RAIL VEHICLE COMPRISING A POWERPACK WITH A FUEL CELL AND A FUEL TANK

Abstract

The invention relates to a rail vehicle (1) comprising a first passenger car and a powerpack (2) having a longitudinal axis, the powerpack (2) and the passenger car being coupled together. The powerpack (2) comprises at least one fuel cell (20) and at least one fuel tank (21) having a fuel tank valve (33). The powerpack (2) is mounted on at least one bogie. The rail vehicle (1) comprises at least one driven bogie which can be supplied with electrical energy from the fuel cell (20).

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A rail vehicle comprising a first passenger car and a powerpack having a longitudinal axis, the powerpack and the passenger car being coupled together, the powerpack comprising at least one fuel cell and at least one fuel tank having a fuel tank valve, the powerpack being mounted on at least one bogie and the rail vehicle comprising at least one driven bogie which can be supplied with electrical energy from the at least one fuel cell.

17. The rail vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the powerpack has at least one machine compartment for the fuel cell and at least one tank compartment for the fuel tank.

18. The rail vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the powerpack comprises a first power supply system comprising at least one fuel cell and one fuel tank and a second power supply system comprising at least one fuel cell and one fuel tank.

19. The rail vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the powerpack has an aisle which is accessible to passengers.

20. The rail vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the aisle is a central aisle and wherein a machine compartment and a tank compartment are arranged on each side of the aisle and thus one power supply system is formed on each rail vehicle side.

21. The rail vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the rail vehicle has a refuelling device which is connected to the fuel tank and has a right refuelling nozzle which is accessible from the right side of the longitudinal axis of the powerpack and has a left refuelling nozzle which is accessible from the left side of the longitudinal axis of the powerpack.

22. The rail vehicle according to claim 21, wherein one refuelling device is formed for each power supply system.

23. The rail vehicle according to claim 18, wherein the first power supply system comprises a first controller and the second power supply system comprises a second controller.

24. The rail vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the fuel tank, is designed to be displaceable in the event of an overload.

25. The rail vehicle according to claim 16, wherein at least two fuel tanks are mounted on a storage module, the storage module enabling simultaneous installation and removal, and the storage module being mounted in the powerpack such that it can be displaced.

26. The rail vehicle according to claim 24, wherein the storage module can be displaced for installation and removal and wherein the storage module can be fastened detachably in an installation position in the powerpack.

27. The rail vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the rail vehicle comprises a second passenger car that is coupled to the powerpack.

28. The rail vehicle according to claim 27, wherein the first and the second passenger car are each connected to the powerpack via Jacob's bogies.

29. The rail vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the at least one fuel cell is mounted on an extendable platform in a holding device.

30. The rail vehicle according to claim 29, wherein the holding device is mounted on dampers.

31. The rail vehicle according to claim 16, wherein each fuel tank is mounted by a fixed bearing and a floating bearing.

32. The rail vehicle according to claim 16, wherein reinforcing elements are arranged on an outer side of the machine compartment and/or the tank compartment and connect an upper part of the car body and a lower part of the car body.

33. The rail vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the powerpack comprises acceleration sensors and a valve control system, the valve control system being configured such that all fuel tank valves of the power supply system can be closed if the permissible acceleration is exceeded.

34. The rail vehicle according to claim 18, wherein the power pack comprises acceleration sensors and a valve control system for each power supply system.

35. The rail vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the tank compartment has ventilation openings.

Description

[0102] The invention is explained in more detail in the following figures. It shows:

[0103] FIG. 1: A view of a car body of a powerpack,

[0104] FIG. 2: a view of the car body of a powerpack with fuel cells and ventilation grids,

[0105] FIG. 3: a rail vehicle with a powerpack and two end cars,

[0106] FIG. 4: an arrangement of fuel tanks on a fuel tank frame,

[0107] FIG. 5: a top view of an arrangement of fuel tanks,

[0108] FIG. 6: a view of a storage module,

[0109] FIG. 7: a view of a storage module with a section of a fuel tank,

[0110] FIG. 8: a schematic view of a cooling system of the fuel cells.

[0111] FIG. 1 shows a view of a car body 19 of a powerpack (not shown). The car body 19 has a number of reinforcing elements 12. In addition, the car body 19 has passenger compartment walls 15. Maintenance hatches 17 are formed in the passenger compartment walls 15. Furthermore, the car body 19 has body pillars 13. The car body 19 has guides 18 for the storage modules (not shown).

[0112] The reinforcing elements 12 have a longitudinal axis which is substantially vertical. The body pillars 13 have a longitudinal axis which is substantially vertical. Thus, the reinforcing elements 12 and the carriage body pillars 13 are substantially vertically oriented. The service hatches 17 in the passenger compartment wall 15 allow access to the machine compartments 5 from the central aisle. The reinforcing elements 12 protect the interior of the powerpack 2 from external mechanical impacts. In the event of a crash, the reinforcing elements 12 partially distribute the occurring energy to several storage modules (not shown). In addition, the occurring energy is partially introduced into the car body 19 by the reinforcing elements 12. The reinforcing elements 12 can be made of S355 steel profiles. The beam sections may have the same depth as the vehicle body structure. In the lower part of the car body 19, the reinforcing elements 12 have their lower end firmly connected to the lower part 60 of the car body 19. The reinforcing elements 12 are supported in the upper part 61 of the car body 19 with their upper end by a floating bearing. Floating bearing means that the reinforcing elements 12 are supported by the floating bearing in a displaceable manner in the direction of travel of the powerpack 2 and are supported in a non-displaceable manner in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of the powerpack 2. The reinforcing elements 12 can be at a maximum distance of 1 m apart.

[0113] FIG. 2 shows a view of a car body 19 of a power pack (not shown) with fuel cells 20 and air inlets 27. Air inlets 27 are formed on the roof of the car body. A fan and heat exchanger 30 for LT cooling is also formed on the underbody of the car body 19. The car body 19 has extendable platforms 23. The extendable platforms 23 are slidably arranged in the mounting devices 25. A transducer 28 is also formed on the underbody of the car body 19. The powerpack 2 has a pressure control unit 31. The reinforcing elements 12 protect the interior of the powerpack 2 from external mechanical impact. In the event of a crash, the reinforcing elements 12 distribute some of the energy to several storage modules (not shown). In addition, the occurring energy is partially transmitted through the reinforcing elements 12 into the car body 19. The reinforcing elements 12 can be made of S355 steel profiles. The beam sections can have the same depth as the car body structure. In the lower part of the car body 19, the reinforcing elements 12 have their lower end firmly connected to the lower part 60 of the car body 19. The reinforcing elements 12 are supported in the upper part 61 of the car body 19 with their upper end by a floating bearing. The car body 19 has fuel tanks 21. The fuel tanks 21 have longitudinal axes which are oriented substantially vertically. The fuel cells 20 are arranged on extendable platforms 23 of the powerpack 2. The extendable platforms 23 are arranged in a mounting device 25. Thus, the fuel cells 20 are extendable from the car body 19 on the extendable platforms 23, which are arranged on the holding device 25. On the extendable platform 23, auxiliary operations 24 for the fuel cells 20 are arranged for each fuel cell 20.

[0114] In the extended state of the platforms 23, the fuel cell 20 can advantageously be serviced or replaced. There are four fuel cells 20 arranged one above the other on extendable platforms 23 of the powerpack (not shown). Auxiliary equipment 24 is arranged between the fuel cells 20 and the outer wall of the car body 19.

[0115] FIG. 3 shows a rail vehicle 1 with a powerpack 2 and two end cars 3. The end cars 3 each have a motor bogie 11 which is driven. The motor bogies 11 are conventional bogies. The powerpack 2 is connected to each of the end cars 3 by a Jakobs bogie. The powerpack 2 is located between the two end cars 3. The end cars 3 each have power converters 10 for traction. Furthermore, the end cars 3 each have a passenger compartment with provisions for passengers to stay, for example seats. The powerpack 2 does not have a space for the permanent residence of passengers. However, the powerpack 2 has a central aisle 8. On each side of the central aisle 8 of the powerpack 2, there are respectively a tank compartment 4 for the fuel tanks 21 and a machine compartment 5 for the fuel cells 20. Thus, the tank compartments 4 for the fuel tanks 21 and the machine compartments 5 for the fuel cells 20 are arranged essentially point-symmetrically. Each tank compartment 4 for the fuel tanks 21 has three storage modules 6. A storage module 6 comprises seven fuel tanks 21.

[0116] FIG. 4 shows an arrangement of fuel tanks 21 on a fuel tank frame 32. The fuel tank frame 32 has an overload mechanism 37. The fuel tanks 21 are spaced apart from each other so that they can expand when heated or refuelled. The longitudinal axis of the fuel tanks 21 is substantially vertical. Thus, the longitudinal axes of the fuel tanks 21 are arranged substantially parallel. The fuel tanks 21 are slidably formed in the fuel tank frame 32 in the event of an overload. An overload refers to mechanical loads that are significantly higher than the usual mechanical loads during normal operation. In the event of a crash, at least part of the occurring energy is thus absorbed by displacement of the fuel tanks 21 or by deformation of the fuel tank framework 32. As a result of the displaceability of the fuel tanks 21 and the displaceability of the fuel tank frame 32, the fuel tanks 21 only have to absorb a fraction of the energy that they would have to absorb without displaceability. Thus, the forces exerted on the fuel tanks' 21 in the event of a crash are minimized. This ensures that the fuel tanks 21 only have to absorb a minimum of crash energy. It is therefore extremely unlikely that the fuel tanks 21 will be deformed or burst by external mechanical action.

[0117] FIG. 5 shows a top view of an arrangement of fuel tanks 21. The fuel tanks 21 are arranged in a fuel tank frame 32. The longitudinal axis of the fuel tanks 21 is substantially vertical. The storage module 6 has seven fuel tanks 21. The storage module 6 is shown complete with seven fuel tanks 21. To the right and left of the completely shown storage module 6, respectively, further storage modules 6 are arranged, which, however, are only partially shown. By arranging fuel tanks 21 in a storage module 6, it is possible to equip the rail vehicle (not shown) with storage modules 6 as required. By combining fuel tanks 21 into a storage module 6, several fuel tanks 21 can be installed or removed simultaneously. This makes installation or removal simple and efficient. The storage module 6 has an odd number of fuel tanks 21. This allows the essentially cylindrical fuel tanks 21 of the storage module 6 to be arranged alternately, thus saving space.

[0118] FIG. 6 shows a view of a storage module 6. Seven fuel tanks 21 are formed in the storage module 6. The seven fuel tanks 21 are arranged on a fuel tank frame 32. The fuel tanks 21 each have fuel tank valves 33 arranged on the top of the fuel tanks 21. The fuel tank valves 33 are each protected by safety devices 35. The longitudinal axis of the fuel tanks 21 is substantially vertical. The longitudinal axes of the fuel tanks 21 are oriented substantially parallel. The storage module 6 has an odd number of fuel tanks 21. This allows the substantially cylindrical fuel tanks 21 of the storage module 6 to be arranged alternately, thus saving space.

[0119] It is possible to vary the available space for fuel tanks 21 as required. Preferably, the length of the powerpack 2 can be varied in steps corresponding to the length of a storage module 6. Thus, it may be possible to add only complete memory modules 6 to a powerpack 2 at a time. There can thus be powerpack lengths for, for example, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven or eight or more storage modules 6. The power pack lengths can thus be adapted to a whole number of storage modules 6.

[0120] FIG. 7 shows a view of a storage module 6 with a section of a fuel tank 21. Seven fuel tanks 21 are formed in the storage module 6. The seven fuel tanks 21 are arranged on a fuel tank frame 32. The fuel tanks 21 each have fuel tank valves 33 arranged on the top of the fuel tanks 21. The fuel tank valves 33 are each protected by safety devices 35. The longitudinal axis of the fuel tanks 21 is substantially vertical. The longitudinal axes of the fuel tanks 21 are substantially parallel. The storage module 6 has an odd number of fuel tanks 21. The substantially cylindrical fuel tanks 21 of the storage module 6 are arranged in an alternating and thus space-saving manner.

[0121] Such an arrangement of fuel tanks 21 in a storage module 6 makes it possible to vary the available space for fuel tanks 21 as required. The length of the powerpack 2 can be varied in steps corresponding to the length of a storage module 6. Thus, it may be possible to add only complete storage modules 6 to a powerpack 2 at a time. There may thus be powerpack lengths for, for example, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven or eight or more storage modules 6. The power pack lengths can thus be adapted to a whole number of storage modules 6.

[0122] FIG. 8 shows a schematic diagram of a cooling system of the fuel cells 20. An LT cooling circuit 27 is associated with four fuel cells 20. The LT cooling circuit 27 is connected to each of the fuel cells 20 via a forward flow 30 and a return flow 31. The LT cooling circuit 27 also cools a DC/DC-converter 26. The LT cooling circuit 27 is also connected to the DC/DC-converter 26 by a forward flow 30 and a return flow 31. The LT cooling circuit 27 is cooled by means of two fans 29. An HT cooling circuit 28 is associated with each fuel cell 20. Four HT cooling circuits 28 are thus assigned to the four fuel cells 20. A fuel cell 20 and an HT cooling circuit 28 are each connected by means of a forward flow 30 and a return flow 31. Two fans 29 are assigned to each HT cooling circuit 28. The fans 29 remove heat from the HT cooling circuits. A total of ten fans 29 are assigned to the four HT cooling circuits 28 and the LT cooling circuit 27.