AT528080A1 - Switching device for traction drive - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a switching device (1) for a traction system of a rail vehicle (19), comprising - a first switching module (2) with power inputs (6) for connection to a power converter (15), with power outputs 7, 7a, 7b for connection to at least one traction motor (8a, 8b) and with switching elements for carrying out a group switching between the power inputs (6) and the power outputs (7, 7a, 7b) dependent on a predetermined operating range of the traction motor (8a, 8b), - a communication module for transmitting traction motor parameters {Ln, Rn, p} to the power converter (15) depending on the predetermined operating range.

Description

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Switching device for traction drive

The invention relates to a switching device for

at least one traction drive of a rail vehicle.

The invention further relates to a traction system for a rail vehicle with at least one traction drive, comprising at least one power converter, at least one

Switching device and at least one traction motor.

The subject of the invention is also a rail vehicle with working units and with a speed-adjustable traction drive, which contains at least one power converter, provided for controlling traction motors which are designed to drive axles of the rail vehicle, wherein the used speed range of the traction motors is characterized by a first operating range in which the rail vehicle is provided to work a rail track with its working units, and a second operating range in which the rail vehicle is provided to travel on the rail track without this being driven by the working units

is being processed.

For the construction and maintenance of railway tracks of the railway infrastructure in countries and regions, specialised rail vehicles are used, which, for example, produce or renew the ballast layer of the track superstructure, lay the sleepers and rails on this ballast layer, assemble and align them and correct a faulty track position, measure an existing track position, lay, assemble and renew the modules of a slab track or

Construct or renew overhead line systems.

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These specialised rail vehicles are referred to as track construction or track maintenance machines and are characterised by at least one working unit such as a tamping unit, a lifting and straightening unit, a ballast plough, at least one mechanical or optical reference axis, a track position measuring device, one or more units for the production or renewal of the superstructure material layers, at least one welding and/or grinding unit for the rails of the railway track and/or a working unit for the construction and maintenance of the

Overhead line.

Two or more of these specialised rail vehicles can also be coupled to form rail vehicle units and, by arranging a subset of the above-mentioned work units, provide a specific range of functions for the production or maintenance

a railway track is available.

The operation of rail vehicles for track construction includes, according to the state of the art, two different speed ranges, which are suitable for

(1) Transfer journeys or survey journeys typically range from 20km/h to over 100km/h and which

(2) Processing of the rail track by means of the working units is typically between 0.2 km/h and 3 km/h.

The rail vehicles mentioned are either equipped with their own traction drives or are used in the rail vehicle group by

equipped rail vehicles.

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In addition to traction drives that operate on the principle of thermodynamic combustion engines, i.e. convert the chemical binding energy of a fuel through exothermic chemical reactions into a rotary or linear mechanical movement sufficient for the traction of the rail vehicle, electrodynamic drives are increasingly being used due to technical, economic, social and ecological considerations.

Traction drives are used.

According to the state of the art, in order to enable continuous operation in the two operating points or operating ranges of the rail vehicle speed specified above, the control of the electric traction motors of these traction drives is operated at frequencies between less than 2 Hz and several hundred Hertz at high motor currents, which, due to the wide spread of these operating points or operating ranges,

Efficiency of the traction drive is reduced.

The effort for controlling and regulating the traction drive

is also high in this case.

For example, the controllability and regulation of common variable-speed traction drives, which comprise a combination of power converters and traction motors, is limited due to inherent limitations of the modulation process at very low control frequencies.

impaired.

If the speed range is extended or spread without

a switchover is planned, due to necessary

Compromises in design and construction high values

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for the input currents of the machine necessary to

to achieve the required torques and tensile forces.

A possible alternative is to arrange a mechanical gearbox after the traction motor in order to switch between the two

to switch between speed ranges.

AT 521 386 A1 also discloses an interface device between energy converters for energy supply, energy storage devices and other energy converters such as

Drive units for a track construction machine are known.

The invention is based on the object of improving the prior art for a switching device

of the type mentioned above.

A further object of the invention is to provide a traction system which is designed for operation with the switching device according to the invention in a traction drive which is improved compared to the prior art.

is.

Finally, it is also the object of the invention to provide a rail vehicle with working units with the speed-adjustable drive system which is improved compared to the prior art.

Traction drive must be specified.

According to the invention, these objects are achieved by the switching device of claim 1, the traction system of claim 7 and the rail vehicle of

Claim 9.

Dependent claims provide advantageous embodiments of the

invention.

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The invention relates to a switching device

for a traction system of a rail vehicle, comprising a first switching module with power inputs for connection to a power converter, with power outputs for connection to at least one traction motor, and with switching elements for carrying out a group switching between the power inputs and the power outputs depending on a predetermined operating range of the traction motor, as well as a communication module for transmitting traction motor parameters to the power converter depending on the predetermined

operating area.

A preferred variant of the switching device according to the invention further comprises a control module which is provided to trigger and/or monitor the group switching dependent on the operating range and/or to transmit the traction motor parameters dependent on the operating range to the

power converter.

Traction motor parameters are, for example, the values of the traction motor impedances Z, controlled by the power converter, which can be approximately described as a series connection of an inductance Ln with a resistance value Xp=20£f ' L2 that depends on the alternating current frequency and is also called reactance, and a frequency-independent ohmic resistance value Rı

can be accepted.

Important parameters are also the number of poles 2p

and/or the number of pole pairs p of the traction motor.

In another inexpensive variant of the switching device

A second switching module is provided for a safe torque

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Off-switching off the traction drive and/or for galvanic isolation of the power inputs from the first

Switching module and/or from the power outputs.

This additional safety-relevant “safe torque off” (STO) according to IEC 61800-5-2:2016 RLV provides a redundant shutdown path in addition to the power converter by separating the power inputs from the power outputs using a main switching element, which enables a higher

Security level is reached.

For example, with this STO shutdown, performance level d or e according to category 3 or 4 from EN ISO 13849-1 is achieved and further railway-specific safety requirements such as “dangerous

Event due to single error is not acceptable”.

The requirement “Prevention of unwanted movement” in EN 14033-2:2017, Section 5.15 Table 1 is also met, but also the safety requirements for the braking system in paragraph 4.2.4.2.2 Table 3 of the Technical Specification for Interoperability TSI of the subsystem “Rolling stock - Locomotives and Passenger Rolling Stock” of the rail system in the European Union from Regulation

(EU) No. 1302/2014.

An advantageous variant provides that an overvoltage module is set up as part of the switching device to reduce or eliminate overvoltages between the traction motors and the power converter.

avoid.

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Overvoltages can occur, for example, during switching operations that affect the winding phases of traction motors of

separate the phases of the supply lines.

An example of such a switching process is the group switching between a first and a

second operating area of the rail vehicle.

In a favorable variant of the switching device, the first switching module is provided to carry out a group switching between the phases of the power inputs and the winding phase groups of the traction motor, which are connected to the power outputs, in such a way that the winding phase groups form a double star configuration for a first operating range and a star configuration for

form a second operating area.

These different configurations of the winding phase groups correspond to different

Number of poles 2p or number of pole pairs p of the traction motor.

In general, switching the winding phase groups can lead to an increase or decrease in the number of pole pairs in the ratio 1:n, where n is a

natural number.

Increasing the number of pole pairs p by a factor of n results in a reduction of the speed nu of the traction motor by the same factor n while maintaining the alternating current frequency f in the phases of the three-phase power supply, since the relationship between speed nu and number of pole pairs p is inversely

is proportional.

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For the above group switching between double star and star, the ratio between the number of pole pairs is 2:1 and consequently the ratio between the speed ny,ı of the traction motor in the first configuration and that nyv,2 in the second configuration is 1:2 under the condition of constant AC frequency or three-phase frequency

f.

If switching between the first and the second configuration takes place at a certain speed nu of the traction motor, this three-phase frequency £f must be adjusted according to the ratio of the number of pole pairs p of these two configurations in order to avoid jumps in the speed nu and/or a high load on the traction motor.

avoid.

In an alternative embodiment, the switching device is designed to switch between a delta configuration of the winding phase groups of the traction motor and a double star configuration

to switch.

For these two alternative configurations of the winding phase groups, a ratio of the number of pole pairs p of 2:1 results, which corresponds to a speed ratio Nnyv,ı: MNyu,2 of 1:2 under the condition

constant three-phase frequency £f.

In an advantageous embodiment, the switching device is provided with a power converter with at least two traction motors of a bogie of the

rail vehicle.

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Due to this type of control, the number of switching devices required is reduced and

Power converter.

This results in a smaller space requirement for the traction drive and the traction system and a significant reduction in the

manufacturing costs.

The drive of both axles of a bogie enables the achievement of higher driving forces of the rail vehicle at

optimal utilization of given axle loads.

In an advantageous embodiment of the traction system for a rail vehicle with a power converter, the power converter is connected to a switching device in one of the variants described above and comprises a control module which is provided to trigger and/or monitor the group switching dependent on the operating range and/or to transmit the traction motor parameters dependent on the operating range from

the switching device.

The converter must at all times have knowledge of the current configuration of the winding phase groups of the traction drive, which are represented by the traction parameters {Ln, Ra, P} depending on the operating range, in order to generate a three-phase system of suitable amplitude Ü and frequency f for the drive connected by means of the switching device.

to provide at least one traction motor. In an alternative embodiment, the

Control module of the power converter or a higher-level

Control unit such as the machine control instead of that of the

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Switching device intended to trigger the group switching depending on the operating range and/or

monitor.

Preferably, in one embodiment of the traction system, a communication connection is set up between the communication modules of the power converter and the switching device and is provided for the transmission of data and signals which are analogue and/or

digitally, especially binary encoded.

Such data are in particular the data collected by the selected

Operating range dependent traction motor parameters {Ln, Rıys

pP}.

A preferred embodiment of the subject matter of the invention comprises a rail vehicle with working units and with a speed-adjustable traction drive, which contains at least one power converter, provided for controlling traction motors, which are designed to drive axles of the rail vehicle, wherein the used speed range of the traction motors is characterized by a first operating range, in which the rail vehicle is provided to work a rail track with its working units, and a second operating range, in which the rail vehicle is provided to travel on the rail track without this being worked by the working units, wherein between the power converter and at least one traction motor a

switching device according to the invention is arranged.

The second operating area can be in a further

In this embodiment, the rail track can be

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specialized measuring devices based on the

Rail vehicle are to be measured.

In an alternative variant of the rail vehicle, all power converters of the traction drives are in one housing

arranged.

Such an arrangement in a housing enables, for example, devices approved for railway current for controlling the traction motors by means of the

to use switching devices according to the invention.

In a favorable alternative embodiment, the traction drives are partially or entirely in the environment

the drive axles of the rail vehicle.

This design allows the use of industrial power converters or industrial inverters with

reduced output currents compared to traction converters.

For these converters, a separate approval for use in a rail vehicle may be required

necessary.

In a preferred embodiment, the traction drives arranged in the vicinity of the drive axles are provided to be able to drive the vehicle by means of a

arranged DC line.

Such a DC power supply can be found, for example,

in AT 521 386 AL.

The connection of the converter output, which is a

frequency-variable three-phase system, with

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the power inputs of the switching device by means of a connecting cable whose length is only a fraction of the length of the rail vehicle or the length of the rail vehicle combination, is also advantageous in terms of increasing electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) due to a reduction of

disruptive electromagnetic radiation.

The invention is explained below by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures.

in schematic representation:

Fig. 1 An embodiment of the inventive

Switching device with its functional modules,

Fig. 2a A first embodiment of the switching device according to Figure 1 as a circuit diagram with two controlled

traction motors,

Fig. 2b Another embodiment of the switching device according to Figure 1 as

circuit diagram,

Fig. 3a A first arrangement of a total of six groups of winding phases of a traction motor as a double star and their control with three phases

a three-phase system,

Fig. 3b A second arrangement of the winding phase groups

from Figure 3a as a star connection,

Fig. 4a Course of voltage, current and moment/force

of a traction motor over the speed v

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of a rail vehicle which is in the first switching position of the switching device

is controlled,

Fig. 4b Course of voltage, current and torque/power of a traction motor over the speed v of a rail vehicle, which is in the second switching position of the switching device

is controlled,

Fig. 4c Joint representation of the characteristic curve fields from

Figures 4a and 4b,

Fig. 5 Schematic representation of a traction system consisting of three traction drives, each consisting of a power converter, an associated switching device and two controlled traction motors with a

common optional control module,

Fig. 6 Rail vehicle with the traction system according to the invention for driving four

bogies with two axles each.

In Figure 1, the switching device 1 according to the invention, which connects power inputs 6 with power outputs 7a, 7b, with its functional modules 2, 3, 4 and 5

shown schematically.

An overvoltage module 5 is provided as overvoltage protection for the power inputs 6 in order to prevent overvoltages that occur particularly when switching on, off and changing over the

Winding phase groups 111a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11l1e, 11£ of the

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Winding system of at least one traction motor 8a, 8b

to reduce or avoid risks that may occur.

An overvoltage module 5 according to the prior art comprises, for example, a Zener diode suitable for the given power range or another electromechanical device suitable as overvoltage protection,

electrical and/or power electronic component.

This overvoltage module 5 protects the connected devices at the power input 6 from interference caused by high

Switching voltages.

It also acts both within the switching device 1 and at the power outputs 7a, 7b to limit

such high switching voltages.

The power inputs 6 are connected to the first switching module 2 by means of a second switching module 4, which comprises a main switch, the essential components of which are the switching elements of a group switch

are.

The second switching module 4 is used to separate the power inputs 6 from the first switching module 2 or to connect them with this

to reconnect.

In order to prevent high switching voltages in the system, a controlled demagnetization of the winding system 111a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11e, 11£, in particular of the magnetizable parts, of the at least one traction motor 8a, 8b is advantageously carried out, preferably by means of the power converter 15, before the connections between the

Winding phase groups 111a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11l1e, 11£,.

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The process of disconnecting the power inputs 6 from the first switching module 2 and then reconnecting them is

carried out operationally as part of the group switching.

The first switching module 2 is used to switch between different connection variants between the

Power inputs 6 and power outputs 7a, 7b.

In particular, switching is carried out between a connection variant which connects the winding phase groups 1l1la, 11b, 11c, 11ld, 1le, 11£ in two mutually parallel stars to the feeding three-phase system of the power inputs 6, and a second connection variant in which two winding phase groups 1l1la, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11e, 11£ per three-phase phase of the power inputs 6 are connected in series and the series circuits fed in this way are connected to one another at their side facing away from the respective three-phase phase U, V, W in a star point

SP1l are connected.

The first connection variant is known as double star connection and the second connection variant as

Star connection known.

In the switching device 1, a control module 3 is also provided to initiate, monitor and complete the switching process and to transmit the respective parameters, which are each assigned to one of the two connection variants, to a power converter 15 via a communication module.

transmit.

This converter 15 generates the

Power inputs 6 connected three-phase system with

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adjustable alternating current frequency f and also

adjustable phase voltage Ü.

In Figure 2a, a first embodiment of the switching device 1 is shown as a circuit diagram, with which

two traction motors 8a, 8b are controlled.

This arrangement is suitable, for example, for use in a bogie 22 of a rail vehicle 19 or rail vehicle combination with two driven axles such as

shown as an example in Figure 6.

The circuit diagram in Figure 2a shows the power inputs 6 and their connection to the power outputs 7 by means of the

first switching module 2.

This first switching module 2 has two switching positions, which allow two different switching configurations of the power outputs 7 with each other and with the

Power inputs 6 correspond.

The first switching module 2 is an electrically or electromagnetically operated switch that is controlled via a "SHIFT" switching input and, in the illustrated embodiment, switches a total of eight switching contacts between a first switching position and a second switching position. These switching contacts are connected to the three lines U, V, and W of the power inputs 6 as well as to the nine lines UL1, V1, W1, U2, V2, W2, and U3, V3, W3 of the power outputs 7.

tied together.

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For example, the first switching contact is open in the first switching position, which creates the connection between U

and U3 is interrupted.

However, there is a permanent connection between U from power input 6 to U1 from power output 7, just as

between V and V1 and between W and WL1.

The third switching contact, however, is closed in the first switching position and thus connects the lines U2

and U3 of the power output 7.

The second switching contact is open in the first switching position like the first switching contact and the connection

between U2 and W2 is therefore interrupted.

The fourth, fifth and sixth switching contacts serve in the same way to connect V2 with V3 in the first switching position and to separate the connection between V2 and V3 in the second active switching position and to connect V1 with V3 and

To connect V2 with W2.

The eighth switching contact connects W2 with W3 in the first switching position and separates this connection in the second switching position, while the seventh switching contact in this switching position

separate power outputs W1 and W3.

Figure 2a also shows the second switching module 4 already described, which is designed as an electromagnetic switch, which has a switching input “STO”

is controlled.

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Finally, the switching device 1 in Figure 2a also comprises an overvoltage module 5, which is provided

To limit overvoltages.

The power outputs U1, V1, W1, U2, V2, W2 and U3, V3, W3 are connected in parallel with the nine inputs of the

Traction motors 8a and 8b connected.

Figure 2b shows a further embodiment of the switching device 1, which differs from the above-described embodiment of Figure 2a in particular

by a variant of the first switching module 2.

All eight switching contacts are designed as normally open contacts, i.e. in the first inactive switching position they interrupt the lines connected to them and in the second active switching position they

Establish a connection between these lines.

The eight switching contacts are divided into a first subset of five switching contacts, which are activated by a first switching input “SHIFT-A”, and a second subset of three switching contacts, which are activated by another

Switching input “SHIFT-B” is controlled.

The first, third and fifth switching contacts separate or connect U1 and U3, V1 and V3 and W1 and W3 respectively.

The second switching contact separates or connects U2 and W2, the fourth V2 and W2.

The sixth switching contact separates or connects U2 and U3, the seventh V2 and V3 and the eighth W2 and W3.

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Figures 3a and 3b show how the two switching positions of the first switching module 2 of the switching device 1 result in the two different configurations of a double star connection or a star connection of the winding phase groups 111a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11e and 11fff of the traction motors 7a, 7b.

The winding phase group 1l1la is located between the switching terminals U1 and U2 of a traction motor 8a, 8b and the winding phase group 11b is located between the switching terminal

U3 and the unchangeable first star point SPL1.

In the same way, the winding phase group 1lc is located between V1 and V2, the winding phase group 11d between V3 and the first star point SP1 and the winding phase group lle between W1 and W2 while the winding phase group 11£ is located between W3 and the common

first star point SP1l.

Figure 3a shows the second active switching position of the first switching module 2 of the switching device 1, in which two winding phase groups 111a and 11b, 11c and 11d as well as 11e and 11f£f are arranged parallel to each other per phase and the two sides of the winding phase groups 11a, 11c and 11e facing away from the phases U, V and W are connected to a second star point SP2 in addition to the fixed first star point SP1l of the winding phase groups 11b, 11d and 11£

interconnected.

In Figure 3b, the winding phase groups 111la, 11b, 11c,

11ld, 1le and 11f£ to a star connection with the first

fixed star point SP1l.

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For each phase U, V, W of the three-phase system, which is generated by a converter 15 with adjustable voltage and frequency f, two winding phase groups 11a and 11b, 11c and 11d as well as 1le and 11f are connected in series

switched on.

This arrangement is made possible by connecting U2 and U3 while simultaneously separating the connection between U1 and U3. Phase U is connected as in Figure 3a with

connected to terminal U1 of winding phase group 1l1la.

In the same way, phase V is connected to V1 of the winding phase group 111c and its second terminal V2 is connected to V3 of the winding phase group 11d, whose second terminal together with terminals of the winding phase groups 11b and 11£ form the star point.

This also applies to phase W, which is connected to W1 of winding group 1lle, where W2 of this winding phase group 1lle

is connected to W3 of the winding phase group 11£.

Figures 4a and 4b show, by way of example and in a simplified manner, the course of the voltages 12a, 12b, currents 13a, 13b, and the resulting traction force 14a, 14b of the traction motor 8a, 8b over the speed v of the rail vehicle 19 for both switching positions of the switching device 1 and the corresponding connection variants of the winding phase groups 111a, 11b,

1l1c, 11d, 1l1e and 11£f.

Figure 4a shows the second active switching position, the

the double star connection of the winding phase groups l1la, 1lb, 1lc, 11d, 1le and 11f£ from Figure 3a.

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In the section of the linear increase of the voltage 12a up to the speed va, current 13a and traction force 14a remain

constant.

Va, for example, is between 3km/h and 7km/h and

preferably between 4km/h and 6km/h.

In the following section with constant voltage 12a and degressively decreasing traction force 14a, the current remains constant up to an unspecified speed, before it increases in the last section with further increase of the speed up to the intended maximum speed

Vmax decreases.

Vmax is, for example, between 50km/h and 150km/h

and preferably between 80km/h and 120km/h.

The current intensity 13a has the highest value Imax,z2 in the first two speed sections of the

according to Figure 4a, for example, Imax,27200A.

If the current intensity 13a” is further increased from the speed va, the traction force 14a” can still be kept constant at its maximum value for speeds v>vs

be kept.

According to Figure 4a, the current 13a” reaches, for example, a maximum value of Imax,2>300A at a maximum

Traction force of 40KkN. In contrast, Figure 4b shows the course of stress 12b,

Current 13b and traction force 14b over speed v

of the rail vehicle 19 for the first passive

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Switching position of the switching device 1, which corresponds to the star connection of the winding phase groups 111la, 11b, 11c, 11d, 1le and 11f from Figure 3b.

In this case, current 13b and traction force 14b remain constant in a first section up to an unspecified speed between vs and a speed va, while the voltage 12b varies linearly with the

speed v increases.

The value of current 13b in this section is more than 400A and is therefore significantly higher than the values of currents 13a and 13a” from Figure 4a in this

Speed range.

In a second section, which corresponds to the speed range between va and Vmax, the tension value 12b is constant, the traction force 14b decreases degressively up to

a residual tensile force that occurs at Vmax.

This residual tensile force is between 5kN and 15kN and

preferably between 8kN and 12kN.

The current intensity 13b initially decreases gradually to an unspecified speed and then increases

then up to Vmax again.

The value of the current 13b at Vma is for example between 250A and 350A and preferably between 280A and

320A.

In Figure 4c, characteristic curve fields 12a, 13a or 13a” and 14a

or 14a” from Figure 4a and 12b, 13b and 14b from Figure 4b

presented together.

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An optimal switching condition in the operating range B between the switching position corresponding to the double star connection according to Figure 3a and the switching position of the switching device 1 corresponding to the star connection from Figure 3b is a value of the current intensity 13b approximately equal to the value of the current intensity 13a, whereby the traction force 14b

is approximately equal to the traction force 14a.

In the case shown in Figure 4c, such a

optimal switching condition does not exist.

If, according to the characteristic curve fields 12a, 13a or 13a” and 14a or 14a” as well as 12b, 13b and 14b in the operating switching range B from Figure 4c, a switch is made between a first operating range “transfer travel”, which is characterized by the speed range between va and Vmax, and the second operating range “working operation” with speeds less than or equal to va, the resulting reduction in the traction force at the switching speed vu not shown in Figure 4c is acceptable because the rail vehicle 19 relative to the entire

Operating time only remains in operating range B for a short time.

Optimization can be achieved by shifting the characteristic curve fields

towards higher speeds v For example, the current 13a can be increased to a value of up to 300A according to the current 13a” in Figure 4a

be increased.

However, the current characteristic curve 13b can also be extended

be postponed so that their renewed increase will only occur at

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Speeds vV>Vmax and thus outside the used

speed range.

Figure 5 shows a traction system 18 with three traction drives, each comprising a power converter 15, a switching device 1 and two traction motors 8a and 8b

include.

A control module 16 includes a communication module which is connected to both the switching devices 1 and the power converters 15 by means of a communication connection 17 and which controls the traction motor parameters {L, Ra, PP}

determined and transmitted.

In Figure 6, a rail vehicle 19 with a pantograph 20 is shown on a schematic section of a rail track 21

shown.

The rail vehicle 19 is in two parts, the first part comprising the pantograph 20 and a bogie 22 and on the second part with a total of three bogies 22 between the second and the last bogie 22, as a rule at least one of the above-described

Working units are arranged.

The representation of these working units is omitted

for the sake of better readability of Figure 6.

The traction motors 8a and 8b are intended to each have a

of the two drive axles of a bogie 22 in Figure 6

to set in rotational motion.

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These traction motor pairs 8a, 8b are provided with a switching device 1 with a control module 3

assigned.

A communication connection 25 connects the control modules 3 of the switching devices 1 to at least one central control device 23 of the rail vehicle 19 and at least one control module 16, which is part of an arrangement comprising at least one power converter 18

is assigned.

This converter arrangement 18 is intended to convert the current from the not shown overhead line of the rail track 21, which is tapped by means of line 26 from the current collector 20, into a three-phase system U, V, W with adjustable voltage by converting the current type and/or frequency

and frequency f.

A connecting line 24 is provided to connect this three-phase system U, V, W by means of switching device 1 to

Traction motor pairs 8a, 8b of the bogies 22.

When switching between the different configurations of the winding phase groups 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11e and 11£, the winding system is demagnetized for a certain period of time as described above.

Three-phase system separated.

It is advantageous if the switching devices 1 assigned to the various bogies 22 carry out these switching operations on the traction motors 8a, 8b assigned to them.

also staggered between each other.

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With an alternative embodiment of the switching device 1 compared to the variants shown in Figures 2a and 2b, which controls the two traction motors 8a, 8b of a bogie 22 of the rail vehicle 19 separately, the switching of these traction motors 8a, 8b by means of the switching device 1 also takes place in a staggered manner.

However, with such alternative switching devices 1, the advantage of the lower effort of a parallel control of two traction motors 8a, 8b, as shown in the variants of Figure 2a and Figure 2b

are lost.

Alternatively, the converters 15 together with the switching devices 1 can be installed directly above the bogies 22

be arranged.

In such an embodiment, the connecting line 24 is, for example, a direct current line with a

DC voltage between 500V and 1.5kV.

Such an alternative arrangement and supply of the power converters 15 is particularly advantageous in order to further reduce or prevent unwanted radiation of electromagnetic fields and to increase the electromagnetic

To increase EMC compatibility of the overall arrangement.

The subject matter of the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described. Further switching configurations of the switching device 1 and its arrangement with power converter 15 and traction motors 8a, 8b in rail vehicles 19 and rail vehicle combinations are

encompassed by the claims.

15

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25

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27

Patent claims

1. Switching device (1) for a traction system (18) of a rail vehicle (19), comprising:

- a first switching module (2) with power inputs (6) for connection to a power converter (15), with power outputs (7, 7a, 7b) for connection to at least one traction motor (8a, 8b) and with switching elements for carrying out a group switching between the power inputs (6) and the power outputs (7, 7b) dependent on a predetermined operating range of the traction motor (8a),

- a communication module for transmitting

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8b)

7a,

Traction motor parameters {Ln, Ra, P} to the power converter

(15) depending on the specified operating range.

2. Switching device (1) according to claim 1, characterized

characterized in that a control module (3) is provided

is the operating range dependent group switching

to trigger and/or monitor and/or by means of the

Communication module which depends on the operating range

Traction motor parameters {Ln, Rn, p} to the power converter (15)

to transmit.

3. Switching device (1) according to one of claims 1 or

2, characterized in that a second switching module

(4) is provided for a safe torque-off shutdown and/or for the galvanic isolation of the power input from the first switching module (2) and/or from the

Power outputs (7, 7a, 7b).

(6)

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4. Switching device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that an overvoltage module (5) is designed to reduce overvoltages between the traction motors (8a, 8b) and the power converter (15).

reduce or avoid.

5. Switching device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first switching module (2) is provided with a group switching between phases (U, V, W) of the power inputs (6) and winding phase groups (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11l, 11e, 11£) of the traction motor (8a, 8b), which are connected to the power outputs (7, 7a, 7b), between a double star configuration for a first operating range and a star configuration for a second

operating area.

6. Switching device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it is provided,

the power converter (15) with at least two traction motors (8a, 8b) of a bogie (22) of the rail vehicle (19)

to connect.

7. Traction system (18) for a rail vehicle (19) with at least one power converter (15), characterized in that the power converter (15) is connected to a switching device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6 and that a control module (16) of the at least one power converter (15) is provided to trigger and/or monitor the group switching dependent on the operating range and/or by means of a

Communication module which depends on the operating range

15

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Traction motor parameters {Ln, Rn, p} from the

Switching device (1) to receive.

8. Traction system (18) according to claim 7, characterized in that a wired or wireless communication connection (25) is set up between the communication modules of the at least one power converter (15) and the switching device (1) and it is provided that the transmission of data and signals

analog and/or digital encoded.

9. A rail vehicle (19) with working units and with a speed-adjustable traction drive, which contains at least one power converter (15), provided for controlling traction motors (8a, 8b) which are designed to drive axles of the rail vehicle (19), wherein the used speed range of the traction motors (8a, 8b) is characterized by a first operating range in which the rail vehicle (19) is provided to work a rail track (21) with its working units, and a second operating range in which the rail vehicle (19) is provided to travel on the rail track (21) without said track being worked by the working units, characterized in that between the at least one power converter (15) and at least one traction motor (8a, 8b), a switching device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6

10. Rail vehicle (19) according to claim 9, characterized

characterized in that all power converters (15) of the

Traction drives are arranged in a housing (18).

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11. Rail vehicle (19) according to claim 9, characterized in that the traction drives with their power converters (15) are arranged partially or entirely in the vicinity of the drive axles of the rail vehicle (19)

are.

12. Rail vehicle (19) according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the traction drives with their power converters (15) are provided to be connected to the rail vehicle (19) by means of a direct current line

(24) to be provided for.

Claims (12)

Patent claims 1. Switching device (1) for a traction system (18) of a rail vehicle (19), comprising: - a first switching module (2) with power inputs (6) for connection to a power converter (15), with power outputs (7, 7a, 7b) for connection to at least one traction motor (8a, 8b) and with switching elements for carrying out a group switchover between the power inputs (6) and the power outputs (7, 7a, 7b) dependent on a predetermined operating range of the traction motor (8a, 8b), wherein a first operating range is characterized by a speed (v) of the rail vehicle (19) less than or equal to a first speed limit value (ve) and wherein the current consumed by a traction motor (8a, 8b) remains limited both in the first and in a second operating range, - a communication module for transmitting traction motor parameters {Ln, Ra, P} to the power converter (15) depending on the specified operating range. 2. Switching device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a control module (3) is provided to trigger and/or monitor the group switching dependent on the operating range and/or to transmit the traction motor parameters {L», Rn, p} dependent on the operating range to the power converter (15) by means of the communication module. transmit. 3. Switching device (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that a second switching module (4) is provided for a safe torque-off shutdown and/or 36/39 MOST RECENT CLAIMS for the galvanic isolation of the power input (6) from the first switching module (2) and/or from the power outputs (7, 7a, 7b) . 4. Switching device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that an overvoltage module (5) is designed to reduce or eliminate overvoltages between the traction motors (8a, 8b) and the power converter (15). avoid. 5. Switching device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first switching module (2) is provided with a group switching between phases (U, V, W) of the power inputs (6) and winding phase groups (11a, 11b, 11l, 11c, 11d, 11e, 11£) of the traction motor (8a, 8b), which are connected to the power outputs (7, 7a, 7b), between a double star configuration for a first operating range and a star configuration for a second operating area. 6. Switching device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it is provided to connect the power converter (15) to at least two traction motors (8a, 8b) of a bogie (22) of the rail vehicle (19). connect. 7. Traction system (18) for a rail vehicle (19) with at least one power converter (15), characterized in that the power converter (15) is connected to a switching device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6 and that a control module (16) of the at least one power converter (15) is provided, which is dependent on the operating range To trigger and/or monitor group switching and/or 37/39 MOST RECENT CLAIMS by means of a communication module, the traction motor parameters {Ln, Ran, P} dependent on the operating range are transferred from the Switching device (1) to receive. 8. Traction system (18) according to claim 7, characterized in that a wired or wireless communication connection (25) is set up between the communication modules of the at least one power converter (15) and the switching device (1) and it is provided that the transmission of data and signals analog and/or digital encoded. 9. A rail vehicle (19) with working units and with a speed-adjustable traction drive, which contains at least one power converter (15), provided for controlling traction motors (8a, 8b) which are designed to drive axles of the rail vehicle (19), wherein the used speed range of the traction motors (8a, 8b) is characterized by a first operating range in which the rail vehicle (19) is provided to work a rail track (21) with its working units, and a second operating range in which the rail vehicle (19) is provided to travel on the rail track (21) without said track being worked by the working units, characterized in that between the at least one power converter (15) and at least one traction motor (8a, 8b), a switching device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6 is arranged. 10. Rail vehicle (19) according to claim 9, characterized in that all power converters (15) of the Traction drives are arranged in a housing (18). 38/39 MOST RECENT CLAIMS 11. Rail vehicle (19) according to claim 9, characterized in that the traction drives with their power converters (15) are partially or entirely in the vicinity of the drive axles of the rail vehicle (19) are arranged. 12. Rail vehicle (19) according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the traction drives with their power converters (15) are provided to be able to use a direct current line (24) arranged in the rail vehicle (19) to be provided for. 39/39 MOST RECENT CLAIMS