SECTION

LOCOMOTIVE 6
PART F

SERVICE MANUAL
DYNAMIC BRAKING SYSTEM
GENERAL slow down a train. This work results in heat at the
dynamic braking grids rather than at brake shoes.
Dynamic braking is an electrical arrangement used
to change some of the mechanical power devel- To understand the term, "braking effort," consider
oped by the momentum and downhill force of a the terms:
moving train into electrical power. The electrical
power is converted into heat which is blown out 1. Mass or weight.
through a hatch at the top of the locomotive.
2. Work - the energy required to lift the weight
Traction motor armatures, being geared to the ax- a given distance.
les, rotate whenever the locomotive is moving.
During dynamic braking the motors become elec- 3. Power - the energy required to lift the
trical generators, and the electrical output of the weight a given distance in a given amount
motor armatures is connected across fan cooled of time. For example, a very small output of
resistor grids of fixed ohmic value. Armature output energy can lift a tremendous weight if given
is determined by the speed at which the armatures sufficient time.
rotate (track speed) and by the amount of excita-
tion current flowing in the motor fields (stationary Fig. 6F-1 indicates that braking effort falls off as
coils). train speed increases above the optimum. This is
so because of design limitations in the equipment
Excitation current in the motor fields is controlled involved. Theoretically, braking effort could in-
by braking lever (throttle) position and by a regulat- crease along the dash-dotted line extending to the
ing device. This device, the dynamic brake regula- top of the graph, but regulation occurs to protect
tor DBR, senses voltage across onehalf a braking the equipment.
grid, interprets it as armature/grid current, and op-
erates to reduce field current in order to hold arma- To determine why braking effort does not remain at
ture current (and grid voltage) at the maximum the maximum value, but falls with increased track
permitted by equipment design. It does this when- speed, note the following.
ever maximum current level is attained, regardless 1. At maximum braking lever position, grid
of braking lever (throttle) position. voltage and current are regulated and con-
The graph in Fig. 6F-1 shows that with maximum stant above approximately 25 mph; conse-
traction motor field current (braking lever in posi- quently the power (volts x amperes) dissi-
tion 8), braking effort increases as track speed in- pated as heat is constant.
creases from zero to about 25 mph. Thereafter, 2. Power, electrically expressed as volts x am-
braking effort lessens as track speed increases. peres, may also be expressed as foot
Braking effort may be considered as negative trac- pounds per second or, in railroad terms, ton
tive effort or "drawbar push." This effort can be in- miles per hour.
terpreted as weight, with both grade force and the Horsepower OC Volts x Amperes
momentum of the moving train going to make up 375 pound miles
what is being called weight. The weight by itself 1 Horsepower = hour
performs no function; it merely has the ability to
perform useful work. During dynamic braking the Since design limitations require that the current in
use of the work is to maintain train speed or to the dynamic braking resistors does not exceed
maximum, an increase in the speed factor (miles/
hours) of the horsepower formula must be
6F-1
Section 6F

Fig. 6F-1 - Dynamic Braking Curves - 62:15 Gearing Braking Effort / Miles Per Hour

accompanied by a decrease in the weight factor EXTENDED RANGE DYNAMIC BRAKES

(pounds) of the formula in order to maintain the
maximum current limitation. This weight factor is Below optimum speed of about 25 mph, braking
reduced by decreasing the retarding force of the effort declines. This is because the voltage devel-
traction motor fields. oped by the motor armatures falls below maxi-
mum even though motor field excitation is at its
In other words, a decrease in the magnetic flux upper limit.
induced by motor field current, brings about a re-
duction of the resistance to the turning of the mo- E
tor armature. Less effort is required to turn the By Ohm's law = R or
armature, but since it turns faster at higher track
speed, the resulting power remains the same Voltage
while braking effort decreases. Current = Resistance

6F-2
Section 6F

It can be seen that when voltage drops, current can Voltage signals that are in direct proportion to the
be maintained at a high level only by reducing grid current in the dynamic braking cables are taken
resistance. The extended range dynamic braking from the brush arms of the potentiometers and di-
system reduces grid resistance in steps as track rected to sensitive polarized relays. The relays
speed decreases. match the signals against throttle controlled signals
and function to control stepping of a motor operated
In the extended range dynamic braking system all program switch that in turn controls pickup of power
resistor grids are connected in series with all motor contactors. The power contactors, located in a
armatures. Cables carrying dynamic braking current hatch adjacent to the grids, close singly and in
pass through the frames of two transductors, and combination to short out portions of the total dy-
coils carrying AC from the D14 alternator are wound namic braking grid resistance and thus maintain
on the cores of the transductors. The impedance of maximum braking current down to very slow speed.
these coils is controlled by the amount of current
passing in cables through the transductor frames. On SD type locomotives dynamic braking current
The output from the AC coils passes through the also passes through the frame of a voltage oper-
primary windings of transformers and is transformed ated current biased relay OCP that picks up to dis-
to a usable value. The output from the transformers able the dynamic braking system if an open resistor
is rectified and loaded upon resistors and potentio- grid results in voltage at the relay coil but no current
meters. in the system.

6F-3
 SECTION

LOCOMOTIVE 6
PART G
SERVICE MANUAL
DYNAMIC BRAKING GRID PROTECTION SYSTEM
(SPECIAL ORDER)

The purpose of this section is to describe the op- Each of the five turn bias windings is connected in
eration of the special order dynamic braking grid series with a separate blower motor. During nor-
protection system consisting of the dynamic brak- mal operation, the flux lines set up by the two bias
ing grid protection module DG and dynamic brak- windings are equal and opposite in both cores so
ing grid transductor DGT. that the resultant flux lines set up by the two bias
windings is near zero.
The dynamic braking grid protection module DG
provides protection for the dynamic braking grids An increase in current through one blower motor
by dropping the feed to the brake contactor B, in without a corresponding increase in current
case one of the grid blower motors fails to oper- through the other blower motor would result in an
ate properly while operating in dynamic brake or unbalance in the flux lines set up by the two bias
when performing load test on the dynamic braking windings. This condition could result from a fro-
grids. The protection system consists of the DG zen bearing or from locked fan blades in one of
module and a dynamic braking grid transductor the blower motors. Either of these conditions
DGT. A simplified schematic diagram of the pro- would probably result in burning out the blower
tection system is provided in Fig. 6G-1 for con- motor windings. An open in one of the blower mo-
venient reference. The applicable locomotive wir- tor windings would also result in an unbalance of
ing diagram should be used when performing flux lines.
troubleshooting or maintenance.
During any unbalance in bias, the resultant flux
The dynamic braking grid transductor DGT con- lines would aid the flux lines from the AC winding
sists of two laminated iron cores, two AC wind- in one core and oppose the flux lines from the AC
ings, two blower motor current bias windings, and windings in the other core. The core in which the
a test winding. The two cores are magnetically flux lines aid would move toward magnetic satura-
isolated from each other by an air gap and each tion which would reduce the reactance of the AC
core contains an AC winding. The test winding winding on this core to a low value. The core in
and both bias windings are common to both which the flux lines oppose would move away
cores. A simplified schematic diagram of the DGT from saturation, but the reactance of the winding
is provided in Fig. 6G-1. on this core would be affected by only a very
small amount. The resultant reactance of the two
The two AC windings are connected series op- AC windings would therefore decrease. This de-
posing so that the magnetic lines of force in the crease in reactance results in an increase of cur-
two cores travel in opposite directions. The AC rent through the two AC windings, and through
windings, in series with the primary of transformer the primary of T1 which is located on the DG
T1 on the DG module, are energized by current module. The increase of current through T1 pro-
from the D14 alternator. vides a signal to the DG module. This signal is
The reactance of the AC windings is much larger proportional to the unbalance of the bias wind-
than the reactance of T1. Therefore, during nor- ings. If the unbalance is large enough the DG
mal operation, practically all of the input AC volt- module operates to drop the feed to the B contac-
age is developed across the AC windings and tor which removes braking current from the brak-
very little voltage appears across T1. Transformer ing grids.
T1 provides an input signal to the DG module. The test winding on DGT is provided for testing
Consequently, the input signal to the DG module the dynamic braking grid protection system. Clos-
is very small during normal operation. ing the test switch on the DG module allows cur-
Each of the blower motor current bias windings rent to flow through the test windings. Current
consists of five turns wound about both cores. flow through the test winding causes an
6G-1
Section 6G

Fig. 6G-1 - Dynamic Braking Grid Protection System, Simplified Schematic Diagram (Sheet 1 of 2)

6G-2 75671
Section 6G

Fig. 6G-1 - Dynamic Braking Grid Protection System, Simplified Schematic Diagram (Sheet 2 of 2)

6G-3
Section 6G

unbalance of flux lines in the two cores and re- flow from terminal 1 of the DG module through
sults in applying a signal to T1. R9, from collector to emitter of Q2, then through
the DGR relay to negative. Pick up of DGR pro-
A simplified schematic diagram of the DG module vides a holding feed from terminal 1 through the
is provided in Fig. 6G-1 for convenient reference. reset switch, through DGR-2 contacts, then
The applicable locomotive wiring diagram should through DGR to negative. Pick up of DGR also
be used when performing troubleshooting or opens DGR-1 contacts between terminals 5 and 4
maintenance. of the DR module. This drops the feed to the DGX
relay.
The output voltage of transformer T1 is rectified
and applied to rheostat RH1. This output is pro- Drop out of DGX, when operating in dynamic
portional to the amount of unbalance between the brake, provides a feed to the DYNAMIC BRAKE
bias windings on DGT. Capacitor C2 suppresses BLOWER/GRID CIRCUIT OPEN light and drops
transient surges in the output of T1. The voltage the feed to the B contactor. Refer to Fig. 6G-1.
at the wiper arm of RH1 is applied to the series Drop out of the B contactor during dynamic brake
combination of resistor 19413, resistor R4A, and operation or drop out of DGX when performing
capacitor C1. The junction of R4A and C1 is con- load test opens the feed to GF. Drop out of GF
nected to the base of transistor Q1 so that the removes excitation from the main generator field.
voltage across C1 is applied to the base of Q1.
A test switch and a reset switch are provided on
Forward bias is applied to transistor Q1 when the the DG module. The test switch, when pressed
charge on C1 exceeds 6.2 volts. The RC circuit energizes the test winding on the DGT which un-
consisting of R4B, R4A, and C1 provides a time balances the flux lines in the two cores of DGT.
delay in applying forward bias to Q1. This time This results in providing an input to T1 and
delay prevents turn on of Q1 from transient bias causes DGR to pick up. This provides a means of
unbalance of DGT. performing a functional test of the DG module and
also of DGT. The reset switch provides a means
Turn on of Q1 provides a path for current flow of resetting the DGR relay after a test or after pick
from terminal 1 of the DG module through R7, R3, up of DGR due to a blower motor fault. However,
D7, from collector to emitter of Q1, then through the reset switch should not be operated, after pick
zener diode Z1 to negative. The voltage devel- up of DGR due to a fault, until the dynamic brak-
oped across R7 provides forward bias for Q2. ing system has been checked and repaired as
Turn on of Q2 provides a path for current necessary.

6G-4