Study of the inverter system operation of the diesel engine start system during diesel locomotive 3TE28 operation

Purpose: carrying out operational tests of the start converter as a device of the preliminary diesel engine cranking of a diesel locomotive 3TE28 and the analysis of the obtained results. Methods: the functioning of the inverter starting system was studied within the framework of its operation as part of a diesel locomotive under different conditions of diesel engine starting (battery residual voltage, oil temperature) using a measuring complex and a set of additional sensors, as well as accumulation and analysis of the obtained measurement results. Results: operational tests of the inverter system of the start power plant on the diesel locomotive 3TE28 in locomotive depot “Tynda-Severnaya” were carried out. The circuit solutions and algorithms of the automatic control system of the inverter are verified. Comparative analysis of energy efficiency of inverter and starter-generator engine start systems is performed. Practical relevance: according to the results of operational tests the possibility of application of start converters for reliable diesel engine starts of diesel locomotives equipped with synchronous traction units instead of widespread nowadays starter-generator starting systems is confirmed. The developed technical solution can be duplicated on other series of locomotives, both newly developed and operated as part of their modernization or repair. The data accumulated in operation can be used for further improvement of the control system algorithms of the start converter.