Control system for fuel tender of locomotive

Abstract

A control system for a fuel tender of a locomotive includes an input module, a sensor module, a processor unit, and at least one actuator. The input module is configured to generate a first signal based on one or more inputs received from an operator of the locomotive. The sensor module is configured to generate a second signal based on one or more operating parameters of at least one of the locomotive and the fuel tender. The processor unit is configured to generate a first actuation signal based on at least one of the first signal and the second signal. The actuator is disposed in electrical communication with the processor unit and the fuel tender. The actuator is configured to selectively perform at least one of enabling or disabling fuel flow from the fuel tender to the locomotive based on the first actuation signal.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A control system for a fuel tender of a locomotive, the control system comprising:
 an input module configured to generate a first signal based on one or more inputs received from an operator of the locomotive;   a sensor module configured to generate a second signal based on one or more operating parameters of at least one of the locomotive and the fuel tender;   a processor unit communicably coupled with the input module and the sensor module, the processor unit configured to generate a first actuation signal based on at least one of the first signal and the second signal; and   at least one actuator disposed in electrical communication with the processor unit and the fuel tender, the actuator configured to selectively perform at least one of enabling or disabling fuel flow from the fuel tender to the locomotive based on the first actuation signal.   
     
     
         2 . The control system of  claim 1  further comprising a switching module associated with a fuel conversion unit of the fuel tender, the switching module configured to receive a second actuation signal from the processor unit such that the switching module directs the fuel conversion unit to selectively perform conversion of fuel from a first phase to a second phase within the fuel tender. 
     
     
         3 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the operating parameters of the locomotive include one or more of:
 a historical operating record of the locomotive; and   a current operating record of the locomotive.   
     
     
         4 . The control system of  claim 1  further comprising a positioning module configured to determine current geographic co-ordinates of the locomotive, wherein the control system is further configured to determine one or more desired operating parameters of the locomotive for an oncoming rail based on the current geographic co-ordinates of the locomotive. 
     
     
         5 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more operating parameters of the locomotive include at least a throttle position of the locomotive. 
     
     
         6 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more operating parameters include at least one of a fluid pressure in the fuel tender, and a detected operational fault of at least one of the fuel tender and the locomotive. 
     
     
         7 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more inputs received by the input module includes at least one of a throttle position of the locomotive, and a position of a reverser of the locomotive. 
     
     
         8 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the locomotive includes a plurality of locomotives, and wherein each of the plurality of the locomotives is associated with at least one fuel tender. 
     
     
         9 . The control system of  claim 8 , wherein the control system is further configured to selectively enable or disable the fuel tender associated with each of the plurality of locomotives. 
     
     
         10 . The control system of  claim 9 , wherein the fuel tender is selectively enabled or disabled based on at least one of a load distribution between the plurality of locomotives, and one or more desired operating parameters of the locomotive for an oncoming rail. 
     
     
         11 . A method of controlling fuel flow from a fuel tender of a locomotive, the method comprising:
 generating a first signal based on one or more inputs from an operator of the locomotive;   generating a second signal based on one or more operating parameters of at least one of the locomotive and the fuel tender;   generating a first actuation signal based on at least one of the first signal and the second signal; and   performing at least one of enabling and disabling fuel flow out of the fuel tender based on the first actuation signal.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising generating a second actuation signal and selectively performing conversion of fuel from a first phase to a second phase within the fuel tender based on the second actuation signal. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the operating parameters of the locomotive include one or more of:
 a historical operating record of the locomotive; and   a current operating record of the locomotive.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising receiving current geographic co-ordinates of the locomotive to determine one or more desired operating parameters of the locomotive for an oncoming rail. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more operating parameters of the locomotive include at least a throttle position of the locomotive. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the operating parameters of at least one of the locomotive and the fuel tender include one or more of a fluid pressure in the fuel tender, and a detected operational fault of at least one of the fuel tender and the locomotive; and wherein the second signal is based at least in part on one or more of the fluid pressure in the fuel tender, and the detected operational fault of at least one of the fuel tender and the locomotive. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more inputs received by the input module includes at least one of a throttle position of the locomotive, and a position of a reverser of the locomotive. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the locomotive includes a plurality of locomotives, and wherein each of the plurality of the locomotives is associated with at least one fuel tender. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the method further includes selectively enabling or disabling the fuel tender associated with each of the plurality of locomotives. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further including selectively enabling or disabling the fuel tender associated with each of the plurality of locomotives based on at least one of a load distribution between the plurality of locomotives, and one or more desired operating parameters of the locomotive for an oncoming rail.