Adaptable energy supply module for rail vehicles
The invention relates to an adaptable energy supply module for rail vehicles according to the preamble of Claim 1.
The drive of rail vehicles generally depends on the energy form provided by the infrastructure. In this case, the drive of a complete train set is realized via one of the types explained below by way of example:
a. by means of one or more driving units;
b. as described above, but in addition by means of fully or partly driven centre coaches;
c. by means of driving coaches integrated in the train set in such a way that virtually all the drive components are concentrated in one or more of these coach bodies integrated in the train set, it often being possible for passengers to pass through this coach body, when in service, in the longitudinal direction of the train through an appropriately designed passage even during the journey.
The adaptation of a rail vehicle from an energy form predetermined by the infrastructure to another incompatible energy form by means of on-board systems which effect this conversion is also already known and is also successfully used in operation in "multi-system vehicles".
Electrically operated rail vehicles which can also be used on non-electrified lines by means of an on-board corresponding system are also known and have already been used in operation. Drive systems of vehicles of this type of construction are normally designated as hybrid drives.
However, the advantages of all the drive concepts known hitherto for rail vehicles can only be utilized if considerable disadvantages are tolerated:
a. Conventional rail vehicles rationally can only be operated on such lines for which the rail vehicle was originally conceived and which, with regard to the infrastructure, provide the energy form required by the rail vehicle. A change in use under other infrastructure boundary conditions which is intended in the course of the many years of service of a rail vehicle is not possible or is only possible with irresponsibly high conversion costs.
b. Although multi-system rail vehicles or rail vehicles with hybrid drive can be operated under various infrastructure boundary conditions, the respective drive components which are not required are always carried along with said rail vehicles. These drive components are always firmly connected to the rail vehicle and take up a considerable proportion of the vehicle weight, so that rail vehicles operated according to this concept are markedly inferior to conventional rail vehicles when weight is taken into account.
c. Maintenance work and operational faults in each case affect a complete train set. If it is necessary to exchange the relevant driving coach, the entire train set usually has to be hauled at a correspondingly high cost into a workshop, since defective components can be exchanged only very rarely under operational conditions.
d. A further disadvantage of rail vehicles in which all the drive components are arranged in a special coach body integrated in the train set consists in the fact that, on account of the passage for passengers which is usually provided, increased sound-proofing measures are especially required in order to reduce the noise burden on the passengers to an acceptable level.
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an adaptable energy supply module for rail vehicles of the type mentioned at the beginning, which energy supply module
a. can easily be retrofitted,
b. does not have to be carried along constantly,
c. can easily be coupled and uncoupled,
d. can be adapted to a multiplicity of energy forms,
e. does not burden the passengers with additional noise, vibrations, etc., and
f. ensures independent mobility.
This object is achieved by the invention characterized in Claim 1, i.e. by the energy supply module being designed as a separate rail vehicle having an apparatus for adapting/transforming the energy provided by the infrastructure to/into the energy form required by the other rail vehicle.
Advantageous configurations of the invention follow from the subclaims.
The energy supply module according to the invention achieves the effect that only the drive components for one energy form are required in the rail vehicle. The energy provided in the widest sense by the infrastructure is adapted/transformed to/into the energy form required by the rail vehicle inside the separate energy supply module. An energy supply module according to the invention could therefore receive, for example, gaseous, liquid or solid fuels at supply stations provided by the infrastructure and could convert said fuels into electrical energy in a primary step before this electrical energy is then brought into a form compatible with the coupled
rail vehicle in the corresponding subassemblies of the energy supply module. The energy supply module runs on its own axles in front of or behind the rail vehicle or between individual coach bodies of the rail vehicle and is connected to the latter preferably via an end coupling. In principle, however, any other rail vehicle coupling could be used, in particular also the conventional coupling by means of UIC draw hooks. All the components which are required for the adaptation/transformation to the required energy form are located within this separate energy supply module. The construction of the separate energy supply module, e.g. for the purposes of a good view for the driver, could be kept sufficiently flat. At the same time, an independent drive may be integrated in the energy supply module, a factor which would not only be advantageous for shunting purposes but would also result in the acceleration values of the formation consisting of rail vehicle and coupled energy supply module not being reduced by "dead masses" being dragged along.
The energy supply module according to the invention ensures simple coupling and uncoupling. It therefore does not have to be carried along constantly but only on lines where this is absolutely necessary. According to the invention, the energy supply module can be implemented in many variants. In a simple embodiment, it converts a specific energy form predetermined by the infrastructure (e.g. a power supply of specific voltage and frequency) into another specific energy form (namely the energy form required by a specific type of rail vehicle).
In more extensive embodiment variants, the energy supply module is designed in such a way that it is compatible with a plurality of forms of energy provided by the infrastructure and can provide the respectively required energy form for different types of rail vehicle. In this case, the last-mentioned more extensive variants, according to the invention, have a modular construction, consisting of a rolling carrier module which is connected via a universal coupling or via interchangeable coupling adapters to the rail vehicle to be supplied. As further internal modules, it contains one or more different energy generating modules and an energy converting module and also a control electronics module. An energy supply module according to
the invention therefore permits an extended range of use of any available fleet of rail vehicles outside the infrastructure limits originally projected for the vehicles. The energy supply module permits the use of rail vehicles in specially protected biotopes in which, for example on account of requirements for the protection of rare species of birds or even merely for the purpose of the preservation of the landscape to the greatest possible extent, only minimum invasive development without an overhead line is suitable. In embodiment variants of the energy supply module with a fuel cell as internal energy generating module, conventional electric rail vehicles, for example, could be operated free of emissions in regions without an overhead line.
Of particular advantage in this case is that, when the energy supply module described is used, it is completely sufficient to provide for only a relatively small number of energy supply modules, but it is nonetheless possible with these energy supply modules to realize the operation by means of any desired old vehicles without infringing environmental requirements.
In addition, the travelling comfort of the passengers is increased with the energy supply module according to the invention, since all the components emitting noise and vibrations are located on a separate vehicle, where more effective insulation of all the disturbing effects is relatively simple to achieve.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the schematic drawing and are described in more detail below. In the drawing:
Fig. 1 shows an energy supply module arranged in front of the other rail vehicle;
Fig. 2 shows an energy supply module arranged between the coach bodies of the other rail vehicle; and
Fig. 3 shows an energy supply module arranged between two rail vehicles.
The energy supply module 10 shown in Figs 1 to 3 is designed as a separate rail vehicle 12 and has an apparatus for adapting/transforming the energy provided by the infrastructure to/into the energy form required by the other rail vehicle 14. The separate rail vehicle 12 has its own axles 16 and is arranged in front of and/or behind and/or between the individual coach bodies 18 and is connected to the latter by means of a coupling 20. The energy supply module 10 has all the components which are required for the adaptation/transformation to the requisite energy form. The height of the energy supply module expediently lies below the field of vision of the vehicle driver. Finally, as a possible configuration, the adaptable energy supply module may have an independent drive for shunting purposes and for avoiding a reduction in the acceleration values of the vehicle set.