Patent ID: 7118348

Claim:
A compressed air system for a railroad locomotive comprising: an air compressor; an electric motor for driving the air compressor; an air reservoir for receiving air under pressure from the air compressor; a valve for venting air under pressure from the air compressor; a sensor for measuring a parameter indicative of the pressure of the air in the air reservoir; and a controller for controlling the operation of the electric motor and valve for: initiating operation of the electric motor to drive the air compressor when air in the reservoir falls below a lower predetermined level to deliver air under pressure to the reservoir; opening the valve to terminate delivery of air under pressure to the reservoir when the air pressure in the reservoir exceeds an upper predetermined level; with the air pressure in the reservoir at or near the upper predetermined level, forecasting when the operation of the electric motor to drive the air compressor will next be initiated; if the forecast initiation is set to occur within a predetermined period of time, continuing to operate the electric motor to drive the air compressor while maintaining the valve open to vent the compressed air delivered by the air compressor, the motor operation being continued until the pressure of the air in the reservoir drops to the lower predetermined levels and then closing the valve to direct the air under pressure delivered by the air compressor to the reservoir; and if the forecast initiation is set to occur after a predetermined period of time, terminating operation of the electric motor driving the air compressor until the pressure of the air in the reservoir drops to the lower predetermined level.