AC/DC converter connected to the input terminal and generating a first output voltage from the first input power. , and an output terminal connected to the bus and configured to output the first output voltage.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first power module may further include a diode connected between the three-phase AC/DC converter and the output terminal.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first power module may further include an output monitor that monitors the first output voltage and transmits a monitoring result to the outside of the first power module.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it may further include an energy storage module connected to the bus, wherein the energy storage module is connected between the battery and the bus and the battery, monitors the voltage of the bus, and based on the monitoring result. and a first battery management system for controlling charging and discharging of the battery.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first battery management system may equally control voltages of cells included in a battery, protect cells from overheating, overcharging, and/or overdischarging, or aging ( It is possible to estimate the lifetime of cells based on aging).

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the energy storage module may further include a second battery management system connected in parallel with the first battery management system between the bus bar and the battery and performing the same operation as the first battery management system. can

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first output voltage and the second output voltage may be 360V or more and 400V or less when the first power module and the second power module are normally operated.

According to one aspect of the technical idea of the present invention, a method for supplying power to railway signal loads includes outputting a first output voltage to a bus from first input power received from a first power source, and from a second power source. and outputting a second output voltage to a bus from the received second input power, wherein the first input power and the second input power may be three-phase AC voltages, and the first output voltage and the second output voltage wherein the voltage is a DC voltage.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method for supplying power to loads for railway signals includes monitoring the voltage of a bus, and charging a battery from the voltage of the bus or charging the battery to the bus based on the monitoring result. A step of discharging may be further included.

According to the apparatus and method according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, accurate power can be stably supplied to railway signal loads, and accordingly, the occurrence of malfunctions, failures, etc. of railway signal loads can be reduced or eliminated, The stability of the railway signaling system can be increased.

In addition, according to the apparatus and method according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, power supplied to railway signal loads can be generated with high efficiency, and thus unnecessary energy consumption is reduced, thereby increasing the efficiency of the railway signal system. can

In addition, according to the apparatus and method according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, management of the power supply device can be facilitated due to modularization of the power supply device, and accordingly, management cost of the railway signal system can be reduced.

In addition, according to the apparatus and method according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the state of the power supply can be monitored in real time, and thus the integrity of the railway signaling system can be guaranteed.

Effects obtainable in the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned are common in the technical field to which the present invention belongs from the description of the embodiments of the present invention below. It can be clearly derived and understood by those with knowledge. That is, unintended effects according to the practice of the present invention may also be derived by those skilled in the art from the embodiments of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a railway signaling system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a block diagram showing a railway signaling system according to a comparative example.
3 is a block diagram illustrating a primary power supply unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a circuit diagram illustrating a three-phase AC/DC converter according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a block diagram illustrating a power supply device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a flowchart illustrating a power supply method for railway signals according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a flowchart illustrating a power supply method for railway signals according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. Since the present invention can have various changes and various forms, specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail. However, it should be understood that this is not intended to limit the present invention to the specific disclosed form, and includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention. In describing each figure, like reference numbers are used for like elements. In the accompanying drawings, the dimensions of the structures are shown enlarged or reduced than actual for clarity of the present invention.

Terms used in this application are only used to describe specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Expressions in the singular number include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "comprise" or "have" are intended to designate that there is a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but one or more other features It should be understood that the presence or addition of numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof is not precluded.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the related art, and unless explicitly defined in the present application, interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal meaning. It doesn't work.

In the drawings and descriptions below, a component represented or described as a block may be a hardware block or a software block. For example, each of the components may be an independent hardware block that exchanges signals with each other, or may be a software block executed by at least one processor. In addition, a circuit breaker may be disposed between interconnected components in the drawings and descriptions below, and components interconnected through a circuit breaker may be simply referred to as connected.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a railway signaling system 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The railway signal system 100 can be used to increase the utilization rate of tracks as well as safe operation of railways capable of transporting a large number of people or goods at high speed. Signals for various functions in the railway signal system 100, that is, railway signals can be used, and accurately generating and processing railway signals can be very important in improving safety and efficiency of railway operation. As shown in FIG. 1, the railway signal system 100 includes a first power source 111, a second power source 112, a power supply device 120, and first to nth loads 130_1 to 130_n. (where n is an integer greater than 0).

Referring to FIG. 1 , a first power source 111 may provide a first input power P _IN1 to a power supply 120, and a second power source 112 may provide a second input power (P IN1 ). P _IN2 ) to power supply 120 . In some embodiments, the first power source 111 and the second power source 112 may exist outside the railroad signaling system 100, and the railroad signaling system 100 may be external to the first power source 111 and the second power source 112. The first input power P _IN1 and the second input power P _IN2 may be received from the second power source 112 . In some embodiments, the first power source 111 and the second power source 112 may be independent of each other for redundancy and serve as a primary power source and a secondary power source (or auxiliary power source), respectively. may also function.

The first power source 111 and the second power source 112 may provide three-phase electric power to the power supply device 120 . For example, the first input power (P IN1 ) and the second input power (P _IN2 ) respectively provided by the first power source 111 and the second power source ₁₁₂ may be three-phase powers independent of each other. Three-phase power can provide various advantages, such as constant power flow due to constant sum of instantaneous power, reduced pulsation, etc., and thus can be advantageous over single-phase AC voltage described below with reference to FIG. 2 . In some embodiments, in each of the first input power (P _IN1 ) and the second input power (P _IN2 ), the magnitude, frequency, and waveform of each electromotive force may be the same, and may have a mutual phase difference of 120 degrees. The first power source 111 and the second power source 112 may have an arbitrary structure for generating the first input power P _IN1 and the second input power P _IN2 , respectively, and are mutually independent for the redundant system. can be

The power supply device 120 may receive the first input power P IN1 and the second input power P _IN2 from the first power source 111 and the second power source ₁₁₂ , respectively, and the first input power Power may be provided to the first through n-th loads 130_1 through 130_n from (P _IN1 ) and the second input power (P _IN2 ). For example, as shown in FIG. 1 , the power supply device 120 may provide the first to nth supply voltages V1 to Vn to the first to nth loads 130_1 to 130_n, respectively. Each of the first to n th supply voltages V1 to Vn may have an appropriate size according to a requirement of a load corresponding thereto, and may be a direct current (DC) voltage or an alternating current (AC) voltage. As shown in FIG. 1 , the power supply 120 may include a primary power supply 121 , a secondary power supply 122 and a bus 123 .

The primary power supply unit 121 may receive the first input power P _IN1 and the second input power P IN2 from the first power source 111 and the second power source ₁₁₂ , respectively, and can be connected The primary power supply unit 121 may generate a DC voltage from three-phase first input power P _IN1 and second input power P _IN2 , and may output the generated DC voltage to the bus line 123 . there is. Accordingly, the voltage of the bus line 123 is more insensitive to fluctuations in the first input power P _IN1 and the second input power P _IN2 than when an AC voltage as described later with reference to FIG. 2 is output. As a result, more accurate and stable first to n th supply voltages V1 to Vn can be generated by the secondary power supply unit 122 . As shown in FIG. 1 , the primary power supply unit 121 may include a first power module 121_1 , a second power module 121_2 , and an energy storage module 121_3 .

The first power module 121_1 may generate a first output voltage V _OUT1 , which is a DC voltage, from first input power P _IN1 , which is three-phase power. In addition, the second power module 121_2 may generate a second output voltage V OUT2 that is a DC voltage from the second input power P _IN2 that is three-phase power, and may generate the first output voltage V _OUT1 and the second output voltage V _OUT1 . The two output voltages (V _OUT2 ) may have substantially the same level. In some embodiments, the first power module 121_1 and the second power module 121_2 may have mutually interchangeable structures. For example, the first power module 121_1 and the second power module 121_2 may have the same dimensions, structure, and performance, and may be detachable from the power supply device 120 . Accordingly, the same power modules may be prepared in advance for the first power module 121_1 and the second power module 121_2, and the first power module 121_1 or the second power module 121_2 may fail when an error occurs. It can be easily replaced with a prepared power module, and as a result, maintenance of the power supply device 120 can be facilitated, and time and cost required for maintenance of the railway signal system 100 can be reduced.

In some embodiments, while one of the first power module 121_1 and the second power module 121_2 generates the DC voltage, the other one may stop generating the DC voltage. For example, in a redundant system, one of the first power module 121_1 and the second power module 121_2 may function as a main power module, and the other may function as a sub power module. When switching from the main power module to the sub power module (or vice versa), as described above with reference to FIG. 2, unlike the example in which the AC voltage is output to the bus 123, as described above, the bus ( 123), static transfer may be possible. Accordingly, the voltage of the bus line 123 can be stabilized when switching between the main line and the sub line.

In some embodiments, the first power module 121_1 and the second power module 121_2 may simultaneously output DC voltage to the bus line 123 . Differently from that shown in FIG. 1, when the first power module 121_1 and the second power module 121_2 generate AC voltages, the first power module 121_1 and the second power module 121_2 independent of each other It may be impossible to simultaneously output AC voltages to bus 123. However, due to the DC voltage of the bus line 123, the first output voltage V OUT1 and the second output voltage V _OUT2 respectively generated by the first power module 121_1 and the second power module _{121_2} are simultaneously It can be output to the bus line 123, and accordingly, the voltage of the bus line 123 can be provided to the secondary power supply unit 122 without interruption.

The energy storage module 121_3 may include a battery and output a DC voltage to the bus line 123 based on energy stored in the battery. Also, the battery included in the energy storage module 121_3 may be charged based on the DC voltage of the bus line 123 . In some embodiments, the energy storage module 121_3 may function as an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) in the railway signaling system 100 . For example, in the energy storage module 121_3, a normal first output voltage V _OUT1 and a second output voltage V _OUT2 are generated by the first power module 121_1 and the second power module 121_2 If not, the energy storage module 121_3 may output the DC voltage to the bus line 123 . To this end, the energy storage module 121_3 may monitor the state (eg, voltage) of the bus 123 or communicate with the first power module 121_1 and the second power module 121_2. An example of the energy storage module 121_3 will be described later with reference to FIG. 5 .

Unlike the example of FIG. 1 , when AC voltage is generated from the bus 123, it may not be easy for the energy storage module 121_3 to maintain the voltage of the bus 123, and as a result, the UPS is a secondary power supply. It may be limited to loads that receive the DC voltage from 122 as a supply voltage. However, as described above, when the DC voltage is generated in the bus line 123, the energy storage module 121_3 can maintain the voltage of the bus line 123 in an emergency, and thus all the loads of the railway signal system 100 That is, the first to nth loads 130_1 to 130_n may operate normally.

The first to nth loads 130_1 to 130_n may refer to arbitrary loads that perform operations related to railway signals based on power provided through the first to nth supply voltages V1 to Vn. For example, the first to nth loads 130_1 to 130_n may include at least one of a line switching device, a signal device, a track circuit, an automatic blocker, and a relay. Also, in some embodiments, the first to nth loads 130_1 to 130_n may operate based on two voltages provided from the secondary power supply unit 122 . For example, the first to nth loads 130_1 to 130_n may include loads that operate based on two supply voltages corresponding to south and north respectively. In some embodiments, the first to nth supply voltages V1 to Vn may include an AC voltage and/or a DC voltage. For example, the secondary power supply unit 122 may generate at least one of the first to n-th supply voltages V1 to Vn as a DC voltage according to load requirements, and the first to n-th supply voltages V1 to Vn) may be generated as an AC voltage.

2 is a block diagram showing a railway signaling system 200 according to a comparative example. As shown in FIG. 2, the railway signal system 200 may include a main power source 211, a backup power source 212, a power supply device 220, and first to nth loads 230_1 to 230_n. Yes (n is an integer greater than 0). In the following, FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 .

Referring to FIG. 2 , the main power source 211 may provide a first alternating current voltage (V _AC1 ) to the power supply 220, and the auxiliary power source 212 may provide a second alternating current voltage independently of the main power source 211. Voltage V _AC2 may be provided to power supply 220 . For example, the first AC voltage V _AC1 and the second AC voltage V _AC2 may have a magnitude of about 220 Vrms and a frequency of about 60 Hz. Compared to the first power supply 111 and the second power supply 112 of FIG. 1 providing three-phase power, the main power supply 211 and the backup power supply 212 of FIG. 2 convert single-phase AC voltages to the power supply 220 ), and thus the power supply 220 may have lower efficiency.

The power supply 220 may receive a first AC voltage (V _AC1 ) and a second AC voltage (V _AC2 ), and may receive a first AC voltage (V AC1 ) and a second AC voltage (V AC2 ) from the first AC voltage (V _AC1 ) and the second AC voltage (V _AC2 ). The to n-th supply voltages V1 to Vn may be generated and provided to the first to n-th loads 230_1 to 230_n. As shown in FIG. 2 , the power supply device 220 may include a switching unit 221 , a transformer unit 222 and a bus bar 223 .

The switching unit 221 may include a first switch SW1 and a second switch SW2. The first switch SW1 may selectively provide the first AC voltage V _AC1 provided from the main power source 211 to the bus line 223, and the second switch SW2 may provide the first AC voltage V AC1 provided from the auxiliary power source 212. The second AC voltage (V _AC2 ) may be selectively provided to the bus 223 . For example, for redundancy, one of the first switch SW1 and the second switch SW2 may be turned on, and the other may be turned off. Accordingly, the voltage of the bus 223, that is, the bus voltage (V BUS ) may be formed by _the first AC voltage (V _AC1 ) or the second AC voltage (V _AC2 ), and the bus voltage (V _BUS ) It may be an alternating voltage.

The first AC voltage (V AC1 ) or the second AC voltage (V AC2 ) may be transferred to the bus line 223 as it is by the first switch ( _SW1 ) or the second switch ( _SW2 ), and accordingly, the bus line voltage ( V _BUS ) may depend on the first AC voltage (V _AC1 ) or the second AC voltage (V _AC2 ). When each of the main power supply 211 and the backup power supply 212 is commercial power, the first AC voltage (V _AC1 ) and the second AC voltage (V _AC2 ) may have a high unbalance factor, and accordingly The bus voltage (V _BUS ) can also have a high unbalance factor. In addition, due to the main power supply 211 and the auxiliary power supply 212 independent of each other in the redundant system, the first AC voltage (V _AC1 ) and the second AC voltage (V _AC2 ) may also be mutually independent and may have a phase difference there is. Accordingly, when switching, that is, when switching between the main power supply 211 and the backup power supply 212, the continuity of the bus voltage (V _BUS ) may be damaged, and thus the first to nth supply voltages (V1 to Vn) Instability of may cause malfunction and/or failure of the first to nth loads 230_1 to 230_n. In addition, after the main power supply 211 (or the auxiliary power supply 212) is cut off during the transfer, the auxiliary power supply 212 (or the main power supply 211) may be connected, and thus an instantaneous power outage time may occur. As a result, Malfunctions and/or failures of the first to nth loads 230_1 to 230_n may be caused. In addition, when the first switch (SW1) and/or the second switch (SW2) is out of order, maintenance may be performed in a live wire state, and accordingly, workers may be exposed to danger.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the transformer 222 may include first to nth transformers 212_1 to 212_n. The first to nth transformers 212_1 to 212_n may generate the first to nth supply voltages V1 to Vn, which are AC voltages, from the bus voltage V _BUS . The magnitudes of the first to nth supply voltages V1 to Vn may be determined based on requirements of the first to nth loads 210_1 to 230_n. The first to n th transformers 212_1 to 212_n may have a relatively large volume, and accordingly, the volume of the power supply 220 may increase or the first to n th transformers 212_1 to 212_n may increase in volume within the limited volume of the power supply 220. It may not be easy to place the transformers 212_1 to 212_n. Also, the transformer may have a relatively large number of terminals, and thus maintenance of the power supply device 220 may not be easy. Also, as described above, fluctuations of the first AC voltage V _AC1 and the second AC voltage V _AC2 may be transmitted as the first to n th supply voltages V1 to Vn.

As discussed above with reference to FIG. 1 , the power supply 120 of FIG. 1 may generate a DC voltage at the busbar 123 , thus causing the above-described problems encountered in the power supply 220 of FIG. 2 . can be resolved. For example, the primary power supply unit 121 of FIG. 1 can stably generate a DC voltage even during switching, and DC voltage despite variations in the first input power P _IN1 and the second input power P _IN2 . Voltage can be stably generated. In addition, transformers having a large volume and a large number of terminals in the secondary power supply unit 122 may be omitted.

3 is a block diagram showing a primary power supply unit 300 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the block diagram of FIG. 3 shows examples of the first power module 121_1 and the second power module 121_2 of FIG. 1 . As described above with reference to FIG. 1 , the primary power supply unit 300 of FIG. 3 may receive the first input power P _IN1 and the second input power P _IN2 , and the first output voltage V _OUT1 ) and the second output voltage V _OUT2 . Also, as shown in FIG. 3 , the primary power supply unit 300 may output a first signal SIG1 and a second signal SIG2. As shown in FIG. 3 , the primary power supply unit 300 may include a first power module 310 and a second power module 320 . In the following, FIG. 3 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 .

In some embodiments, the first power module 310 and the second power module 320 may be interchangeable. For example, the first power module 310 and the second power module 320 may have the same size, structure, and performance. As shown in FIG. 3 , the first power module 310 may include a three-phase AC/DC converter 311, a diode 312, and an output monitor 313, and first to third terminals ( 314 to 316). Similarly, the second power module 320 may include a three-phase AC/DC converter 321, a diode 322, and an output monitor 323, and may include first to third terminals 324 to 326. can include In the following, the first power module 310 will be described, and the description of the second power module 320 will be omitted.

The three-phase AC/DC converter 311 may generate a first DC voltage (V _DC1 ) from first input power (P _IN1 ) that is three-phase power. For example, the three-phase AC/DC converter 311 may receive a three-phase voltage of 380Vrms through the first terminal 314 and generate a first DC voltage (V _DC1 ) of about 360V to 400V. there is. An example of the three-phase AC/DC converter 311 will be described later with reference to FIG. 4 .

The diode 312 may be connected between the three-phase AC/DC converter 311 and the second terminal 315, and the first DC voltage (V _DC1 ) passes through the diode 312 and passes through the second terminal 315. It can be output as an output voltage (V _OUT1 ) through The diode 312 may prevent current (ie, reverse current) from the bus line (eg, 123 of FIG. 1 ) to the first power module 310 .

The output monitor 313 may be connected to the three-phase AC/DC converter 311 and may monitor the first DC voltage (V _DC1 ). For example, the output monitor 313 may include at least one voltage sensor and may detect whether the magnitude of the first DC voltage (V _DC1 ) is within a normal range. In some embodiments, the output monitor 313 may include at least one current sensor and may detect whether the current output from the 3-phase AC/DC converter 311 is within a normal range. In some embodiments, the output monitor 313 can include at least one temperature sensor to detect whether the temperature of the first power module 310 or the three-phase AC/DC converter 311 is within a normal range. can do. In some embodiments, the output monitor 313 can include at least one humidity sensor and can detect whether the humidity of the first power module 310 is within a normal range.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the output monitor 313 may externally transmit the first signal SIG1 representing the detection result through the third terminal 316 . The first signal SIG1 may be provided to a main controller (not shown) of the power supply device 120 of FIG. 1 or a communication module (not shown) of the power supply device 120, and the first power module 310 can be used to monitor the status of In some embodiments, differently from that shown in FIG. 3 , the output monitor 313 may be connected to the second terminal 315 and may monitor the first output voltage V _OUT1 .

The first to third terminals 314 to 316 may contact external terminals of the first power module 310 . For example, the first to third terminals 314 to 316 may be detachably contacted with external terminals of the first power module 310, and thus the first power module 310 is a power supply device ( 120) may be removable. Despite the illustration in FIG. 3 , each of the first to third terminals 314 to 316 may include two or more mutually insulated terminals. In this specification, the first terminal 314 may be referred to as an input terminal, and the second terminal 315 may be referred to as an output terminal.

4 is a circuit diagram illustrating a three-phase AC/DC converter 400 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In some embodiments, the 3-phase AC/DC converter 400 of FIG. 4 may be included in the first power module 121_1 and the second power module 121_2 of FIG. 1 . Also, it is noted that the three-phase AC/DC converters 311 and 321 of FIG. 3 are not limited to the three-phase AC/DC converter 400 of FIG. Referring to FIG. 4 , the three-phase AC/DC converter 400 may include a power factor improving unit 410, a first capacitor C1, a conversion unit 420, a transformer 430, and a rectifier 440. there is. In some embodiments, each of the first to eighth switches S1 to S8 shown in FIG. 4 may include a power transistor.

The power factor improving unit 410 includes first to third inductors L1 to L3 and first to third inductors L1 to L3 respectively receiving the voltages V _AC1 , V _AC2 , and VAC3 provided from the three-phase power supply. ) may include first to sixth switches S1 to S6 respectively connected to at least one of them. A first capacitor C1 may be connected between both ends (common terminals) of the output of the power factor improving unit 410 . The power factor improving unit 410 may boost the received voltages V _AC1 , V _AC2 , and VAC3 and generate a DC voltage having a larger magnitude. The boosted voltage may be smoothed by the first capacitor C1.

The conversion unit 420 may include seventh and eighth switches S7 and S8 connected in series to each other and connected in parallel to the first capacitor C1, connected in series to each other and connected in parallel to the first capacitor C1. Second and third capacitors C2 and C3 may be included. The conversion unit 420 may convert the voltage smoothed by the first capacitor C1 back into an AC voltage.

One end of the primary coil of the transformer 430 may be connected to the seventh and eighth switches S7 and S8 of the conversion unit 420, and the other ends of the primary coil may be connected to the second and third switches of the conversion unit 420. It may be connected to capacitors C2 and C3. Also, the secondary coil of the transformer 430 may be connected to the rectifier 440 . The transformer 430 may transform the AC voltage provided from the conversion unit 420 .

The rectifier 440 may include first and second diodes D1 and D2 connected to the secondary coil of the transformer 430, a fourth inductor L4, and a fourth capacitor C4. The rectifying unit 440 may rectify the AC voltage provided from the transformer 430 into a DC voltage (V _DC ).

5 is a block diagram illustrating a power supply 500 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the block diagram of FIG. 5 shows an example of the energy storage module 121_3 of FIG. 1 . As described above with reference to FIG. 1 , the energy storage module 510 of FIG. 5 may store energy and output a DC voltage to the bus 520 based on the stored energy, thereby functioning as a UPS. can As shown in FIG. 5 , the energy storage module 510 includes a first battery management system (BMS) 511, a second battery management system 512, a battery 513, and an input/output terminal 514. ) may be included. In the following, FIG. 5 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 .

The battery 513 may provide a battery voltage (V _BAT ). In some embodiments, the battery 513 may include a plurality of cells, each of which is lithium phosphate, which provides fast charge, overcharge tolerance, extended life, high stability, non-toxic, abundant cathode material, etc. may be made of iron.

The first battery management system 511 and the second battery management system 512 charge the battery 513 based on the voltage of the bus 520 received through the input/output terminal 514, that is, the bus voltage V _BUS . and a DC voltage may be output to the bus 520 through the input/output terminal 514 based on the battery voltage V _BAT . As shown in FIG. 5 , the first battery management system 511 and the second battery management system 512 may be connected in parallel and constitute a redundant system. Accordingly, a risk due to malfunction and/or failure of one of the first battery management system 511 and the second battery management system 512 may be eliminated. Also, in some embodiments, the second battery management system 512 may be omitted from the energy storage module 510 . The first battery management system 511 and the second battery management system 512 may perform various functions as well as control charging and discharging of the battery 513, and the first battery management system 511 and the 2 Examples of the operation of the battery management system 512 will be described later with reference to FIG. 6 .

In some embodiments, the input/output terminal 514 can be detachably contacted with an external terminal of the energy storage module 510, so the energy storage module 510 can be detachable from the power supply 500. . Despite the illustration in FIG. 5 , the input/output terminal 514 may include two or more mutually insulated terminals.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a power supply method for railway signals according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the flowchart of FIG. 6 shows examples of operations performed by the first battery management system 511 and the second battery management system 512 of FIG. 5 . As shown in FIG. 6 , the power supply method for railway signals may include a plurality of steps S61, S62, and S63. In some embodiments, the plurality of steps S61, S62, and S63 may be performed in a different order from that shown in FIG. 6, and at least two of the plurality of steps S61, S62, and S63 are mutually parallel. Alternatively, at least one of the plurality of steps S61, S62, and S63 may be omitted. Hereinafter, it is assumed that the method of FIG. 6 is performed by the first battery management system 511 of FIG. 5 , and FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIG. 5 .

Referring to FIG. 6 , in step S61, voltages of cells may be equally controlled. For example, the first battery management system 511 may perform cell balancing to equally maintain the voltages of the cells included in the battery 513, and thus the lifespan of the cells may be extended.

In step S62, cells may be protected from overheating, overcharging and/or overdischarging. For example, the first battery management system 511 may include at least one of a voltage sensor, a current sensor, a temperature sensor, and a humidity sensor, and the number of cells included in the battery 513 is determined based on information provided from the sensors. A state can be estimated, and cells can be protected from overheating, overcharging, and/or overdischarging by blocking charging and/or discharging of the cells based on the estimated state.

In step S63, the lifespan of the cells can be estimated. For example, the first battery management system 511 may calculate the time that has elapsed since the use of the cells included in the battery 513 is started, and may calculate the amount of charge charged in the cells and/or the amount of charge discharged from the cells. It may be accumulated, or temperature, current, and voltage may be detected when cells are charged and/or discharged. The first battery management system 511 may measure aging of the cells based on the aforementioned information, and may estimate life span based on the aging. When the lifespan reaches a predefined threshold, the first battery management system 511 sends a signal for informing the outside, for example, a visual signal through LED or LCD, an audible signal through a buzzer or speaker, and a cell to the main controller. It is possible to output a signal transmitted to inform of their lifespan.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a power supply method for railway signals according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7 , the power supply method for railway signals may include a plurality of steps S71 to S74. In some embodiments, the plurality of steps S71 to S74 may be performed in a different order from that shown in FIG. 6, and at least two of the plurality of steps S71 to S74 may be performed in parallel with each other. Alternatively, at least one of the plurality of steps S71 to S74 may be omitted. In some embodiments, the method of FIG. 7 may be performed by the power supply 120 of FIG. 1 . In the following, FIG. 7 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 .

Referring to FIG. 7 , in step S71 , the first output voltage V _OUT1 may be output from the first input power P _IN1 to the bus line 123 . For example, the first power module 121_1 may receive first input power P IN1 , which is three-phase power, from the first power source 111 , and may receive a third input power P _IN1 , which is a DC voltage, from the first input power P _IN1 . 1 output voltage (V _OUT1 ) can be generated. To this end, the first power module 121_1 may include a three-phase AC/DC converter (eg, 311 in FIG. 3 ). In some embodiments, the first power module 121_1 may include a diode to prevent reverse current from the bus 123 .

In step S72 , the second output voltage V _OUT2 may be output from the second input power P _IN2 to the bus line 123 . For example, the second power module 121_2 may receive second input power P IN2 , which is three-phase power, from the second power supply 112 , and may receive third input power P _IN2 , which is a DC voltage, from the second input power P _IN2 . 2 output voltage (V _OUT2 ) can be generated. To this end, the second power module 121_2 may include a three-phase AC/DC converter (eg, 321 of FIG. 3 ). Also, in some embodiments, the second power module 121_2 may include a diode for preventing reverse current from the bus line 123 .

In some embodiments, only one of steps S71 and S72 may be performed due to the redundant system. As described above with reference to the drawings, due to the first output voltage (V _OUT1 ) and the second output voltage (V _OUT2 ), which are DC voltages, power failure can be prevented during switching between steps S71 and step S72, and no interruption Reversal may be possible. Also, in some embodiments, steps S71 and S72 may be performed in parallel, so that the first output voltage V _OUT1 and the second output voltage V _OUT2 are output to the bus line 123 at the same time. may be

At step S73, the voltage of bus 123 may be monitored. For example, the energy storage module 121_3 or a battery management system included in the energy storage module 121_3 (eg, 511 and/or 512 in FIG. 5 ) detects whether the voltage of the bus 123 is within a normal range. can do. To this end, the energy storage module 121_3 or a battery management system included in the energy storage module 121_3 may include a voltage sensor and compare the detected voltage with at least one reference value defining a normal range.

At step S74, the battery may be charged or discharged. For example, the energy storage module 121_3 may include a battery (eg, 513 of FIG. 5 ), and the battery may be charged or discharged based on the voltage of the bus line 123 . When the voltage of the bus 123 approaches the lower limit of the normal range, the energy storage module 121_3 may prevent the voltage of the bus 123 from dropping below the normal range by discharging the battery. Also, when the voltage of the bus 123 is greater than or equal to a predefined reference value within a normal range, the energy storage module 121_3 may charge the battery based on the voltage of the bus 123 .

As above, exemplary embodiments have been disclosed in the drawings and specifications. Although the embodiments have been described using specific terms in this specification, they are only used for the purpose of explaining the technical idea of the present invention, and are not used to limit the scope of the present invention described in the claims or limiting meaning. . Therefore, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

Claims (11)

As a device for supplying power to loads for railway signaling,
a first power module configured to receive a first input power from a first power source and output a first output voltage to a bus; and
a second power module configured to receive a second input power from a second power source and output a second output voltage having the same level as the first output voltage to the bus;
The first input power and the second input power are three-phase alternating current (AC) voltages,
Wherein the first output voltage and the second output voltage are direct current (DC) voltages. The method of claim 1,
The device of claim 1, wherein the first power module and the second power module have the same dimensions, structure and performance and are removable from the device. The method of claim 2,
The first power module,
an input terminal configured to be connected to the first power source;
a three-phase AC/DC converter coupled to the input terminal and configured to generate the first output voltage from the first input power; and
and an output terminal connected to the bus bar and configured to output the first output voltage. The method of claim 3,
The first power module,
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a diode connected between the three-phase AC/DC converter and the output terminal. The method of claim 2,
The first power module,
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an output monitor configured to monitor the first output voltage and transmit a monitoring result to an outside of the first power module. The method of claim 1,
Further comprising an energy storage module connected to the busbar,
The energy storage module,
battery; and
and a first battery management system connected between the bus bar and the battery, configured to monitor a voltage of the bus bar and control charging and discharging of the battery based on a monitoring result. The method of claim 6,
The first battery management system may equally control the voltages of the cells included in the battery, protect the cells from overheating, overcharging, and/or overdischarging, or control the cells based on aging of the cells. Apparatus, characterized in that configured to estimate the lifetime. The method of claim 6,
The energy storage module,
and a second battery management system connected in parallel with the first battery management system between the bus bar and the battery and configured to perform the same operation as the first battery management system. The method of claim 1,
The first output voltage and the second output voltage are 360V or more and 400V or less when the first power module and the second power module are normally operated. As a method for supplying power to loads for railway signaling,
outputting a first output voltage to a bus from a first input power received from a first power source; and
outputting a second output voltage having the same level as the first output voltage to the bus from second input power received from a second power supply;
The first input power and the second input power are three-phase alternating current (AC) voltages,
Wherein the first output voltage and the second output voltage are direct current (DC) voltages. The method of claim 10,
monitoring the voltage of the bus; and
Based on the monitoring result, the method further comprises charging a battery from the voltage of the bus or discharging the battery with the bus.

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