MXPA06000810A - Locomotive engine restart shutdown override system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for overriding an EMD locomotive engine protective device (40) which includes a low water pressure sensing device (16) in communication with the engine cooling system for shutting down the engine when low water pressure in the engine is sensed, the override system comprising a water assist pump (20) connected to a source of water and communicating with the protective device (40) for supplying pressurized water to the low water pressure sensing device (16) to maintain relatively high water pressure to prevent the device (40) from shutting down the engine:and a controller for activating the water assist pump (20) during start up of the engine.

Description

(84) Dcsignated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every - befare lhe expiration of the lime limit for amending the kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, laims and lo republished in the eveni of receip of GM, KE , LS, MW, MZ, NA, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, amendme.nls ZW), Eurasian (? M, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), European (AT, BE, BG, CU, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, For two-lelter codes and other abbreviations, refer to the "Guid- FR, GB, GR, HU, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PL, PT, RO, SE, YES, anee Notes on Codes and? Bbrevialions "appearing at the. Begin- SK, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA , GN, GQ, no of regular issue ofthe PCT Gaze.tte. GW, MI., MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). Publishcd: - with intemalional search repon SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CANCELLATION OF MOTOR STARTER INTERRUPTION OF LOCOMOTIVE CROSS REFERENCE WITH RELATED REQUESTS The invention of the present application claims priority based on the Provisional Application of E. U. Serial No. 60 / 490,624 filed July 28, 2003. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to protection devices for EMD locomotive engines and more particularly to preventing conditions that cause the device to trip in an EMD locomotive engine. during an automatic computer-controlled motor restart. Railroad locomotives are out of service for substantial periods of time and generally stop when they will not be in use for extended periods of time. Since some locomotive systems can be damaged if the engine shuts down for a long time, there are automated systems designed to stop and restart a motor automatically in the absence of personnel. If an engine is to be started automatically or manually there are engine protective devices designed to detect certain conditions in an engine system during start-up and operation which will stop an engine under certain conditions. Unfortunately, and especially after an EMD locomotive engine has been stopped for a long period of time, transient conditions can be detected at start-up by such protective devices and result in the engine being stopped immediately again. This condition overcomes the advantage of an automatic engine start / stop (AESS) system and may need personnel available to re-start such an engine by overriding the protective devices. A protective device for motors, manufactured by the Electro-Motive Division (EMD) of General Motors is a differential water pressure detector system and crankcase. This device monitors abnormalities in the engine cooling system and the pressure in the crankcase. If potentially harmful abnormalities are detected, the motor shuts down. Sometimes abnormalities detected at engine start due to transient conditions, such as low pressure of the refrigerant system, cause this protective device to cause unnecessary motor stoppage. In these EMD protective devices of locomotive engines of Electro-Motive Division of General Motors there are manual resets that require the presence of qualified personnel to re-start the engine, thus frequently overcoming the advantage of an AESS system of such engines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes the disadvantages and difficulties described above associated with EMD motor protective devices by providing systems and methods that temporarily inhibit their function in starting engines while using an AESS system. One aspect of the present invention provides a system for overriding an EMD locomotive engine protective device that includes a low water pressure sensing device in communication with the engine cooling system to stop the engine when low water pressure is detected in the motor, the override system comprising a water relief pump connected to a water source and communicating with the protective device to supply pressurized water to the low water pressure detection device to maintain a relatively high water pressure to prevent the device from stopping the engine; and a controller to activate the help water pump during engine start. The controller preferably operates the water assist pump during the start and start of the engine and can be used in conjunction with an AESS system. A further aspect of the present invention provides a system for overriding an EMD locomotive engine protective device which includes first and second interconnected diaphragms, one side of the first diaphragm in communication with a discharge of an engine water pump and one side opposite of the first diagram in communication with an inlet of) to water pump of the motor and a first side of the second diaphragm in communication with an air box of the motor so that the diaphragms move by differential pressure through the diaphragms when the differential pressure through the first diaphragm becomes lower than the pressure of the engine air pressure box acting on the second diaphragm, indicating low water pressure in a cooling system of an EMD locomotive engine, the system of annulment comprising a water assistance pump connected to a water source to communicate with the protective device for supplying ag ua pressurized to one side of the first diaphragm in the motor protective device; and a controller to activate the water assistance pump during engine start-up. Another aspect of the present invention includes a method for overriding an EM D locomotive engine protective device that includes a low water pressure sensing device in communication with the engine cooling system to stop the engine when low air pressure is detected. water in the engine, the method of cancellation comprising activating a water-assist pump in communication with the engine cooling system during engine start-up to supply water pressure to the protective device so that the protective device does not stop the engine . This aspect also preferably includes the passage where the water assistance pump is operated during the start and start of the engine. This method also preferably includes the activation step that is used in conjunction with an automatic activation of the engine start / stop system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the engine cooling system of an EM D engine with an AESS system and components that includes the preferred modality of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic view of a positive crankcase pressure condition in an E M D engine. Figure 3 is a schematic view of a low differential water pressure condition. Figure 4 is an activation scheme of the system of Figure 1 during the motor prime mode, and Figure 6 is a timing diagram for energizing and de-energizing various system components. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY As illustrated in Figure 1, during the operation of the engine of EM D (not shown) water is supplied to the motor from a water source such as a water tank 1 0 by a motor pump 1 2 and a water supply line 14. A low water pressure detector device 1 6 is in communication with the water supply line 1 4 connected to the engine to detect a low water condition. As discussed more fully below, if a low water condition is detected that could be harmful to the engine, the engine stops. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is a water assistance pump 20 connected to the water supply line and in communication with the low water pressure detector device 1 6. The water assistance pump 20 is an electric pump controlled by the computerized controller 22 of the automatic engine start / stop system (AESS). When activated, the pump 20 draws water from the water supply line 1 4, such as in connection 15 coming from the water supply tank 1 0, and through the line 24 connected to the inlet 26 of the water supply. pump 20. The water is then discharged from outlet 28 of pump 20 to supply line 30 of the low water pressure detector device as described in greater detail below. Referring now to Figure 2, a schematic representation of a low water protective device of EMD is shown, generally at 40. Such EM D protective device 40 is included in many locomotives equipped with E M D engines. The discharge pressure of the water pump of the engine is supplied at 42; the inlet pressure of the water pump of the engine is supplied at 44; the engine air box pressure is supplied at 46 and the regulator oil inlet is at 48. An oil relief valve 50 is shown in the bolted position in Figure 2:01 position without bolt or fired position Figure 3. A first diaphragm 52 is positioned between the discharge pressure 42 of the water pump and the inlet pressure 44 of the water pump of the engine. A second diaphragm 54 is positioned on one side of the air box pressure, and the two diaphragms are interconnected so that a predetermined imbalance in the pressure of the water pump through the first diaphragm 52 causes the bolt of the oil relief valve 50.

During the normal operation of the low water protective device, when the differential pressure through the water pump 12 of the engine becomes smaller than the pressure of the air box, the oil relief valve 50 is triggered as shown in FIG. Figure 3, causing the oil drain valve to open and drain engine oil from the oil detection device under the regulator (not shown) of the engine. The regulator detects the low oil pressure and starts stopping the engine by low oil. When, in one embodiment of the present invention, the auxiliary water pump 20 is activated, it adds water pressure to the discharge pressure of the water pump of the engine at 42, preventing it from falling sufficiently so that the pressure differential is through the diaphragm 52 falls below the pressure of the air box thus preventing the low water detection device from firing and stopping the engine. Generally speaking, when the AESS controller 22 activates the automatic start procedure it sounds a warning bell 60 for 30 seconds and completes the battery circuit to the help water pump 20 which causes the pump 20 to pump water of cooling and pressurize the cooling system. The priming period lasts from 1 5 to 20 seconds. Then the engine start procedure occurs. According to the AESS procedure, the engine will start for no more than 20 seconds. If the engine has started within that period of time the AESS system will stop energizing the help water pump 20. In a case when the engine does not start the AESS system will stop the energization of the aid pump 20 and will repeat the starting procedure in two minutes. Referring now to Figures 4 and 5Although the electrical connections for the water pump 20 can be made in many ways, these figures and the description below illustrate one such connection system as an example only. When the AESS controller 22 activates the automatic motor starting procedure it energizes the Motor Start Relay 62, and thus completes the circuit to the help water pump 20 from the battery switch via the circuit breaker 64 of Local Control, normally closed interlock of the N or Voltage Relay 66 and interlock of the Motor Start Relay 62 and then return to the Automatic Switch 68 of the Local Control circuit and the Battery Switch. The priming period, as shown in Figure 5, lasts from 1 5 to 20 sec undos. Then the engine starting procedure occurs as shown in Figure 5. During this procedure the Engine Start Relay 70 is activated in addition to the Engine Start Relay 62. The interlockings of the Motor Start Relays 62 and 70 derive a manual switch 72 and via the interlock of a Thermal Overload Relay 74, Fuel Pump Relay 76 and second normally closed interlock of the relay 78 energizes the Auxiliary Arranger Contactor 80. EU. At the same time, the Pump 82 Help Regulator is activated. The start lasts from 1 5 to 20 sec undos. If the engine start was successful, the relay 78 will choose and open the circuit for the Help Water Pump, the Help Regulating Pump 82 and the Auxiliary Start Contactor 80 and AESS will suspend the power to the Relays 62 and 70 of Arranq. ue of Motor and the Starter Establishment 84 Relay. If the engine did not start, the AESS controller will suspend the power to the Engine Start Relay 62 and 70 and repeat the starting procedure in two minutes. According to the AESS procedure, the engine will start for no more than 20 seconds. If the engine has started within that period of time the AESS system will suspend power to the Engine Start Relays 60 and 72 and the Start Up Relay 84. The above sequence is shown as a bar graph in Figure 6 to provide a better understanding of when the various components are activated and not activated, as shown in Figure 6 by bar 90, pump 20 The help water is preferably activated during the priming of the motor as well as during starting This allows the pressure to be developed in the protective device 40 of low water pressure prematurely in the starting process As shown by the bar 92 the Start Set Up Relay 84 is activated when the AESS system is stopped as well as during the AESS start-up period and the AESS start-up period The Motor Start Relay 62 is coupled during the AESS start-up and start-up , as shown by bar 94, and Motor Start Relay 70 is coupled only during the start-up period, as shown by bar 96. When item is entered aspects of the present invention or the preferred modality (s) thereof, the articles "a", "an", "the, the, the," and "said" have the intention to mean that there is one or more such elements or aspects. The terms "comprising", "including" and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be elements or aspects different from those listed. Since various changes can be made in the above embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings will be construed as illustrative and not in a sense of limitation.

Claims (9)

1. CLAIMS 1. A system for overriding an EMD locomotive engine protective device (40) including a low pressure water detection device (16) in communication with the engine cooling system to stop the engine when low water pressure is detected in the motor, the cancellation system comprising: a pump (20) of help water connected to a water source and communicating with the protective device (40) to supply pressurized water to the device (16) low water pressure detector to maintain the relatively high water pressure to prevent the device (40) from stopping the engine; and a controller (22) for activating the help water pump (20) during engine start-up.
2. 2. The system of claim 1, used in conjunction with an automatic engine start / stop (AESS) system.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the relief water pump (20) is an electrically driven pump.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller (22) operates the auxiliary water pump (20) during the priming and starting of the engine.
5. The system of claim 4, used in conjunction with an automatic engine start / stop (AESS) system.
6. 6. A system for overriding an EMD locomotive motor protective device (40) including first and second interconnected diaphragms, one side of the first diaphragm (52) in communication with a discharge of a motor water pump 12 and one side opposite the first diaphragm (52) in communication with an inlet 26 of the water pump of the motor and a first side of the second diaphragm (54) in communication with an air box of the motor so that the diaphragms moved by differential pressure to through the diaphragms when the force in the first diaphragm due to the differential pressure through the first diaphragm (52) becomes smaller than the force in the second diaphragm applied by the pressure of the air pressure box of the motor acting in the second diaphragm (54), which indicates low water pressure in a cooling system of an EMD locomotive engine, the cancellation system comprising: a pump (20) of relief water connected to a f Water source and communicating with the protective device (40) for supplying pressurized water to the one side of the first diaphragm (52) in the motor protective device (40); and a controller (22) for activating the help water pump (20) during engine start-up.
7. 7. A method for overriding an EMD locomotive engine protective device (40) that includes a low pressure water detection device (16) in communication with the engine cooling system to stop the engine when low pressure is detected. water in the engine, the method of cancellation comprising: activating a pump (20) of help water in communication with the cooling system of the engine during engine start to supply water pressure to the protective device (40) so that The protective device (40) will not stop the motor.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the activation step is used in conjunction with an activation of the motor start / stop system (AESS).
9. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the support water pump (20) is operated during the motor start-up and start-up. The method of claim 7, wherein the activation step is in conjunction with an activation of the automatic start / stop system of the engine.