Patent ID: 9151773
Filing Date: 2015-10-06
Classification: B61C,F01P,F24F,G01P,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A system comprising: an electric energy sensor configured to be coupled with a blower to measure a first amount of electric energy that is supplied to the blower to power the blower, wherein the blower is included in a vehicle to cool dynamic braking grids of the vehicle, and wherein when the blower is powered the blower is configured to draw air through an inlet duct and over one or more bodies to cool the bodies; a rotation sensor configured to be coupled with the blower to measure a first rotation speed at which the blower operates to draw the air through the inlet duct and over the one or more bodies when the blower is powered with the first amount of electric energy; and a monitoring device configured to compare the first rotation speed of the blower with a designated speed limit that is associated with the first amount of electric energy to determine if the inlet duct is at least partially blocked, wherein the monitoring device is configured to identify the inlet duct as being at least partially blocked when the first rotation speed exceeds the designated speed limit, wherein the monitoring device is configured to obtain the designated speed limit based on a baseline relationship between different rotational speeds at which the blower operates when supplied with corresponding different amounts of electric energy, wherein the monitoring device is configured to modify the baseline relationship by measuring one or more additional rotation speeds of the blower at one or more additional amounts of electric energy during operation of the blower and updating the baseline relationship based on the one or more additional rotation speeds, and wherein the monitoring device is configured to modify the baseline relationship by measuring the one or more additional rotation speeds only when the vehicle is stationary or dynamic brakes of the vehicle are applied.