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ABSTRACT:
An electrical power generation system
comprises a variable capacitor and a power
source. The electrical power generation
system is configured to generate electric
power via movements of the rail. The
power source is used in the form of a
generator to prime the variable capacitor
that effectively multiplies the priming
energy of the power source by extracting
energy from the passing vehicle. By
alternately priming the variable capacitor
using charge from the power source and
discharging it at a later time in a cyclic
manner to change the capacitance, a
significantly large amount of electrical
energy is produced due to change in
capacitance than from the power source
itself.
Traditionally, operation data related to
railroad traffic and railroad assets is
gathered at manned junctions, such as a
rail yard or a rail depot. By way of
example, railroad workers often inspect
rails for damage and loading conditions.
As yet another example, railroad workers
often inspect and inventory the incoming
and outgoing railcars, to manage and facilitate the flow of traffic on a railroad
network. However, railroad networks often
span thousands of miles and traverse
through sparsely populated and remote
regions.
Unfortunately, traditional automated
devices generally obtain operating power
from an external power source, which is
not generally available in remote areas.
That is, the automated device receives
operating power that is generated at a
remote location and that is delivered over a
power grid, and coupling the grid to the
device can be a costly proposition,
especially in remote areas. In certain
instance, local power sources, such as
batteries, have been employed. In any
event, even if a local or external power
source is provided, these power sources
may not provide a cost effective
mechanism for producing sufficient levels
of power.
Therefore, there is need for a system and
method for improving electric power
generation with respect to rail systems.
INTRODUCTION:
The present technique relates generally to
rail based devices and, more specifically,
to an energy co-generation device for
generating electric power in response to
vehicular traffic on a rail.
In accordance with one exemplary
embodiment, the present technique
provides an electric power co-generation
system for use with a railroad network.
The system includes a power source, such
as a power generation device or an
external power source. The power cogeneration
system includes first and
second electrical capacitance portions that
are electrically coupled to the power
source and that are configured to carry
positive and negative charges,
respectively. The power co-generation
system further includes a biasing device
that is configured to separate the first and
second capacitance portions with respect
to one another. Thus, by varying the
distance between the capacitance portions
in response to a vehicle on the rail, the
capacitance portions cooperate to act as a
variable capacitor that facilitates the cogeneration
of power with respect to the
system. That is to say, the mechanical
energy of the biasing device is converted
into electrical energy for the system.
In accordance with another exemplary
aspect of the present technique, a method
of co-generating power via a vehicle
travelling on a rail is provided. The
method includes the act of driving first and
second capacitor plates with respect to one
another in response to the vehicle that is
travelling on the rail. The method also
includes the act of charging the first and
second capacitor plates via a power source,
such as a power generation device or an
external power source. The method further
includes biasing the first and second plates
apart from one another, thereby displacing
the plates with respect to one another. This
displacement changes the electrical capacitance between the first and second
plates and, resultantly, increases the
electric potential between the first and
second plates. In turn, this displacement of
the first and second plates facilitates the
co-generation of electrical energy from the
kinetic and potential energy of the vehicle
on the rail.
RAILWAY MONITORING SYSTEM
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatical representation
of a railway monitoring system, in
accordance with an exemplary
embodiment of the present technique. FIG.
1 illustrates an exemplary railway
monitoring system 10. In the illustrated
embodiment, the railway monitoring
system 10 includes a railway track 12 that
has a left rail 14, a right rail 16 and a
plurality of ties 18 extending between and
generally transverse to these rails 14, 16.
The ties 18 are coupled to the rails 14, 16
and provide lateral support to the rails 14,
16, which are configured to carry vehicles,
such as trains, trams, testing vehicles or
the like. Advantageously, the system 10
also includes a power tie 22 that has
hollowed regions that provide locations
inside of which various components are
disposed, as discussed further below.
Although the illustrated embodiment
shows a single power tie 22, railroad
networks including any number of power
ties 22 and power ties 22 in electrical
communication with one another are
envisaged.
Advantageously, communication between
the power ties 22 facilitates sharing of
resources and also facilitates the
development of certain data types, such as
block occupancy detection, distance to
train, detection of broken rail, or the like.
As discussed further below, the power tie
22 is used to power sensors, signaling
devices or any number of suitable devices.
POWER CO-GENERATION DEVICE:
FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary railway
monitoring system. In the exemplary
embodiment, the power co-generation
device 31 includes a variable capacitor 76.
The variable capacitor 76 has two
capacitance portions, such as conductive
plates 78 and80 that are each coated with a
thin film of dielectric material 82. The two
electrically conductive plates 78, 80 are
held mutually apart in an open position via
a biasing member, such as a compression
spring 84. The plates 78, 80 are electrically
coupled to the power source 24, such as
the illustrated power generation device,
and each plate carries opposite charges
with respect to one another. The variable
capacitor 76 facilitates changes in the
distance between the two plates 78, 80,
causing electrical power generation from
this changing distance. To facilitate
electrical isolation of the two capacitance
plates 78, 80, a dielectric film 82 is
provided on one plate or on both of the
plates 78, 80. The dielectric film 82 acts as
an insulator between the conductive plates
78, 80 and impedes the flow of current
between the capacitor plates 78, 80. In one
exemplary embodiment, the dielectric film
82 includes polyimide material, such as a
kapton having functionally linked
polymers. In another embodiment, the
dielectric film includes aluminium oxide
having polar metal oxide bonds possessing
large permanent dipole moment.
LIMITATIONS:
Installation of the system may be
costly.
Frequency of train should be more.
Displacement of rail is less.
APPLICATIONS:
The Indian Railway transports 16 million
passengers and more than one million
tones of freight each day. With a network
spanning over 63,000 km, it is one of the
largest and busiest rail networks in the
world. It is also the world’s largest utility
employer, with more than 1.6 million
employees. The power consumption of the
Indian Railways is around 2.5 percent of
the country’s total electricity consumption.
It is estimated that the railway sector’s
demand for electricity will grow by seven
percent annually. By 2020, the Indian
Railways will have a projected energy
demand of 37,500 million kilowatt hour.
Thus there is need for a system for saving
the country’s energy consumption.