Filtration system and method for engine air intake

Abstract

There is provided a method of filtration for a rail vehicle or other off-highway powered system. The method includes determining a filter load of a primary filtration system to an air intake of an engine. The method also includes determining that the filter load exceeds a specified threshold. Additionally, the method includes de-activating the primary filtration system. The method further includes activating a secondary filtration system to the engine.

1 . A method of filtration, comprising:
 determining a filter load of a primary filtration system to an air intake of an engine of an off-highway powered system;   determining that the filter load exceeds a specified threshold;   de-activating the primary filtration system; and   activating a secondary filtration system to the air intake of the engine.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising exhausting solid particles from the primary filtration system while the primary filtration system is de-activated. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein exhausting the solid particles from the primary filtration system comprises activating a blower that removes the solid particles from the off-highway powered system. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein exhausting the solid particles from the primary filtration system comprises activating a compressed air system that removes the solid particles from the primary filtration system. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising exhausting solid particles from a traction motor filtration system. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein exhausting the solid particles from the traction motor filtration system occurs simultaneously with exhausting the solid particles from the primary filtration system. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 re-setting the primary filtration system;   activating the primary filtration system; and   de-activating the secondary filtration system.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the filter load comprises a pressure differential across the primary filtration system. 
     
     
         9 . A filtration system comprising:
 a primary filtration system configured to filter solid particles from an intake air flow to an engine during a primary mode;   a secondary filtration system configured to filter the solid particles from the intake air flow during a secondary mode;   two or more sync doors configured to alternate the filtration system between the primary mode and the secondary mode; and   a blower configured to remove solid particles from the primary filtration system during the secondary mode.   
     
     
         10 . The filtration system of  claim 9 , comprising a traction motor filtration system configured to filter solid particles from one or more traction motors of a rail vehicle, wherein the blower is configured to remove solid particles from the traction motor filtration system. 
     
     
         11 . The filtration system of  claim 9 , wherein the air flow is directed to the primary filtration system during the primary mode, and the air flow is directed to the secondary filtration system during the secondary mode. 
     
     
         12 . The filtration system of  claim 9 , comprising an exhaust passage door configured to allow solid particles to pass from the primary filtration system to the blower, wherein the exhaust passage door cooperates with the two or more sync doors to channel solid particles to the blower during the secondary mode. 
     
     
         13 . The filtration system of  claim 12 , wherein the blower is configured to provide a suction force that manipulates the exhaust passage door to allow solid particles to pass from the primary filtration system to the blower. 
     
     
         14 . The filtration system of  claim 9 , comprising:
 a spin filter configured to filter solid particles from the air flow before the air flow reaches the primary filtration system, wherein the spin filter is also configured to filter the solid particles from the air flow before the air flow reaches the secondary filtration system; and   an exhaust blower configured to remove solid particles from the spin filter.   
     
     
         15 . A tangible, machine-readable medium that stores machine-readable instructions executable by a processor to perform filtration for an off-highway powered system, the tangible-machine-readable medium comprising:
 machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, determine a filter load of a primary filtration system to an air intake of an engine of the off-highway powered system;   machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, determine that the filter load exceeds a specified threshold;   machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, de-activate the primary filtration system; and   machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, activate a secondary filtration system to the engine.   
     
     
         16 . The tangible, machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, exhaust solid particles from the primary filtration system. 
     
     
         17 . The tangible, machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, exhaust the solid particles from the primary filtration system comprise machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor activate a blower that removes the solid particles from the primary filtration system. 
     
     
         18 . The tangible, machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, exhaust the solid particles from the primary filtration system comprise machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor activate a compressed air system that removes the solid particles from the primary filtration system. 
     
     
         19 . The tangible, machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, exhaust solid particles from a traction motor filtration system. 
     
     
         20 . The tangible, machine-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein exhausting the solid particles from the traction motor filtration system occurs simultaneously with exhausting the solid particles from the primary filtration system. 
     
     
         21 . The tangible, machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor:
 re-set the primary filtration system;   activate the primary filtration system; and   de-activate the secondary filtration system.   
     
     
         22 . A sand filtration system for a rail vehicle, comprising:
 a primary filtration system;   a secondary filtration system, wherein the primary filtration system and the secondary filtration system are in parallel fluid communication with an air intake passage and configured to filter sand from intake air traveling through the air intake passage, the air intake passage providing the intake air to an engine for combustion;   two or more sync doors moveable to a first position and to a different, second position;   a sand blower configured to remove sand from the primary filtration system; and   a controller operably connected to the sync doors and the sand blower, the controller configured to control the sync doors and the sand blower in a primary mode and in a different, secondary mode,   wherein, in the primary mode the controller controls the sync doors to the first position; in the first position, the sync doors route the intake air to travel through the primary filtration system and not the secondary filtration system;   wherein, in the secondary mode, the controller controls the sync doors to the second position, wherein, in the second position, the sync doors route the intake air to travel through the secondary filtration system and not the primary filtration system; and   wherein, in the secondary mode, but not the primary mode, the controller controls the sand blower to remove the sand from the primary filtration system.