BRIGHT ENERGY STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES, LLP Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20150176526 | SEMI-ISOTHERMAL COMPRESSION ENGINES WITH SEPARATE COMBUSTORS AND EXPANDERS, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Engine systems and associated methods, including systems with semi-isothermal compression devices are disclosed. An engine system in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a compressor having a compressor inlet and outlet, a combustor having a combustor inlet coupled to the compressor outlet and further having a combustor outlet, a positive displacement expander having an expander inlet coupled to the combustor outlet, and further having an expander outlet and a work output device. A valve is coupled between the combustor and the expander to regulate a flow of hot combustion products passing from the combustor to the expander, and an exhaust energy recovery device is coupled to the expander outlet to extract energy from the combustion products exiting the expander. | 06-25-2015 |
20140277862 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A LOCOMOTIVE CONSIST - A locomotive assembly including a legacy locomotive controller and an intercept locomotive controller and a method of controlling a locomotive are disclosed. The locomotive assembly includes a locomotive having a power bus, a primary power unit coupled to the power bus, and a legacy locomotive controller programmed to transmit control signals to the primary power unit. The locomotive assembly further includes an intercept locomotive controller programmed to receive a control signal indicating an requested amount of locomotive power from the legacy locomotive controller, allocate a portion of the requested amount of locomotive power to an auxiliary power unit, and control the auxiliary power unit to deliver the portion of the amount of locomotive power to the power bus. | 09-18-2014 |
20140263861 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A LOCOMOTIVE CONSIST - A locomotive assembly including a legacy locomotive controller and an intercept locomotive controller and a method of controlling a locomotive are disclosed. The locomotive assembly includes a power bus, a locomotive, and an intercept locomotive controller. The locomotive includes a primary power unit coupled to the power bus and a legacy locomotive controller programmed to transmit a control command to the primary power unit. The intercept locomotive controller is electrically coupled between the locomotive controller and the primary power unit and is programmed to intercept an initial locomotive control signal transmitted from the legacy locomotive controller to the primary power unit indicating an amount of locomotive power, modify the initial locomotive control signal, and transmit the modified control signal to the primary power unit. | 09-18-2014 |
20140052316 | AUXILIARY POWER UNIT ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF USE - A locomotive assembly including an auxiliary power unit and a method of providing auxiliary power to a locomotive are disclosed. The locomotive assembly includes a locomotive having a power bus, a primary power source electrically coupled to the power bus, and a locomotive controller programmed to control the primary power source and transmit a first command signal to a power unit that is electrically coupled to the power bus. The power unit includes an auxiliary engine-generator set, a power interface electrically coupling the auxiliary engine-generate set to the power bus, and an auxiliary controller electrically coupled to the locomotive controller. The auxiliary controller is programmed to receive the command signal from the locomotive controller indicating a desired amount of power, control the auxiliary engine-generator set to produce at least the desired amount of power, and control the power interface to deliver the desired amount of power to the power bus. | 02-20-2014 |
20130245864 | FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF USE - A fuel assembly and a method of providing fuel is disclosed. The fuel assembly includes a frame, a first fuel storage tank sized to fit within the frame and configured to store one of a liquid and a gaseous fuel, and a fuel control assembly configured to regulate delivery of the gaseous fuel to an external power unit. The fuel control assembly includes a first fuel assembly memory module having stored thereon identifying information of the interchangeable fuel assembly. | 09-19-2013 |
20130245863 | AUXILIARY POWER UNIT ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF USE - A locomotive assembly including an auxiliary power unit and a method of providing auxiliary power to a locomotive are disclosed. The locomotive assembly includes a locomotive having a power bus, a primary power source electrically coupled to the power bus, and a locomotive controller programmed to control the primary power source and transmit a first command signal to a power unit that is electrically coupled to the power bus. The power unit includes an auxiliary engine-generator set, a power interface electrically coupling the auxiliary engine-generate set to the power bus, and an auxiliary controller electrically coupled to the locomotive controller. The auxiliary controller is programmed to receive the command signal from the locomotive controller indicating a desired amount of power, control the auxiliary engine-generator set to produce at least the desired amount of power, and control the power interface to deliver the desired amount of power to the power bus. | 09-19-2013 |
20130240678 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A LOCOMOTIVE CONSIST HAVING A LOCOMOTIVE AND AUXILIARY POWER UNIT - An apparatus and method for controlling a locomotive assembly having a locomotive and an auxiliary power unit is disclosed. The locomotive assembly includes at least one locomotive having a power bus, a primary engine-generator set electrically coupled to the power bus, and a locomotive controller programmed to control the primary engine-generator set. The locomotive assembly also includes an auxiliary power unit having an auxiliary engine-generator set electrically coupled to a locomotive power bus, and a first auxiliary controller. The auxiliary controller is programmed to receive a command signal from the locomotive controller indicating a desired amount of power, and control the auxiliary engine-generator set of the auxiliary power unit to produce the desired amount of power. | 09-19-2013 |
20130239845 | AUXILIARY POWER UNIT ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF USE - An auxiliary power unit and a method of providing auxiliary power to a locomotive are disclosed. The auxiliary power unit assembly for a locomotive includes an auxiliary power unit removably coupleable to a rail car chassis. The auxiliary power unit includes a housing, and an auxiliary engine-generator set positioned within the housing. The auxiliary engine-generator set is configured to provide an auxiliary power to the locomotive. The auxiliary power unit also includes an auxiliary controller electrically coupled to the auxiliary engine-generator set. The auxiliary controller is programmed to receive a command and control at least one aspect of the auxiliary power unit in response to the command. | 09-19-2013 |