SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING A COOLING UNIT OF A TRANSFORMER

Abstract

A system for controlling a cooling unit of a transformer, more particularly a traction transformer of a rail vehicle, improves the efficiency and lifespan of the transformer having the cooling unit. The system includes a transformer, a cooling unit configured to cool the transformer, and a control unit configured to control the cooling unit for cooling the transformer. The control unit is configured to control the cooling unit using measurement data representing at least one condition of the system and/or using environmental data in anticipation of a change in the temperature of the transformer based on the utilization of the transformer and/or environmental influences. This prevents the transformer from overheating, thereby increasing the efficiency and lifespan of the transformer. A corresponding method for controlling a system is also provided.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A system, comprising: a transformer or a traction transformer of a rail vehicle; a cooling unit configured to cool said transformer; and a control unit configured to regulate said cooling unit for cooling said transformer; said control unit regulating said cooling unit by using measurement data representing at least one of at least one condition of the system or environmental data in anticipation of a changing temperature of the transformer based on at least one of utilization of said transformer or environmental influences.

12. The system according to claim 11, which further comprises at least one sensor connected to said control unit, said at least one sensor including at least one of: a temperature sensor disposed on said transformer, a temperature sensor disposed in a coolant line between said transformer and said cooling unit, or a mass flow sensor disposed in a coolant line between said transformer and said cooling unit.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the measurement data includes at least one of: a temperature of said transformer, a temperature of a coolant provided by said cooling unit, a mass flow of a coolant provided by said cooling unit, a power of a pump motor in a cooling circuit of said cooling unit, or a power of at least one fan of said cooling unit.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the environmental data include at least one of: topographical information regarding a route or a route of a rail vehicle having said transformer, a load profile of a route, a course of a route, local weather data, location data of said transformer, or information from other transformers or from other rail vehicles and environmental data of the other transformers or other rail vehicles.

15. The system according to claim 11, which further comprises: a database or a cloud database; and a data connection between said control unit and said database; said data connection configured to at least one of: send the measurement data representing the at least one condition to said database, or send the environmental data stored in said database to said control unit.

16. The system according to claim 11, which further comprises prediction algorithm software, said prediction algorithm software configured to determine, by utilizing a mathematical model using the measurement data representing at least one of the at least one condition or the environmental data, that a changing temperature of said transformer, based on at least one of a predicted utilization of said transformer or predicted environmental influences, is to be expected at a subsequent point in time.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said prediction algorithm software is run in a cloud database and is connected to said control unit by a data connection.

18. A method for controlling a system, the method comprising: providing a transformer; using a cooling unit to cool the transformer; providing a control unit for regulating the cooling unit for cooling the transformer; and using the control unit to regulate the cooling unit in anticipation of a changing temperature of the transformer based on at least one of a utilization of the transformer or environmental influences.

19. The method according to claim 18, which further comprises: using prediction algorithm software to calculate, by utilizing a mathematical model using measurement data representing at least one of at least one condition of the system or environmental data, that a changed temperature of the transformer based on at least one of a predicted utilization of the transformer or predicted environmental influences is to be expected at a subsequent point in time; and using the prediction algorithm software to send instructions for regulating the cooling unit to the control unit based on the calculated expectation.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the system or the prediction algorithm software uses at least one of: at least one measurement data for calculating an expectation of a changing temperature of the transformer selected from a group including: a temperature of the transformer, a temperature of a coolant provided by the cooling unit, a mass flow of a coolant provided by the cooling unit, a power of a pump motor in a cooling circuit of the cooling unit, a power of at least one fan of the cooling unit, or at least one environmental data selected from a group including: topographical information regarding a route or a route of a rail vehicle having the transformer, a load profile of a route, local weather data, location data of the transformer, or journey time according to a timetable.

Description

[0073] The characteristics, features and advantages of this invention as well as the manner in which they are achieved become clearer and more comprehensible in the context of the following description of the exemplary embodiments, which are explained in greater detail in the context of the drawings. In the drawings:

[0074] FIG. 1 shows a schematic design of an exemplary embodiment of a system according to the invention,

[0075] FIG. 2 shows a comparison of exemplary temperature curves of a transformer of a system of the prior art compared to a transformer of a system according to the invention, and

[0076] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a method according to the invention in a flowchart.

[0077] FIG. 1 shows a system 1 according to the invention, comprising a transformer 2, a cooling unit 3 and a control unit 4. The cooling unit 3 is set up to cool the transformer 2 and is connected to the transformer 2 via coolant lines 5 for this purpose. The cooling unit 3 can comprise one or a plurality of further elements which are not represented for the sake of clarity, such as a fan and/or a pump and/or a motor, for example.

[0078] The control unit 4 is set up to regulate the cooling unit 3 for cooling the transformer 2. In particular, the control unit 4 is set up to regulate the cooling unit 3 based on measurement data of the condition of the system 1 and/or on environmental data in anticipation of a changing temperature of the transformer 2 based on the utilization of the transformer 2 and/or based on environmental influences. For this purpose, the system comprises sensors 6A, 6B, 6C which are connected to the control unit 4, in order to supply the control unit 4 with measurement data on the condition of the system 1. The measurement data of the sensors 6A, 6B, 6C can transmit the measurement data to the control unit 4 in a wired or wireless manner (for example via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, WLAN or mobile networks). The indicated cable connections between the sensors 6A, 6B, 6C and the control unit 4 are therefore merely to be understood as exemplary.

[0079] In this exemplary embodiment, a first sensor 6A is arranged on the transformer 2. This sensor 6A can be a temperature sensor, for example, which supplies the control unit 4 with temperature data of the transformer 2. However, the system 1 can also comprise a plurality of sensors 6A on the transformer 2, for example further temperature sensors and/or current or voltage measuring devices for determining the outputted power on the consumer side of the transformer 2.

[0080] In this embodiment, a second sensor 6B is arranged on the cooling unit 3. This sensor 6B can measure a pump power of a pump of the cooling unit 3 or a power of a fan of the cooling unit 3 and send it to the control unit 4, for example.

[0081] A third sensor 6C is arranged in or on one of the coolant lines 5. This sensor 6C can be a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the coolant and/or a flow sensor for measuring the mass flow of the coolant provided by the cooling unit 3, for example.

[0082] Alternatively or additionally, a flow regulator can also be arranged at the position of the sensor 6C, which flow regulator regulates the flow of coolant to or from the transformer 2. The flow regulator can preferably be regulated by the control unit 4.

[0083] In this example, the system 1 also comprises two databases 7A, 7B. The first database 7A is a cloud database which is connected to the control unit 4 via a data connection. The database 7B is a local database, i.e. a hard drive and/or a main memory of the control unit 4, for example. The system 1 can be set up in such a way that the measurement data of the condition of the transformer 2 are sent to one or both databases 7A, 7B via the data connection. The system 1 can also be set up in such a way that environmental data can be stored in one or both databases 7A, 7B, and the control unit 4 can retrieve the environmental data via a data connection.

[0084] The system 1 preferably comprises prediction algorithm software which is set up to determine, by means of a mathematical model based on measurement data of the condition of the transformer 2 and/or on environmental data, that a changing temperature of the transformer 2 based on a predicted utilization of the transformer 2 and/or based on predicted environmental influences is to be expected at a subsequent point in time.

[0085] The prediction algorithm software can be run in the cloud database 7A and connected to the control unit 4 via a data connection. However, parts of or the entire prediction algorithm software can also be run in a local database 7B.

[0086] However, depending on the required computing power of the prediction algorithm software, it may be useful not to run the more complex calculations locally, in order to limit the computer hardware which is required in the control unit 4. In particular, if the prediction algorithm software is adaptive and is connected to a plurality of systems and transformers, it is preferable if the prediction algorithm software is run in the cloud database 7A and can access historical data sets from different systems according to the invention there, for example.

[0087] In the present embodiment, the transformer 2 is a traction transformer of a rail vehicle 8 in which the cooling unit 3 and the control unit 4 are also arranged. However, the system 1 can also, in principle, be used for other transformers with a fluctuating load.

[0088] Environmental data are topographical information regarding a route, in particular of the rail vehicle 8 comprising the transformer 2, a load profile of the route, local weather data or location data of the transformer 2, for example. The system 1 can comprise a GPS unit for this purpose, for example, in order to determine the location of the transformer 2 in real time.

[0089] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary curve of the temperature T of a transformer of the prior art in the top part of the figure and an exemplary curve of the temperature T of a transformer 2 in a system 1 of the present invention in the bottom part of the figure.

[0090] T0 specifies a normal operating temperature of the transformer 2, at which the transformer is not or only slightly loaded, for example. TC specifies a critical temperature of the transformer 2, above which the efficiency of the transformer decreases rapidly and the lifespan of the transformer 2 is reduced. It is desirable to avoid exceeding the temperature TC as far as possible.

[0091] At the point in time t2, a heavy load of the transformer begins in both parts of the figure, for example in a rail vehicle, as a result of a strong acceleration. In a transformer of the prior art, the cooling unit is only activated when the heavy load occurs. However, it takes a certain amount of time until the full cooling action of the cooling unit is achieved, and the transformer therefore temporarily exceeds the critical temperature TC until the cooling unit can cool down the transformer to an acceptable temperature below the critical temperature TC. Exceeding the critical temperature TC causes heat losses of the transformer to increase significantly and the lifespan to be reduced.

[0092] In the case of the system 1 according to the invention, at the point in time t1, before the beginning of the heavy load of the transformer 2 at the point in time t2, the cooling unit 3 is already activated by the control unit 4 in anticipation of the subsequent heavy load. In the case of a rail vehicle 8, the control unit 4 can “know” that a route segment with a high speed is imminent, for example, therefore a heavy load of the transformer 2 is to be expected, and can turn up the cooling unit 3 ahead of time. This can prevent the critical temperature TC from being exceeded in many or even all cases and the efficiency and lifespan of the transformer 2 can be increased.

[0093] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a method according to the invention in a flowchart. In one step 100, the future regulation of the cooling unit 3 of the transformer 2 is calculated by the control unit 4 and/or prediction algorithm software. In one step 110, measurement data are accessed for this purpose. Alternatively or additionally, in one step 120, environmental data on the external conditions of the transformer 2 are accessed. In one step 130, the change in temperature of the transformer 2 based on the utilization of the transformer 2 and/or based on environmental influences is calculated by means of the measurement data and/or the environmental data. In one step 140, the cooling unit 3 is then turned up by the control unit 4 before an increase in the load of the transformer 2 occurs and/or turned down before a reduction in the load of the transformer 2 occurs. This method makes it possible to prevent most, if not all, cases of exceeding a safe operating temperature of the transformer 2 and to thus to increase the efficiency and lifespan of the transformer 2. A “schedule” can also be created for the cooling unit 3 depending on the time, track position, etc. The “schedule” can also be revised on a regular basis, in order to be able to react to unexpected changes in the measurement data or the environmental data, for example in the weather or as a result of delays during driving operation.

[0094] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in greater detail by preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples and other variations can be derived from this by the person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0095] 1 system [0096] 2 transformer [0097] 3 cooling unit [0098] 4 control unit [0099] 5 coolant line [0100] 6A sensor [0101] 6B sensor [0102] 6C sensor [0103] 7A database (cloud database) [0104] 7B database (local database) [0105] 8 rail vehicle [0106] 100 step [0107] 110 step [0108] 120 step [0109] 130 step [0110] 140 step [0111] T temperature [0112] T0 normal operating temperature [0113] TC critical temperature [0114] T0 normal operating temperature [0115] t time [0116] t1, t2 point in time