Battery charging system and train

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-189045, filed Aug. 31, 2011, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Embodiments described herein especially relate to a battery charging system.

Conventional rail cars run by utilizing electric power supplied via an overhead line or a third rail. On the other hand, hybrid rail cars have been developed. The hybrid rail cars are equipped with battery units and use electric power from an overhead line and electric power stored in the battery units.

The hybrid rail cars run using the electric power from the overhead line when the hybrid rail cars run on a train line where the overhead line is placed. Meanwhile, the hybrid rail cars run using the electric power stored in the battery units where no overhead line is placed along the train line.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a battery charging system for a train having batteries of different capacities, such that electric power stored in one of the batteries can always be kept at a suitable level for driving the train.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a battery charging system of an embodiment;

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary circuit contained in a battery charging system of an embodiment;

FIG. 3 shows a main part of a circuit contained in a battery charging system;

FIG. 4 is a graph showing a charging status of a battery unit of an embodiment;

FIG. 5 is an example of a conventional battery charging system to be compared with a battery charging system of an embodiment; and

FIG. 6 is a graph showing a charging status of the conventional battery charging system.

According to one embodiment, a battery charging system contains a first battery unit for storing electric power to be supplied to a driving system of a train, a second battery unit for storing electric power to be supplied to the first battery unit, a control unit for calculating electric power consumption from the first battery unit, and a battery charging unit for supplying electric power to the first battery unit from the second battery unit based on the electric power consumption calculated by the control unit.

Before explaining one embodiment of a battery charging system S 1 , a conventional battery charging system is explained with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 .

FIG. 5 shows an example of the conventional battery charging system S 10 . In the battery charging system S 10 , a battery unit is charged rapidly while a train is stopped at a train station and electric power stored in the battery unit is used for operating rail cars.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the battery charging system S 10 of the train has a connector 100 attachable to and detachable from an external power source, a power line 101 that can connect to the external power source via the connector 100 , a battery charging unit 300 for a charging battery unit B 10 , and driving circuits D 10 and D 11 , which are switched on and off according to statuses of switches SW 11 and SW 12 respectively, for driving electric devices such as motors and so on. The battery unit B 10 may be composed of Lithium-ion cells.

In this case, a train R 200 is composed of two electric cars E 10 and E 11 with motors and a trailer car T 10 on which the battery B 10 is installed. The trailer car T 10 is coupled between the electric cars E 10 and E 11 .

Also, the electric car E 10 , the electric car E 11 , and the trailer car T 10 are coupled by jumper couplers J 10 and J 11 .

The battery charging unit 300 is connected to the power line 101 via the switch SW 10 .

As shown in FIG. 5 , the battery charging unit 300 is composed of choke coils L 10 and L 11 , capacitor C 10 , two diodes D 20 and D 21 connected in series, and transistors Tr 10 and Tr 11 for switching.

In addition, the diodes D 20 and D 21 and transistors Tr 10 and Tr 11 compose a step-down chopper circuit. The step-down chopper circuit steps down a voltage of a DC voltage supplied via the switch SW 10 to a voltage suitable for charging the battery unit B 10 .

The driving circuits D 10 and D 11 are connected to the power line 101 via switches SW 11 and SW 12 . In addition, since the driving circuit D 10 and D 11 have the same structure, the explanation will be given in relation to the driving circuit D 10 .

The driving circuit D 10 is composed of a switch SW 20 and resistor R 10 connected in parallel, a choke coil L 20 for regulating an AC component, a capacitor C 20 for effectively smoothing a current, and an inverter 200 , connected in parallel with the capacitor C 20 , for converting DC into AC.

In addition, input voltage can be regulated in accordance with on/off action of the switch SW 20 .

Here, functioning of the battery charging system S 10 is described in brief.

When powering a train, the switches SW 10 , SW 11 , and SW 12 are set ON so that a direct current from the battery B 10 is supplied to the driving circuits D 10 and D 11 .

The driving circuits D 10 and D 11 convert the direct current into a given alternating current, and drive a driving system such as 3-phase AC motors.

Meanwhile, the switches SW 11 and SW 12 are set OFF and the connector 100 is connected to a power source installed at a train station while the train stops at the train station. As a result, the battery unit B 10 is charged rapidly via the battery charging unit 300 .

FIG. 6 is a graph showing a charging status of the battery unit B 10 controlled by the battery charging system S 10 .

As shown in FIG. 6 , in the battery charging system S 10 , the battery unit B 10 is charged under the control of the battery charging unit 300 while the train R 200 is stopped at a station. However, the amount of consumption of electric power from the battery unit B 10 while powering the train R 200 exceeds the amount of electric power charged into the battery unit B 10 by the regenerative brake system and a charging facility at a station. Therefore, remaining electric power stored in the battery unit B 10 reduces as the train R 200 repeats running and stopping at train stations as denoted by points A, B, and C in FIG. 6 .

As a result, the battery unit B 10 may become almost empty. When the battery unit B 10 is charged when it is almost empty, battery life decreases.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of a battery charging system will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 through 4 show an example of a battery charging system S 1 on a rail car.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the battery charging system S 1 includes a battery unit A with a given capacity, e.g. 300 kW/h, for supplying electric power to driving apparatuses such as motors and so on, a connector 1 for receiving electric power from an external electric source installed at a train station, a battery charging unit 4 ( 4 a , 4 b ) , connected to the connector 1 , for charging the battery unit A while the train R 100 is stopped at a train station, a battery unit B with large capacity, e.g. 500 kW/h, compared with the battery unit A, a control unit 10 (e.g., a CPU or processor) for performing arithmetic processing to calculate electric power consumption of the battery unit A while the train R 100 is running, and a supplementary battery charging unit 40 ( 40 a , 40 b ) for charging the battery unit A by supplying electric power stored in the battery unit B based on a result of the arithmetic processing performed by the control unit 10 . The control unit 10 controls the actions of the units of the battery charging system S 1 , including supply of power to and from the battery unit A and battery unit B.

The battery charging unit 4 ( 4 a , 4 b ) can have a supplementary function corresponding to the supplementary battery charging unit 40 ( 40 a , 40 b ), so that the battery charging unit 4 ( 4 a , 4 b ) can also act as the supplementary battery charging unit 40 ( 40 a , 40 b ). In the embodiment explained here, the explanation is provided as the battery charging unit 4 a includes the supplementary function.

Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 , a detailed explanation regarding the battery charging system S 1 will be provided.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the battery charging system S 1 on the train R 100 has the connector 1 to be detachably connected to the external electric source, a power line 2 laid on the rail car, the battery charging unit 4 ( 4 a , 4 b ) for charging the battery unit A, and on/off switches SW 1 , SW 2 , and SW 3 . The on/off switch SW 1 is placed between the power line 2 and the battery charging unit 4 a . The on/off switch SW 2 is placed between the power line 2 and the battery charging unit 4 b . And the on/off switch SW 3 is placed between the power line 2 and the battery unit B.

In this embodiment, the train R 100 is composed of two electric cars E 1 and E 2 equipped with driving motors, and a trailer car T 1 , equipped with the battery unit B, coupled between the electric car E 1 and the electric car E 2 . In this embodiment, each of the electric cars E 1 and E 2 includes the battery charging unit 4 (in FIG. 2 , battery charging unit 4 a is on car E 1 , and battery charging unit 4 b is on car E 2 ), the battery unit A, and the control unit 10 .

Also, the electric cars E 1 and E 2 , and the trailer car T 1 are connected via jumper couplers J 1 and J 2 .

As described above, the train R 100 includes multiple train cars. However, the train R 100 can be composed of a single train car. In this case, the battery charging unit 4 , the battery unit A, and the battery unit B and so on, contained in the battery charging system S 1 , are installed on the single train car.

Next, an explanation about the battery charging units 4 a and 4 b will be provided.

Since the battery charging units 4 a and 4 b have the same configuration, the explanation focuses on the battery charging unit 4 a .

As shown in FIG. 3 , the battery charging unit 4 a is connected to the power line 2 via the switch SW 1 .

The battery charging unit 4 a is composed of a choke coil L 1 , a diode D 1 and a diode D 2 connected in series, two transistors Tr 1 and Tr 2 to be used for switching, and an inverter unit 50 connected to the battery unit A in parallel.

The diodes D 1 and D 2 , and the transistors Tr 1 and Tr 2 compose a step-down chopper circuit. The step-down chopper circuit lowers a voltage of a direct current received via the switch SW 1 to a voltage suitable for charging the battery unit A.

The inverter unit 50 is connected to a 3-phase alternating-current motor and so on for driving the train R 100 .

As described above, the battery unit B is supplementarily used for charging the battery unit A. However, electric power stored in the battery unit B can be supplied to at least one of lighting equipment, air-conditioning equipment, and other electric equipment installed on the train R 100 .

The battery charging unit 4 a controls charging to the battery unit A. Various charging techniques can be used. In one technique, the battery charging unit 4 a controls charging so that a predetermined amount of electric power is charged into the battery unit A. The control unit 10 checks whether consumption of the electric power during running of the train R 100 reaches the predetermined amount, and outputs notification information when it is determined that the predetermined amount of electric power has been consumed. When the battery charging unit 4 a receives the notification information, the battery charging unit 4 a charges the battery unit A with the electric power stored in the battery unit B. The charging can be performed so that the battery unit A is empty or nearly empty when the predetermined amount of electric power has been consumed. Other charging techniques are also possible as discussed below and will be apparent to those of skill in the art.

Also, the battery charging unit 4 a is equipped with current detectors 11 and 12 for detecting a current to and from the battery unit A. Namely, a charging current to the battery unit A is measured by the current detector 11 and a discharging current from the battery unit A is measured by the current detector 12 . The measured charging current value and the measured discharging current value are input to the control unit 10 . The control unit 10 performs arithmetic processing in connection with the measured charging current value and the measured discharging current value according to orders for operating the train, such as a power running order generated at a master-controller of the train in accordance with a train operator's instructions to accelerate the train (for example), an electric power regeneration order generated at the master-controller of the train when the train operator activates regenerative braking (for example), and a battery charging order generated when the control unit 10 determines that the predetermined amount of electric power has been consumed. The control unit then outputs a control order to the battery charging unit 4 a in accordance with the arithmetic processing.

The battery charging unit 4 a has a function to charge the battery unit A with regenerated electric power by a motor when slowing down. The control unit 10 may be set to control the battery charging unit 4 a so that the sum of the regenerated electric power charged to the battery unit A, the electric power charged to the battery unit A from the battery unit B, and the predetermined amount of electric power is equal to consumption of electric power at a driving motor.

Next, the operation of the battery charging system S 1 will be provided.

When the train R 100 starts running from a train station, the switches SW 1 , SW 2 , and SW 3 are set to OFF, and the train R 100 performs power running by using the electric power stored in the battery unit A.

Thereafter, when the train R 100 stops at a train station, the connector 1 of the train R 100 is connected to an external power source installed at the train station. After the connection of the connector 1 and the external power source is established, the switches SW 1 and SW 2 are set to ON, and then, based on the step-down chopper operation performed by the battery charging unit 4 a , the battery unit A is charged with the electric power supplied from the external power source until the predetermined amount of electric power is charged to the battery unit A. (If the battery unity A is empty when the predetermined amount of electric power is consumed, then charging is performed until the predetermined amount of electric power is stored in the battery unit A). The battery unit B can be charged together with the battery unit A by setting the switch SW 3 to ON when the train is stopped at a station. Also, the battery unit B can be charged in a similar manner when stopped at a car barn.

When it is time to run the train again, the connector 1 is disconnected from the external power source and the switches SW 1 and SW 2 are set to OFF. And again, the train R 100 performs the power running by using the electric power stored in the battery unit A.

As described above, while the train is stopped at the train station, charging to the battery unit A is performed by the battery charging unit 4 a . However, in some situations, more than the predetermined amount of electric power may be required before the train R 100 arrives at the next train station. In this case, the control unit 10 detects the fact that the consumption of the electric power stored in the battery unit A has reached the predetermined amount of electric power, and accordingly the battery charging unit 4 a charges the battery unit A with the electric power stored in the battery unit B by setting the switches SW 1 -SW 3 to ON until an amount of electric power according to the consumption during the power running is charged to the battery unit A.

Thus, the electric power stored in the battery unit A can be kept to a suitable level for driving the train R 100 .

Also, the regenerated electric power generated while slowing down is supplied to the battery unit A.

When the train R 100 is stopped at a train station, electric power is supplied to the battery unit A from an external power source such as an electric power substation. In this case, since sufficient electric power can be supplied to the battery unit A from the external power source, the predetermined amount of electric power is stored in the battery unit A.

It is clear from the comparison of the battery charging condition of the battery charging system S 1 shown in FIG. 4 and the battery charging condition of the battery charging system S 10 shown in FIG. 6 that the charging rate of the battery unit A corresponding to the battery charging system S 1 is sustained in a more stable condition. In particular, the charging rate is kept high after the train repeatedly stops at stations and runs again.

As described above, according to the battery charging system S 1 , the electric power stored in the battery unit B is supplied to the battery unit A based on the result of arithmetic processing on the information of the power consumption of the battery unit A performed by the control unit 10 . Consequently, the battery life can be extended since the charging rate of the battery unit A is kept relatively high while running. Also, since the discharge of the battery unit B is relatively slow, the battery life of the battery unit B also can be extended.

Also, when the control unit 10 detects that the consumption amount from the battery unit A reaches the predetermined amount of electric power, the electric power stored in the battery unit B is supplementarily supplied to the battery unit A. Consequently, since relatively a high charging rate of the battery unit A of the train R 100 is readily kept, the battery life of the battery unit A can be extended more and more.

Furthermore, in a case that the battery unit 4 a is set so that the sum of the regenerated electric power charged to the battery unit A, the electric power supplementarily charged to the battery unit A from the battery unit B, and the predetermined amount of electric power is equal to the consumption of the electric power at the driving system, the battery unit A and so on can be designed to have the minimum ability necessary to drive the train R 100 . Since the battery A can thereby be downsized, the battery unit A can be smoothly rigged to the train R 100 .

The charging technique described above is not the only one that can be used. For example, in another charging technique, the battery charging unit 4 a controls charging so that an amount of electric power charged in the battery unit A reaches a first predetermined amount. The control unit 10 checks whether consumption of the electric power during running of the train R 100 causes the amount of power charged in the battery unit A to fall to a second predetermined amount that is lower than the first predetermined amount, and outputs notification information when the second predetermined amount of electric power is reached. When the battery charging unit 4 a receives the notification information, the battery charging unit 4 a charges the battery unit A with the electric power stored in the battery unit B.

Obviously, numerous other modifications and variations of the present embodiment are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the embodiment may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.