Automatic flashover protection for locomotive traction motors

US5245495A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• General Electric Company · US

Inventors

• Ronald B. Bailey · Erie, US
• Herbert J. Brown · Erie, US
• Myron L. Smith · Potsdam, US
• Edgar T. Balch · Erie, US
• Roger Huczko · Erie, US
• Joseph A. Laukaitis · Erie, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 30, 1992
• Grant date: Sep 14, 1993
• Expiry date: Nov 30, 2012

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02T10/64
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Flashover protection is provided for a locomotive propulsion system including a plurality of d-c traction motors each having a commutator subject to flashovers, a traction alternator having armature and field windings and a rotor driven by a prime mover, a controllable source of excitation current connected to the alternator field, and means including an electric power rectifier for connecting the alternator to the motor commutators. It comprises means for producing a fault signal whenever a flashover occurs in any motor, a solid-state controllable electric valve connected between the excitation current source and the alternator field and having alternative conducting and non-conducting states, and means for changing the valve from conducting to non-conducting states in response to a fault signal being produced, whereupon the magnitude of excitation current in the alternator field is rapidly reduced toward zero and the alternator's output current is correspondingly decreased whenever a flashover occurs.