Universal Heating System for Railway Locomotives

Heating system for warming up a cold stored locomotive in the conditions of low ambient temperatures.

Heating system for warming up diesel engines of land-based vehicles, which serves for heating of a cold stored locomotive and its engine in the conditions of low ambient temperatures (+5C and lower).

The heating system for warming up cold stored locomotives in the conditions of low ambient temperature consists of modified thermoelectric heaters, the installation part of which is extendable from 550 mm to 1200 mm, oil pump, electric air heating unit, and valve, light and electric air heating unit, timer, and magnet trigger.

Application of the heating system enables warming up a cold engine via heating of the circulating oil with simultaneous charging of the battery, heating and additional lighting of the driver's cab when locomotives are cold stored in low temperature conditions.

UNIVERSAL HEATING SYSTEM

The universal heating system is a system designed for heating of diesel engines of land-based vehicles and serves for heating of a cold stored locomotive and its engine in the conditions of low ambient temperatures +5C and lower.

Currently a special water pipeline system is known and used for heating of TEM2 type locomotives.

The system is based on the principle of circulation of water heated by a separate stationary heating device (Heating of TEM locomotives in wintertime by hot water circulation Rybin V.N., Muravlev S.M., Zorin E.G., IK131037, TS Omsk, West-Siberian Railway, 1999).

The system known and used currently for heating of CME3T and CME3E locomotives cold engines in low-temperate conditions is based on electric heating of water system consisting of three water pumps providing water circulation in three engine blocks. A special, self-inclusive heating unit is available for battery heating. The heating unit is supplied with two special water drainpipes with valves. The locomotive electric schematic has a possibility for connection of heating elements to three-phase AC current for heating cold engine before starting it (Locomotive driver's manual. Locomotives CME3, CME3T, CME3E. Z.Kh.Notik, Moscow, Transport, 1966).

Thus, nowadays the known and used method of heating cold engines of stored locomotives in low-temperature conditions is based on circulation of hot water as described above.

Both methods are similar to the useful model applied for the patent.

The aforementioned analogues have the following disadvantages:

• The described systems are not universal and mobile.
• Manufacturing and installation of the described systems are complicated and expensive.
• There is a risk of defrosting of the engine water system in case of voltage drop.

The goal of this patent is heating of a cold engine based on circulation of hot oil with simultaneous charging of the battery, heating and additional lighting of driver's cab when a locomotive is stored in the conditions of low ambient temperature +5C and lower.

For this end a special universal heating system was developed, which can be applied on any locomotive type.

The universal heating system applied for is presented in the attached drawings and schematic, where FIG 1 shows the lateral section of locomotive and FIG 2 shows the connection pattern of the elements of the universal heating system.

The universal heating system applied for consists of the following major elements:

• modified thermoelectric heaters 1 and 2
• oil pump 10
• electric heating unit 9 and rectifier 5
• light 6 and electric heating unit 8
• timer 7 and magnet trigger 4

Modified thermoelectric heaters 1 and 2 are connected through crankcase door with the locomotive engine crankcase 11.

Thermoelectric heaters 1 and 2 are modified in such a way that their installation part can be extended within the range of 550 mm to 1200 mm. It enables using them on different types of diesel engines depending on the size and location of crankcase doors. The number of modified thermoelectric heaters used can vary from one to six depending on the crankcase size and engine power.

Oil pump 10 is connected to the oil system of the diesel engine parallel to the stationary oil pump.

Electric heating unit 9 and rectifier 5 are installed in the battery block 12 and connected via timer 7 with magnet trigger 4.

All elements of the system are installed direct on the locomotive.

The system applied for consumes from 4 to 8 kW power depending on the number of thermoelectric heaters 1 and 2, their capacity and the capacity of heating units 8 and 9.

"Tosol" (Automobile Antifreezing Fluid), with freezing point - 40C is used as antifreezing agent.

After starting and warming-up the locomotive engine antifreezing fluid can be drained out and replaced by ordinary cooling water if this locomotive is planned for service for a long time.

Antifreezing fluid is drained in a portable V-1000 l container. If in the near future it is planned to store the locomotive, antifreezing agent can be used instead of cooling water. "Tosol" prevents corroding of the engine water system.

Thermoelectric heaters 1 and 2 are installed on the locomotive engine: namely in crankcase 11 via the crankcase door.

Thermoelectric heaters 1,2 warm up the oil in crankcase 11 to working temperature +60C - + 65C.

Oil pump 10, energised from 380 V AC current is connected to the available oil pump. Oil pump 10 begins pumping 30-40 minutes before engine start to provide by means of heated crankcase oil the temperature + 25C needed for starting the engine. Oil circulates in a closed cycle. Heating of oil does not impact its qualitative indicators, as the temperature of heated oil does not exceed engine service temperature.

After engine has been started and warmed up to service temperature + 50C, the locomotive is released on line. After work, if the ambient temperature is lower than +5C, the locomotive, waiting for operation is connected to 380 V AC by means of a flexible cable.

Semiconductor rectifier 5 is designed for keeping up the capacity of the battery; it's charging rate of 0,6A is sufficient to start the engine even from batteries, which have been in service for a long time.

Two active air heating units 8 and 9 support the preset temperature in the driver's cab 13 and battery block 12. The temperature is set up by the timer via magnet trigger 4.

Electric light 6 indicates the operation of the universal heating system; the lamp also provides lighting of the driver's cab 13.

Thus, application of the universal heating system applied for enables the following.

Perform heating of cold engine via heating of the circulating oil with simultaneous charging of the battery, heating and additional lighting of the driver's cab when locomotives are cold stored.

Reduce depreservation time and engine and battery starting time after a locomotive has been stored in low temperature conditions + 5C and lower.

Reduce the capacity of supplying current by series connection of basic elements of the universal heating system.

Extend battery service time applying minor electric current (0,6A), which eliminates sulfation of the battery plates.

Heated crankcase oil prevents corroding inside the engine body and use of Tosol prevents corroding of the water system of the engine.

All elements of the system applied for can be easily dismantled and installed on any locomotive, if needed.

1. Universal heating system for warming up cold stored locomotives in the conditions of low ambient temperature (under + 5°C) is notable for its modified thermoelectric heaters 1 and 2, the installation part of which is extendable from 550 mm to 1200 mm; their connection to the engine oil system parallel to the stationary oil pump, electric heating unit 9 and rectifier 5, connected via timer 7 with magnet trigger 4.

2. Universal heating system described in p.1. is notable for containing from one to six modified thermoelectric heaters 1 and 2.