A system for monitoring a useful life of an insulation component of a braking resistor includes a sensor that can be embedded below an outer surface of the insulation component to measure a temperature of the insulation component; and a controller connected to receive a signal from the sensor indicative of the measured temperature of the insulation component, and programmed to compare the measured temperature of the insulation component to a predetermined threshold activation temperature for the insulation component, decrement from a predetermined useful life value for the insulation component a life depreciation value assigned to the measured temperature to determine a remaining life value of the insulation component if the measured temperature of the insulation component is greater than the threshold activation temperature, compare the remaining life value to an end-of-life value for the insulation component, and generate a warning signal if the remaining life value is at or below the end-of-life value.

A system for monitoring a useful life of an insulation component of a braking resistor includes a sensor that can be embedded below an outer surface of the insulation component to measure a temperature of the insulation component; and a controller connected to receive a signal from the sensor indicative of the measured temperature of the insulation component, and programmed to compare the measured temperature of the insulation component to a predetermined threshold activation temperature for the insulation component, decrement from a predetermined useful life value for the insulation component a life depreciation value assigned to the measured temperature to determine a remaining life value of the insulation component if the measured temperature of the insulation component is greater than the threshold activation temperature, compare the remaining life value to an end-of-life value for the insulation component, and generate a warning signal if the remaining life value is at or below the end-of-life value.

A vehicle, such as a rail vehicle, has an electrodynamic braking apparatus with at least one brake resistor. The at least one brake resistor forms a portion of the vehicle body shell that is permanently closed and over which air flows on the exterior, in particular, during travel of the vehicle. In the alternative, the brake resistor is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the permanently closed portion. The brake resistor conducts away heat outwardly to the environment via the permanently closed portion. There is also described a brake resistor for a vehicle, in particular for a rail vehicle, which is configured accordingly.

A vehicle, such as a rail vehicle, has an electrodynamic braking apparatus with at least one brake resistor. The at least one brake resistor forms a portion of the vehicle body shell that is permanently closed and over which air flows on the exterior, in particular, during travel of the vehicle. In the alternative, the brake resistor is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the permanently closed portion. The brake resistor conducts away heat outwardly to the environment via the permanently closed portion. There is also described a brake resistor for a vehicle, in particular for a rail vehicle, which is configured accordingly.

An apparatus for dissipating braking energy generated by the operation of a vehicle brake. The apparatus includes a heating element configured to receive electric current generated by operation of the vehicle brake, the heating element arranged in a chamber for containing liquid. The apparatus is configured such that liquid contained in the chamber is heated in response to operation of the vehicle brake.

An apparatus for dissipating braking energy generated by the operation of a vehicle brake. The apparatus includes a heating element configured to receive electric current generated by operation of the vehicle brake, the heating element arranged in a chamber for containing liquid. The apparatus is configured such that liquid contained in the chamber is heated in response to operation of the vehicle brake.

A braking resistance device for a vehicle has a plurality of braking resistance elements each having a tubular heat-conducting casing. A heat-conducting and electrically insulating material is disposed in the casing. An electrical conductor is embedded in the insulating material over a majority of the longitudinal extent of the casing. Furthermore, the braking resistance device has a stacking arrangement which is designed to be passively cooled. The stacking arrangement has a plurality of layers which are arranged one above the other in a stacking direction and each including the braking resistance elements of the plurality of braking resistance elements which are arranged substantially parallel to one another.

A braking resistance device for a vehicle has a plurality of braking resistance elements each having a tubular heat-conducting casing. A heat-conducting and electrically insulating material is disposed in the casing. An electrical conductor is embedded in the insulating material over a majority of the longitudinal extent of the casing. Furthermore, the braking resistance device has a stacking arrangement which is designed to be passively cooled. The stacking arrangement has a plurality of layers which are arranged one above the other in a stacking direction and each including the braking resistance elements of the plurality of braking resistance elements which are arranged substantially parallel to one another.

An electric regenerative braking system is provided for capturing kinetic energy as electrical potential energy during vehicle braking (also referred to as a braking event). The electric regenerative braking system captures the kinetic energy from a shaft of the vehicle using an electric motor to generate electrical potential energy from the kinetic energy. The generated electrical potential energy is supplied to an energy accumulator that increases in electrical resistance as more electrical potential energy is stored. The electrical potential energy stored in the energy accumulator is used to charge a battery. The electric regenerative braking system uses a controller having a variable resistor to control a braking torque of the electric motor. That is, the controller modulates a resistance of the variable resistor based on the resistance of the energy accumulator, such that the resistance of the variable resistor is reduced as the resistance of the energy accumulator increases.

In a converter system having an AC/DC converter, and a method for operating a converter system, in which the terminal of the AC/DC converter on the direct-voltage side feeds a series circuit, which has a braking resistor and a controllable switch, the terminal of a DC/AC converter, in particular an inverter, on the direct-voltage side being connected in parallel to the series circuit. The output signal of a voltage-acquisition device is supplied to an evaluation unit, which generates a control signal for the controllable switch. The evaluation unit includes a device for determining the electric power supplied to the braking resistor, in particular from the intermediate circuit, which is determined by the device from the output signal of the voltage-acquisition device, in particular. The output signal of the device is supplied to a controller, in particular a linear controller, and the controller controls its set value toward the output signal of the device. The controller in particular has a linear controller element, in particular a PI controller element or integration element, whose set value, i.e. whose output signal, is forwarded to a difference generator for determining the difference between the set value and the value of the electric power, the set value being supplied, directly or via a limiter, to a parameterizable filter, whose output signal is supplied to a switching element, which in particular generates an output signal for opening or closing the controllable switch as a function of the exceeding or undershooting of a threshold value.