Integrated friction modification system for a transporation network vechicle

摘要

A system includes a vehicle control system, a friction modification unit, and a friction management module. The vehicle control system is configured to obtain a trip plan for the vehicle. The trip plan is based on one or more characteristics of a trip of the vehicle along a route in a transportation network, characteristics of the vehicle, or characteristics of the route along which the vehicle travels. The trip plan designates one or more tractive operations or braking operations. The friction modification unit is configured to modify a friction characteristic of a surface of the route as the vehicle travels on the route. The friction management module is configured to direct the friction modification unit to modify the friction characteristic of the surface of the route based on the trip plan.

主权项

1. A system comprising:
a vehicle control system configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle and to obtain a trip plan for the vehicle, the trip plan based on one or more characteristics of a trip of the vehicle along a route in a transportation network, characteristics of the vehicle, or characteristics of the route along which the vehicle travels during the trip, the trip plan designating at least one of one or more tractive operations or one or more braking operations of the vehicle during the trip; a friction modification unit configured to modify a friction characteristic of a surface of the route as the vehicle travels on the route; and a friction management module configured to direct the friction modification unit to modify the friction characteristic of the surface of the route based on at least one of upcoming tractive efforts or upcoming braking efforts designated by the trip plan, wherein the friction management module is configured to determine at least one of an availability of a friction modification resource of the friction modification unit to perform a friction modifying activity or whether the friction modification unit is able to perform the friction modifying activity, and to select an alternate friction modification unit to perform the friction modifying activity responsive to at least one of the friction modification resource not being sufficient to perform the friction modifying activity or the friction modification unit being unable to perform the friction modifying activity, wherein the friction modification unit includes a flange lubrication unit configured to dispense lubricant to a flange of a track, wherein the friction management module is configured to direct the friction modification unit to dispense the lubricant to the flange of the track via the flange lubrication unit proximate to a curve in the track, wherein the friction management module is configured to identify the curve in the track, for directing the friction modification unit to dispense the lubricant to the flange of the track via the flange lubrication unit proximate to the curve in the track, based on at least one of an identified location of the vehicle or the trip plan.