General Electric Company

Myron L Smith

Gregory Alan Marsh

Bret Dwayne Worden

Ronald B Bailey

Charles Earl Cooper

Herbert J Brown

Ariel Friedlander

Edgar T Balch

Joseph A Laukaitis

Roger D Huczko

James Arnold Hill

Ajith Kuttannair Kumar

William David Smith, Ii

Steven Hector Azzaro

Jason A Dean

William Roy Schneider

Mahesh Amritlal Morjaria

Stephen Matthew Pelkowski

Jan Alan Nagle

Dale C Walker

Laurence D Vanek

Edward J Orschek

Richard L Evans

Harold S Hostettler, Jr

David J Konko

Ojekunle Aboyade

James Weston Nash

James Arthur Bush

A method and system for identifying or determining degradation in performance of an engine cooling subsystem having an electric motor for powering a fan in a locomotive is provided. The method allows for monitoring a signal indicative of an electrical imbalance in one or more phases in the fan motor of the cooling subsystem, and for adjusting the value of the monitored signal for deviations from an estimated nominal phase signal value due to predetermined external variables so as to generate an adjusted phase signal value. The method further allows for comparing the value of the adjusted phase signal value against the nominal phase signal value to determine the performance of the cooling subsystem.

Method and system for identifying performance degradation of a cooling subsystem in a locomotive

An apparatus for determining the direction of locomotive travel while in dynamic braking is disclosed. This direction of travel is derived from current sensors associated with the locomotive traction motors. When in the dynamic braking mode, current flows through the current sensors in a first direction when a train is traveling in the first direction and reverses the direction of flow when the train is traveling in a second direction.

Apparatus and method for determining direction of locomotive travel during dynamic braking

A shoot-through protection system for an electric power generating system including a synchronous generator, a bridge rectifier coupled to an output of the generator for converting alternating current (AC) from the generator to direct current (DC) at a rectifier output, and at least one inverter coupled to the rectifier output for converting the DC output to a controlled frequency AC output for application to a load. The generator has a separately excited field winding in which the magnitude of field excitation controls the voltage output of the generator. A microprocessor-based controller regulates generator field excitation in a manner to control the DC output of the rectifier. The generator is protected from a shoot-through in the inverter by detecting a sustained voltage drop in the rectifier DC output and reversing generator field excitation in response to such a voltage drop to rapidly drive generator output voltage to substantially zero volts.

Method and apparatus for shoot-through detection and accommodation in an

A self-test system for a shorted diode protection circuit in an electric vehicle propulsion system includes a series of relays for selectively coupling a battery in circuit with a field winding of a generator, the shorted diode protection circuit being coupled in voltage sensing arrangement with the field winding. The relays are operated to induce current in forward and reverse directions through the winding in separate test stages. At each stage the winding is disconnected from the battery so that inductive reactance creates a voltage on the winding to actuate the protection circuit. A system controller records whether the protection circuit is responsive and therefore operable and alerts a vehicle operator.

Self-test circuit for a shorted diode protection panel in a diesel

The present invention discloses a system and method for isolating failures in a locomotive. In the present invention, the cause of failures occurring in the locomotive sub-systems are determined quickly and efficiently, while minimizing the need for human interaction. However, the present invention can incorporate information provided by an operator to produce a more refined diagnosis. In the present invention, incidents are recorded in an incident log and mapped to indicators, which are sent to a fault isolator for diagnosis. The fault isolator uses a diagnostic knowledge base having diagnostic information between failures occurring in locomotive and observable symptoms happening therein. A diagnostic engine then processes the mapped indicators with the diagnostic information in the diagnostic knowledge base and produces a list of the most likely causes for any failures. The present invention then provides a course of action to correct the failures. The present invention can also be used to automatically isolate and diagnose failures occurring in process having a plurality of equipment.

System and method for isolating failures in a locomotive

A radiator assembly for a locomotive is provided. The locomotive has an engine for driving the locomotive and a cooling water system for circulating cooling water through the engine to operatively control the temperature of the engine, the assembly including a radiator in fluid communication with the cooling system and a fan which selectively draws air through the radiator and into the inlet of the fan. The radiator assembly also includes a shutter for selectively controlling the drawn air flow through the radiator and a control system operatively attached to the shutter for actuating the shutter to control the drawn air flow in dependence on a determined control temperature. The control assembly is also operatively attached to the fan to select and set the speed of the fan in dependence on the determined control temperature.

Shuttered radiator system with control

A method for determining gross engine horsepower of an internal combustion engine coupled in driving relationship to an alternating current electric alternator, the alternator supplying electric power to variable loads, comprises measuring the field current and average per phase armature current supplied by the alternator; computing the magnitude of electric power supplied by the alternator from the measured values of field current and armature phase current; determining the engine efficiency at the computed magnitude of electric power; and converting the computed electric power to engine horsepower at the determined efficiency.

Method to compute horsepower required by an internal combustion engine

A temperature regulating system for a turbo charged engine and the compressed charging air from the turbo charger is disclosed. The heat regulating system employs coolant fluid which flows through the engine to transfer heat from the engine. Depending on the operating conditions of the engine the heated coolant from the engine is distributed among one or more of a plurality of flow paths. In one of the flow paths the coolant flows through a primary radiator where the coolant is cooled. A fan forces air into contact with the radiator to transfer heat from the radiator. A portion of the coolant exiting the radiator flows through a subcooler where the coolant is further cooled. The coolant from the subcooler may be directed to the charged air cooler for cooling the compressed air before flowing back to the engine. In a second flow path, coolant which has not flowed through the radiator, flows through the charged air cooler to heat the compressed air. A controller responds to input from at least one sensing device and actuates a valving arrangement to distribute the coolant from the engine among the flow paths.

Split temperature regulating system and method for turbo charged

A locomotive traction motor control system includes a traction motor suspended by traction motor suspension bearings, such as roller bearings in a bearing assembly, and traction motor suspension bearing temperature sensors, such as thermistors, for sensing a temperature of the traction motor suspension bearings. A controller, such a microprocessor based controller, receives a hot bearing indication from a hot bearing detection unit (HBDU) connected to the suspension bearing temperature sensors. The controller generates a warning indication based on the temperature sensed by the suspension bearing temperature sensors when the HBDU detects an improper bearing temperature. The control system also facilitates detection and warning of an improper stretch braking condition and subsequently limits current to the traction motors in response to detecting the improper stretch braking condition.

Locomotive traction motor control system

A method for limiting smoke and fire upon loading a diesel engine having a power piston with a variable piston gap for controlling fueling of the engine, includes sensing the piston gap value on a cyclical basis, computing the piston gap velocity, comparing the computed piston gap velocity with a preset piston gap velocity range, and adjusting engine horsepower output upon the computation of an abnormal piston gap velocity reading. Thus, engine overfueling during loading is prevented.

Method to limit smoke and fire when loading a diesel engine

Flashover protection is provided for a locomotive propulsion system including a plurality of d-c traction motors each having a commutator subject to flashovers, a traction alternator having armature and field windings and a rotor driven by a prime mover, a controllable source of excitation current connected to the alternator field, and means including an electric power rectifier for connecting the alternator to the motor commutators. It comprises means for producing a fault signal whenever a flashover occurs in any motor, a solid-state controllable electric valve connected between the excitation current source and the alternator field and having alternative conducting and non-conducting states, and means for changing the valve from conducting to non-conducting states in response to a fault signal being produced, whereupon the magnitude of excitation current in the alternator field is rapidly reduced toward zero and the alternator's output current is correspondingly decreased whenever a flashover occurs.

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Fairview, PA, United States of America

Myron L Smith