RAIL VEHICLE, CHARGING STATION, METHOD FOR CHARGING A RAIL VEHICLE AND CHARGING SYSTEM

Abstract

A rail vehicle is disclosed which comprises an electrical energy storage device (2), a charging contact device (7), a charging controller and a DC link (1). The electrical energy storage device (2) and the charging contact device (7) are each connected to the DC link 1. A charging switch (8) is arranged between the charging contact device (7) and the DC link (1). The charging switch (8) is controlled by the charging control via a component of the hardware circuit (9) in such a way that the charging switch (8) can only be closed at a switch-on voltage level and an electrical connection between the charging contact device (7) and the DC link (1) can be achieved, the component of the charging control being in particular a hardware circuit (9).

Claims

1. A rail vehicle comprising: an electrical energy storage device, a charging contact device, a charging control system with a charging control component, a DC intermediate circuit, wherein the electrical energy storage device and the charging contact device are each connected to the DC intermediate circuit, a charging switch is arranged between the charging contact device and the DC intermediate circuit, wherein the charging switch is controlled via the charging control component in such a way that the charging switch is configured to be in a closed position only when a switch-on voltage level is detected by the charging control system and the charging switch configured to achieve an electrical connection between the charging contact device and the DC link.

2. The rail vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a communication means is designed for communication with the charging station.

3. The rail vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a second charging contact devices.

4. The rail vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the charging switch is configured to be closed only by the charging control system.

5. The rail vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the charging contact device further comprises two poles.

6. A charging station for charging a rail vehicle comprising: a charging station controller and a contact point for an electrical connection to a charging contact device of a rail vehicle, wherein the charging station controller is designed such that a switch-on voltage is applied to the charging contact device of the rail vehicle, that the switch-on voltage can be applied to the contact point and that the charging station controller recognizes when a higher battery voltage of the rail vehicle is present than the switch-on voltage of the charging station and a voltage level of the charging station can then be increased to a charging voltage.

7. The charging station according to claim 6, comprising a regulated rectifier and a power supply.

8. The charging station according to claim 7, wherein a line contactor with precharging contactor or a current limiting device is arranged between the contact point and the regulated rectifier.

9. A method for charging a rail vehicle with a charging station comprising: applying a switch-on voltage level to a contact point of the charging station; establishing an electrically conductive connection between a charging contact device and the contact point while the switch-on voltage level is applied; closing a charging switch so that a DC intermediate circuit of the rail vehicle is connected to the charging station, with the battery voltage level applied; detecting an applied battery voltage level with the charging station, where the applied battery voltage level is higher than the switch-on voltage level of the charging station; and increasing a voltage level of the charging station from the switch-on voltage level to a charging voltage level.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the switch-on voltage level is lower than a lower voltage range of an energy storage device.

11. The method according to claim 9, comprising, first, detecting the rail vehicle using the charging station.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the rail vehicle communicates with the charging station via a communication means.

13. The method according to claim 9, comprising terminating the charging process on the vehicle side.

14. The method according to claim 13, comprising: informing the charging station via the communication means before the charging switch is opened that the charging process is to be terminated.

15. A charging system comprising a rail vehicle according to claim 1 and a charging station for charging a rail vehicle comprising a charging station controller and a contact point for an electrical connection to a charging contact device of a rail vehicle, wherein the charging station controller is designed such that a switch-on voltage is applied to the charging contact device of the rail vehicle, that the switch-on voltage can be applied to the contact point and that the charging station controller recognizes when a higher battery voltage of the rail vehicle is present than the switch-on voltage of the charging station and the voltage level of the charging station can then be increased to the charging voltage.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the switch-on voltage level is lower than 400 volts.

17. The method according to claim 13 where the component of the rail vehicle is the charging switch.

18. The method of claim 9 comprising terminating the charging process by interrupting the contact between the charging contact device and the contact point.

19. The method of claim 14 comprising: lowering the voltage level of the charging station; and opening the line contactor with the charging station.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein the rail vehicle communicates a charging current or a charging voltage to the charging station.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0059] The invention is explained in more detail below in embodiments with reference to figures. This shows:

[0060] FIG. 1: The traction chain of a rail vehicle,

[0061] FIG. 2: the traction chain from FIG. 1. with two current collectors,

[0062] FIG. 3: the charging station.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0063] FIG. 1 shows the traction chain of a rail vehicle according to the invention. The rail vehicle comprises a DC link 1 that is directly connected to electrical energy storage devices 2. The DC link 1 is connected to the traction motors 5 via motor converters 3. The DC link 1 is also connected to auxiliary drives 6 via auxiliary drive converters 4. This means that the DC link 1 can supply motors and auxiliaries with energy. The DC link 1 is also connected to the charging contact device 7 via charging switch 8. The energy storage devices 2 can be charged with electrical energy via the charging contact device 7. The charging switch 8 is also controlled via the hardware circuit 9 in such a way that the charging switch 8 can only be closed at a switch-on voltage level and an electrical connection between the charging contact device 7 in the DC link 1 can be achieved. The hardware circuit 9 is preferably a relay circuit. The charging contact device 7 can be brought into contact with a charging station via a contact point 25 (not shown) and thus be charged via the charging station.

[0064] FIG. 2 shows the traction chain analogue to FIG. 1 with two charging contact devices 7, meaning that there are also two charging switches 8, one charging switch 8 per charging contact device 7. The hardware circuit 9 also corresponds to the hardware circuit 9 in FIG. 1 and ensures that both charging switches 8 can only be closed when the switch-on voltage is applied. All other components in FIG. 2 correspond to the illustration in FIG. 1. In both figures, the switch-on voltage level, which causes the charging switches 8 to be closable, is below the battery voltage level of the rail vehicle.

[0065] FIG. 3 shows the charging station according to the invention. The charging station comprises a DC voltage source 21 that is connected to a rectifier 22, which converts a direct current to another direct current. The rectifier is then a DC/DC converter. The rectifier 22 is connected to the contact point 25 of the charging station via linear contactor 24 with precharging contactor 23 or current limiting device 23. The contact point 25 is designed to be electrically connected to a charging contact device 7 of a rail vehicle as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The DC voltage source 21 can of course be supplied by any type of power supply. When a rail vehicle is deactivated in the charging station, the charging station applies a switch-on voltage level to the contact point 25 of the charging station. As soon as an electrically conductive connection is established between the charging contact device 7 of the rail vehicle and the contact point 25 during the switch-on voltage level, the switches on the vehicle (not shown) are closed and the charging station then detects the presence of a battery voltage level that is higher than the switch-on voltage level of the charging station. As soon as this is detected, the charging station raises the voltage level from the switch-on voltage level to a charging voltage level. For this purpose, station comprises a voltage detection device (not shown).