A train (10) has at least one locomotive (11) which includes a flywheel (30) to store energy and subsequently use the energy to increase the power that can be provided to accelerate the train. The locomotive includes; a plurality of rechargeable batteries 26, a plurality of gas storage tanks 24 and at least one bogie (15). The bogie(s) includes: the flywheel; a gas-powered motor 34; and electric motors 54 to drive wheels of the bogie. The electric motors are supplied with current by the batteries through a current control 52. The gas-powered motor is connected to the gas storage tanks and is arranged to drive the flywheel through a fluid coupling 36 and a freewheel clutch 38 (e.g. sprag clutch). The flywheel drives an electric generator 50, which supplies current to the electric motors through the current control. The flywheel/generator arrangement may also be used to keep the batteries charged. The drive between the fluid coupling and the flywheel may include a mechanism (e.g. one or more sets of pulleys and belts) to step-up, or step-down, the rotation rate. The stored gas may be compressed air or natural gas (e.g. methane). The gas-powered motor may be a combustion engine or a turbine incorporating internal flow channels for a heating fluid. The locomotive may be coupled to other rolling stock.
Train and locomotive
2021-07-07
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
Locomotive and train acceleration
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