BRAKING ARRANGEMENT, VEHICLE COMPRISING SUCH A BRAKING ARRANGEMENT, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE BRAKING ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

The present invention relates to a braking arrangement for a vehicle, the braking arrangement comprising an electric machine electrically connectable to an electric power source, a brake compressor positioned in an air flow conduit, the brake compressor being configured to pressurize a flow of air and to exhaust the pressurized flow of air, and a compressor shaft mechanically connecting the electric machine and the brake compressor to each other, wherein the electric machine is configured to generate a torque on the compressor shaft for operating the brake compressor to pressurize the flow of air, the braking arrangement further comprising an air bearing arrangement, the air bearing arrangement being fluidly connectable to a pressurized brake air tank of the vehicle via an air bearing conduit, wherein the air bearing arrangement is suspending the compressor shaft to at least one of the electric machine and the brake compressor.

Claims

1. A braking arrangement for a vehicle comprising: an electric machine electrically connectable to an electric power source, a brake compressor positioned in an air flow conduit, the brake compressor being configured to pressurize a flow of air and to exhaust the pressurized flow of air, and a compressor shaft mechanically connecting the electric machine and the brake compressor to each other, wherein the electric machine is configured to generate a torque on the compressor shaft for operating the brake compressor to pressurize the flow of air, the braking arrangement further comprising: an air bearing arrangement, the air bearing arrangement being fluidly connectable to a pressurized brake air tank of the vehicle via an air bearing conduit, wherein the air bearing arrangement is suspending the compressor shaft to at least one of the electric machine and the brake compressor.

2. The braking arrangement of claim 1, further comprising an air bearing valve positioned in the air bearing conduit for controllable supply of a flow of pressurized air to the air bearing arrangement.

3. The braking arrangement of claim 2, further comprising: a control unit connected to the air bearing valve, the control unit being configured to control the air bearing valve between a first state in which the air bearing valve is closed and pressurized air is prevented from reaching the air bearing arrangement, and a second state in which the air bearing valve is open and pressurized air from the pressurized brake air tank is supplied to the air bearing arrangement.

4. The braking arrangement of claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to: receive a signal indicative of a desired vehicle speed for the vehicle, and control the air bearing valve to transition from the first state to the second state before the vehicle initiates a control of the vehicle speed.

5. The braking arrangement of claim 4, wherein the control unit is further connected to the electric machine, the control unit being configured to: control the electric machine to generate a torque on the compressor shaft for operating the brake compressor at a predetermined time period after the air bearing valve assumes the second state.

6. The braking arrangement of claim 3, wherein the control unit is further configured to: receive a signal indicative of an upcoming driving condition for the vehicle, determine a vehicle braking requirement for operating the vehicle during the upcoming driving condition, compare the vehicle braking requirement with a predetermined threshold limit, and control the air bearing valve to assume the second state throughout the upcoming driving condition when the vehicle braking requirement exceeds the predetermined threshold limit.

7. The braking arrangement of claim 1, wherein the air bearing arrangement comprises an air journal bearing.

8. The braking arrangement of claim 1, wherein the air bearing arrangement comprises an air thrust bearing.

9. The braking arrangement of claim 1, further comprising an electrical brake resistor arrangement arranged in the air flow conduit at a position downstream the brake compressor.

10. The braking arrangement of claim 1, further comprising an air heating arrangement arranged in the air flow conduit at a position upstream the brake compressor for heating the air supplied to the brake compressor.

11. The braking arrangement of claim 10, wherein the air heating arrangement is formed by the electric machine, wherein air is received and heated by the electric machine and supplied to the brake compressor.

12. The braking arrangement of claim 10, wherein the air heating arrangement is formed by a heat exchanger connected to a liquid cooling system of the vehicle.

13. The braking arrangement of claim 1, further comprising an air flow restriction arrangement arranged in the air flow conduit at a position downstream the brake compressor.

14. A vehicle at least partially propelled by an electric traction motor comprising: a pressurized brake air tank arranged to supply pressurized air to a pneumatically controlled wheel brake connected to a wheel of the vehicle, and the braking arrangement of claim 1, wherein the pressurized brake air tank is arranged in fluid communication with the air bearing arrangement.

15. A method of controlling a braking arrangement of a vehicle, the braking arrangement comprising: an electric machine electrically connected to an electric power source of the vehicle, a brake compressor positioned in an air flow conduit of the brake compressor, and a compressor shaft mechanically connecting the electric machine and the brake compressor to each other, wherein the electric machine is configured to generate a torque on the compressor shaft, the braking arrangement further comprising an air bearing arrangement fluidly connected to a pressurized brake air tank of the vehicle, and wherein the air bearing arrangement is suspending the compressor shaft to at least one of the electric machine and the brake compressor, the method comprising: determining an upcoming braking event for the vehicle, controlling a supply of flow of air from the pressurized brake air tank to the air bearing arrangement before initiation of the braking event, and controlling the electric machine to generate a torque on the compressor shaft for operating the brake compressor to pressurize a flow of air at a predetermined time period after the supply of the flow of air from the pressurized brake air tank to the air bearing arrangement has been initiated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] The above, as well as additional objects, features, and advantages, will be better understood through the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of exemplary embodiments, wherein:

[0042] FIG. 1 is a lateral side view illustrating an example embodiment of a vehicle in the form of a truck;

[0043] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a braking arrangement according to an example embodiment;

[0044] FIG. 3 is an example embodiment schematically illustrating a compressor shaft of the FIG. 2 braking arrangement,

[0045] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of an air bearing arrangement according to an example embodiment,

[0046] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of an air bearing arrangement according to another example embodiment, and

[0047] FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a method of controlling the braking arrangement according to an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided for thoroughness and completeness. Like reference character refer to like elements throughout the description.

[0049] With particular reference to FIG. 1, there is depicted a vehicle 10 in the form of a truck. The vehicle comprises a traction motor 101 for propelling the wheels of the vehicle. The traction motor 101 is in the example embodiment an electric machine arranged to receive electric power from a battery or directly from a fuel cell system. The vehicle 10 also comprises a control unit 114 for controlling various operations as will also be described in further detail below, and a braking arrangement (not shown in detail in FIG. 1) arranged to dissipate electric energy and for obtaining an auxiliary braking action of the vehicle.

[0050] In order to describe the braking arrangement in further detail, reference is made to FIG. 2 which is a schematic illustration of a braking arrangement according to an example embodiment. The braking arrangement 100 depicted in FIG. 2 comprises an electric machine 102 arranged to receive electric power 103 from an electric power source 104. The electric power source 104 can be, for example, a vehicle battery or a fuel cell system. The electric power source 104 can, as another option, be formed by an electric inverter, or other electric machine, etc. Thus, the purpose of the electric power source is to supply electric power to the electric machine. The electric power source can, according to an example, also be arranged to receive electric power from the traction motor 101 of the vehicle. Moreover, the electric machine 102 can also be connected to a cooling system 105 of the vehicle 10, or an air-cooling system. The cooling system 105 may thus be either a liquid cooling system or an air cooling system.

[0051] The braking arrangement 100 further comprises a brake compressor 106 mechanically connected to, and operated by, the electric machine 102. As is illustrated in FIG. 2. The brake compressor 106 is mechanically connected to the electric machine 102 by a compressor shaft 107. The brake compressor 106 serves, amongst other things, the purpose of pressurizing and supplying a flow of air 113. The brake compressor 106 is thus arranged to significantly increase the pressure level of the air, as well as to increase the temperature level and flow velocity of the air.

[0052] Furthermore, the braking arrangement 100 comprises an air bearing arrangement 120, 120′ suspending the compressor shaft 107 to the electric machine 102 and/or to the brake compressor 106. The air bearing arrangement 120, 120′ exemplified in FIG. 2 comprises two air journal bearings 120 and two air thrust bearings 120′. The air bearing arrangement 120, 120′ is arranged in fluid communication with a pressurized brake air tank 150 of the vehicle 10 by means of an air bearing conduit 158. The pressurized brake air tank 150 may, as a non-limiting example, form part of the braking arrangement 100. The pressurized brake air tank 150 thus contains pressurized air which is used for e.g. pneumatically controlled wheel brakes (not shown) of the vehicle 10. As can also be seen in FIG. 2, the air bearing arrangement 120, 120′ is connected to the pressurized brake air tank 150 via an air bearing valve 160 for controllable supply of pressurized air from the pressurized brake air tank 150 to the air bearing arrangement 120, 120′. According to the example embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the braking arrangement 100 also comprises an air filter 155 and an air-drying arrangement 157 in the air bearing conduit 158. Although not depicted, a passive or active pressure regulator may be arranged between the air bearing arrangement and the pressurized brake air tank 150 for controlling the pressure level of the pressurized air supplied to the air bearing arrangement. Further details and example embodiments of the air bearing arrangement 120, 120′ will be presented below with reference to FIGS. 3-5.

[0053] The brake compressor 106 is arranged in an air flow conduit 111 of the braking arrangement 100. The braking arrangement 100 depicted in FIG. 2 may further comprise an electrical brake resistor arrangement 108 in the air flow conduit 111. The electrical brake resistor arrangement 108 is thus preferably arranged in downstream fluid communication with the brake compressor 106 and receives the pressurized air flow from the brake compressor 106. The electrical brake resistor arrangement 108 comprises an electrical brake resistor and is electrically connected to the above described electric power source 104. In FIG. 2, the electric power source 104 is depicted as two separate components for simplification. It should however be readily understood that the electric power source could be either a single component or separate components. The electrical brake resistor arrangement 108 thus receives the pressurized air from the brake compressor, whereby the air is heated in the electrical brake resistor by the electric power received from the electric power source 104. The air is thereafter supplied towards the ambient environment. According to the example embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the braking arrangement 100 may also comprise an air flow restriction arrangement 112 between the electrical brake resistor arrangement 108 and the ambient environment for maintaining a suitable pressure level within the braking arrangement. The air flow restriction arrangement 112 may comprise a muffler.

[0054] Although not depicted in the figures, the braking arrangement 100 may additionally comprise an air heating arrangement arranged in upstream fluid communication with the brake compressor 106. The air heating arrangement may be a heat exchanger connected to the cooling system of the vehicle 10. Thus, the heat exchanger receives liquid fluid from the cooling system and pre-heats the air before it is delivered to the brake compressor 106. The heat exchanger is preferably an air-to-liquid heat exchanger but may, as an alternative, be an air-to-air heat exchanger which uses relatively warm air to heat the air that is supplied to the brake compressor 106. As a further example embodiment, such air heating arrangement may alternatively be formed by the electric machine 102 itself, wherein air is received, and heated, by the electric machine 102 and subsequently supplied to the brake compressor 106.

[0055] The braking arrangement 100 also comprises the above described control unit 114. The control unit 114 is preferably connected to the electric machine 102, the air bearing valve 160, and the electrical brake resistor arrangement 108. Hereby, the control unit 114 can control operation of these components. The control unit 114 should however be construed as being connected/connectable to other components of the braking arrangement, such as to the electric power source 104 and to the brake compressor 106. The control unit 114 and functional operations thereof will be described in further detail below.

[0056] The control unit 114 preferably comprises processing circuitry including a microprocessor, microcontroller, programmable digital signal processor or another programmable device. The processing circuitry may also, or instead, include an application specific integrated circuit, a programmable gate array or programmable array logic, a programmable logic device, or a digital signal processor. Where the processing circuitry includes a programmable device such as the microprocessor, microcontroller or programmable digital signal processor mentioned above, the processor may further include computer executable code that controls operation of the programmable device. It should be understood that all or some parts of the functionality provided by means of the processing circuitry may be at least partly integrated with a e.g. a primary vehicle control unit, or other control units of the vehicle, which is/are arranged to detect an upcoming traffic situation, road topology, etc. The information from the primary vehicle control unit can thus be transmitted to the above described control unit 114 for decision making of the control unit 114.

[0057] By means of the braking arrangement 100 depicted in FIG. 2 and described above, electric power from the electric power source 104 is dissipated by electrifying the brake compressor 106 and the electrical brake resistor arrangement 108, whereby the electric power for the brake compressor 106 as well as for the electrical brake resistor arrangement 108 is used for heating the air. The electric power is thus dissipated into the air which is released towards the ambient environment, or other components of the vehicle in need of heating.

[0058] Reference is now made to FIG. 3, which is an example embodiment schematically illustrating the compressor shaft 107 described above in relation to FIG. 2. The air bearing arrangement comprises air journal bearings 120 and thrust bearings 120′. Example embodiment of the air journal bearing, and the thrust bearing will be given below in relation to the description of FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively. In the exemplified embodiment of FIG. 3, the electric machine 102 is arranged on the compressor shaft 107 between a pair of air journal bearings 120. As indicated above, the compressor shaft 107 is suspended by the air bearing arrangement 120, 120′. The thrust bearings 120′ are in FIG. 3 arranged between the electric machine 102 and the brake compressor 106. The air bearing arrangement 120, 120′ is preferably arranged between the compressor shaft 107 and a stationary housing 200. The stationary housing is preferably the housing of the electric machine 102. The compressor shaft 107 can hereby rotate relative to the stationary housing 200 by means of the air bearing arrangement 120, 120′. As is also indicated, the electric machine 102 comprises a rotor 350 connected to the compressor shaft 107 and a stator 360 connected to the stationary housing.

[0059] As indicated above, and according to the exemplified embodiment of FIG. 3, the air bearing arrangement comprises air journal bearing(s) 120 and air thrust bearing bearing(s) 120′. An example embodiment of an air journal bearing will be given below with reference to FIG. 4, while an example embodiment of an air thrust bearing will be given below with reference to FIG. 5. The air journal bearing 120 a radial bearing which is arranged to suspend radial loads from the compressor shaft 107 during operation, while an air thrust bearing is an axial bearing which is arranged to suspend axial loads from the compressor shaft 107 during operation.

[0060] In order to describe the air journal bearing 120 according to an example embodiment, reference is made to FIG. 4. The exemplified air journal bearing 120 comprises an outer bearing sleeve 402 at which inner surface a plurality of bump foils 404 is provided. The outer bearing sleeve 402 is thus fixed to the above described housing 200. Further, a top foil 406 is provided at the other side of the bump foil 404 compared to the outer bearing sleeve 402 as seen in the radial direction of the air journal bearing 120. Moreover, an air inlet portion 408 is provided in the bearing sleeve 402. Hereby, pressurized air from the pressurized brake air tank 150 can be supplied into the air journal bearing through the air inlet portion 408.

[0061] Moreover, the air journal bearing 120 comprises a radial air gap 410 extending in the circumferential direction of the air journal bearing 120. The radial air gap 410 is arranged between the top foil 406 and an inner bearing sleeve 412, which inner bearing sleeve 412 is connected to the compressor shaft 107. It should however be readily understood that the envelope surface of the compressor shaft 107 may itself act as an inner bearing sleeve. In such a case, the air journal bearing 120 does not contain any separate inner bearing sleeve 412.

[0062] In the air journal bearing 120 depicted in FIG. 4, the outer bearing sleeve 402, the bump foils 404, and the top foil 406 are stationary components, while the inner bearing sleeve 412 rotates with the compressor shaft 107 during operation. During operation, pressurized air is supplied through the air inlet portion 408 and into the radial air gap 410. At an initial stage, the compressor shaft 107 is preferably arranged eccentric within the air journal bearing 120. When pressurized air is supplied into the radial air gap 410, and the compressor shaft 107 starts to rotate, an air film is formed within the radial air gap 410, and the compressor shaft further pressurize the air film by rotating with some eccentricity.

[0063] It should be readily understood that the omission of bump foils and a rather harsh cut-out of the top foil as depicted in FIG. 4 is merely for illustrative purposes. Hence, the air journal bearing 120 may comprise bump foils evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the air journal bearing 120, and the top foil 406 may contain a small cut-out for allowing pressurized air to enter the radial air gap 410. In a similar vein, the air journal bearing may also contain two or more air inlet portions for allowing pressurized air into the radial air gap 410.

[0064] Turning now to FIG. 5, which is a schematic illustration of an air bearing arrangement according to another example embodiment. In detail, FIG. 5 illustrates an air thrust bearing 120′ according to an example embodiment. The air thrust bearing 120′ comprises a base plate 502 comprising a plurality of bump foils 504. The air thrust bearing 120′ also comprises a top foil 506 arranged on an opposite side of the bump foils 504 compared to the base plate 502. The air thrust bearing 120′ further comprises a radial inner surface 510 encircling, but not in contact with, the compressor shaft 107. The top foil 506 is thus in abutment with the bump foils 504. During operation, pressurized 520 air is supplied onto the top foil 506 surface facing away from the bump foils 504. The base plate 502, the bump foils 504 and the top foil 506 are thus stationary components, wherein the base plate 502 is preferably fixated to the above described housing 200. Although not depicted, the compressor shaft 107 is thus connected to, or comprises, a rotor disc, wherein the air film is generated between the top foil 506 and the rotor disc in order to enable a rotation of the compressor shaft 107.

[0065] In order to describe the operation of the braking arrangement 100, reference is made to FIG. 6, which is a flow chart of a method of controlling the braking arrangement according to an example embodiment.

[0066] During operation, the control unit 114 described above receives a signal indicative of desire to brake or to dissipate electrical energy. Hence, an upcoming braking event is determined S1 in which the vehicle requires braking to be performed. When there is a desire to brake, the supply of flow of pressurized air from the pressurized brake air tank 150 to the air bearing arrangement 120, 120′ is controlled S2 to be initiated before initiation of the braking event takes place. This is preferably executed by the control unit 114, which controls the air bearing valve 160 from a first state in which the air bearing valve is closed and pressurized air is prevented from reaching the air bearing arrangement 120, 120, to a second state in which the air bearing valve 160 is open and pressurized air from the pressurized brake air tank 150 is supplied to the air bearing arrangement 120, 120′.

[0067] A predetermined time period after the air bearing valve has assumed the second state, i.e. before the vehicle 10 initiates a control of the vehicle speed, the control unit 114 controls S3 the electric machine 102 to generate a torque on the compressor shaft 107 for operating the brake compressor 106. Hereby, the auxiliary braking described above can be initiated and the vehicle speed can be controlled. By controlling the vehicle speed, the speed can preferably either be reduced or, when operating the vehicle in a downhill slope, maintain a desired vehicle speed.

[0068] The control unit 114 may preferably be configured to receive a signal indicative of an upcoming driving condition for the vehicle 10. The upcoming driving condition may, for example, relate to road topology data at a future point in time, or indicative of a vehicle operation taking place within a short instance of time. The control unit 114 is hereby configured to determine a vehicle braking requirement for operating the vehicle during the upcoming driving condition. The control unit 114 compares the vehicle braking requirement with a predetermined threshold limit. The predetermined threshold limit may relate to a number of braking events within a preset time period. When the vehicle braking requirement exceeds the predetermined threshold limit, the control unit controls the air bearing valve to assume the second state throughout the upcoming driving condition. Thus, when it is determined that the vehicle will need to perform excessive braking during an upcoming time period, the valve is hereby arranged to assume the second state throughout the entire time period.

[0069] It is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings; rather, the skilled person will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.