Electric Traction

UTILIZATION OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY

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Electric Traction
Requirement of Ideal Traction System:

1. The locomotive or train unit should be self-contained so that it can run on any route

2. Minimum wear on the track

3. It should be possible to overload the equipment for short period of time

4. It should have high efficiency, low initial cost and maintenance cost.

5. It should be pollution free

6. Speed control should be easy

7. Braking should be such that minimum wear is caused on the brake shoes.

Electric Traction Systems

 Electric traction is meant locomotion in which the driving (or tractive) force is obtained from electric
motors. It is used in electric trains, tramcars, trolleybuses, and diesel-electric vehicles, etc.

 They involve the use of electric energy at some stage or the other.

 Examples: battery-electric drive, diesel-electric drive, railway electric locomotive fed from overhead AC
supply, tramways, and trolly buses supplied with DC supply.

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Railway Track Electrification System

Direct Current Traction System

 In all cases, contact systems are fed from substations which are spaced 3 to 5 km for suburban lines and 40
-50 km for main lines Service.

 Substation receive power from 110/132 kV, 3-phase network (or grid). At these substations, this high-
voltage 3-phase supply is converted into a low-voltage single-phase supply with the help of Scott-
connected or V-connected 3-phase transformers.

 Next low AC voltage is converted to the suitable DC voltage by using suitable rectifiers or converters
(like rotary converter, mercury-arc rectifier, metal or semiconductor rectifiers).

 DC motors are better suited for frequent and rapid speed control than AC motors.

 DC train equipment is lighter, less costly, and more efficient than similar AC equipment.

 When operating under the same conditions, the DC train consumes less energy than a Single-phase AC
train.

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 The erection cost and maintenance cost of the conductor rail is less than that of a single-phase AC system.

 No electrical interference with overhead communication lines in the DC traction system.

 The only disadvantage of the DC system is the necessity of locating AC/DC conversion sub-stations at
relatively short distances apart.

Single-Phase Low-frequency AC Traction System

 In this system, AC voltages from 11 to 25 kV at the frequency (50 Hz), (50/2 Hz), (50/3 Hz) Hz are used.

 Electric supply is taken from the high voltage transmission lines at 50 Hz, then in addition to a step-down
transformer, the substation is provided with a frequency converter.

 Supply is fed to the electric locomotors via a single over-head wire (running rail providing the return path).

 A step-down transformer carried by the locomotive reduces the 15-kV voltage to 300-400 V for feeding the
AC series motors.

 To overcome the low power factor and commutation problem in the AC Series motor, a low-frequency AC
supply is used.

 Another advantage of employing low frequency is that it reduces telephonic interference.

 Substations are 50 to 80 km apart.

Three-phase Low-frequency AC System

 It uses 3-phase induction motors which work on a 3 kV to 3.6 kV at (50/3 Hz) supply.

 Sub-stations receive power at a very high voltage from 3-phase transmission lines at the usual industrial
frequency of 50 Hz.

 This high voltage is stepped down to (3 kV to 3.6 kV) by transformers and frequency is reduced from 50 Hz
to (50/3 Hz) by frequency converters.

 This system employs two overhead contact wires and the track rail forming the third phase.

 Induction motors used in the system are quite simple and robust and give trouble-free operation.

 The induction motor used in this traction system has high efficiency and the ability of automatic
regenerative braking.

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Single-phase AC to DC System
 This system combines the advantages of high-voltage AC distribution at the industrial frequency with the
DC series motors traction.

 It employs an overhead 25-kV, 50-Hz supply which is stepped down by the transformer installed in the
locomotive itself.

 The low-voltage AC supply is then converted into a DC supply by the rectifier which is also carried on the
locomotive.

 This DC supply is finally fed to the DC series traction motor fitted between the wheels.

 The system of traction employing 25-kV, 50-Hz, 1-phase AC supply has adopted by Indian Railway.

Types of Railway Services

There are three types of passenger services

1. City or Urban services

2. Suburban services

3. Main line service

1. City or Urban Services

In this type of service there are frequent stops, the distance between stops being nearly 1Km or less. Thus, in
order to achieve moderately high schedule speed between the stations, it is essential to have high
acceleration and retardation.

2. Suburban services
Here, the distance between the stops averages from 3 to 5Kms over a distance of 25 to 30Kms from the city
terminus. In this case also, high rates of acceleration and retardation are necessary .

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3. Main Line Service

In this case, operation is over long routes and infrequent. Here, operating speed is high and acceleration and
braking periods are relatively less important.

Speed Time Curves

The movement of trains and their energy consumption can be conveniently studied by means of speed-time
and speed-distance curves. Speed-time curves are more important because of the following reasons:

1. Its slope gives acceleration or retardation

2. Area between it and horizontal axis represents the distance travelled

3. Energy required for propulsion can be calculated if resistance to the motion of the train is known.

A typical speed time curve for electric trains operating on passenger services mainly consists of the following
parts:

1. Constant acceleration period

2. Acceleration on speed time

3. Free running period

4. Coasting

5. Braking

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1. Constant acceleration period (0 to t1)

 During this period the traction motors accelerate from rest, the current taken by the motors and the
tractive effort are practically constant.

 This is also Known as notching up period

 It is also represented by portion OL

2. Acceleration on speed curve (t1 to t2)

 After the starting operation of the motors is over, the train still continues to accelerate along the curve
LM. During the period, the motor current and torque decrease as train speed increases. Hence,
acceleration gradually decreases till torque developed by the motors exactly balances that due to
resistance to the train motion.

 The shape LM of the speed-time curve depends primarily on the torque-speed characteristics of the
traction motors.

3. Free-running period (t2 to t3)

 At the end of speed curve running that is at t2 the train attains the maximum speed. During this period the
train runs at constant speed attained at t2 and constant power is drawn.

 It is represented by portion MN

4. Coating (t3 to t4)

 At the end of free running period, the power supply is cutoff and the train is allowed to run under its own
momentum. The speed of the train starts decreasing on account of resistance to the motion of train. The
rate of decrease of speed during coasting period is known as coasting retardation.

 Coasting is desirable since it utilizes some of the kinetic energy of the train which would, otherwise, be
wasted during braking. Hence, it helps to reduce the energy consumption of the train.

 It is represented by portion NP.

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5. Braking (t4 to t5)

 During this period brakes are applied and the train is brought to a rest position.

 It is represented by a portion PQ.

Typical speed time curves of different services are as follow

a. It represents city service where relative values of acceleration and retardation are high in order to achieve
moderately high average speed between stops. Due to short distances between the steps, there is no
possibility of free-running period through a short coasting period is included to save on energy
consumption.

b. Here suburban services are represented in which again there is no free-running period but there is
comparatively longer coasting period because of longer distances between the stops. In this case also,
relatively high values of acceleration and retardation are required in order to make the services as
attractive as possible.

c. It represents main line service. Here, there are long periods of free-running at high speeds. The
acceleration and retardation periods are relatively less important.

Definition of Different Types of Speeds

Crest Speed
 It is the maximum speed (Vm) attained by the locomotive during the run

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Average Speed
The distance covered between the two stops divided by the actual time of run is known as average speed

Schedule Speed
 It is defined as the ratio of distance covered between two stops and total time of run including the time of
stop

 This shows that schedule speed is always smaller than average speed

Simplified speed time curves

The speed time curve of an urban service can be replaces by an equivalent speed time of simple quadrilateral

 The speed time curve of a main line service is best and most easily replaces by a trapezoid

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Nature of Traction Load

When a train runs on level track the following types of frictional forces oppose its motion:

1. Internal friction: It consists of friction at bearings, guides etc.

2. External friction: It is the friction between the wheel flanges and rails.

3. Air friction: It is independent of weight of the train but depends upon its size and shape, and
velocity and relative direction of wind.

All these frictional forces collectively termed as train resistance.

Tractive Effort
 Force is required to move a train from the rest position to moving condition.

 Depending on the load on the train, track, fuel quality, etc. the force required will vary.

 Tractive effort is the force developed by the traction motors at the wheel rims to move the train.

 It is represented by 'Ft' and is measured in newton.

The net effective force or the total tractive effort (Ft) on the wheel of a locomotive or a train to run on the
track is equals to the sum of tractive effort:

a) Required for linear and angular acceleration (Fa)

b) To overcome the effect of gravity (Fg)

c) To overcome the frictional resistance to the motion of the train (Fr)

Coefficient of adhesion (μ):

It is defined as the ratio of the tractive effort (Ft) to propel the wheel of a locomotive to its adhesive weight
(W).

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Specific Energy Consumption

 The energy input to the traction motors is called specific the energy consumption of the train since it is the
energy consumed for propelling the train.

 The total energy drawn from the distribution system will be greater than this by the quantity required for
lighting, heating, control, and braking.

 The specific energy consumption can be expressed in watt-hours per ton-km.

 Factors affecting the specific energy consumption are given as follows.

a. Distance between the stations: Specific energy consumption is inversely proportional to the
distance between stations. Greater the distance between stops is, the lesser will be the specific
energy consumption.

b. Acceleration and retardation: For a given schedule speed, the specific energy consumption will
accordingly be less for more acceleration and retardation.

c. Maximum speed: For a given distance between the stops, the specific energy consumption
increases with the increase in the speed of train.

d. Gradient and train resistance: Specific energy consumption is more on steeper gradient. So, it is
more with high train resistance.

2. Specific energy consumption is inversely proportional to the distance between the stations. Greater the
distance between stops is, the lesser will be the specific energy consumption.

Acceleration in Retardation in Maximum speed in Distance between

Type of service
kmphps kmphps kmph stations in km

Urban 1.5 to 4 3 to 4 60 1

Suburban 1.5 to 4 3 to 4 75 1 to 8

Main line 0.6 to 0.8 1.5 110 More than 10

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As the distance between the stops is least in urban service, specific energy consumption is highest in urban
service.

The typical values of the specific energy consumption:

1. Main line service: 20 – 30 W-hr/ton-km

2. Urban and suburban services: 50 – 60 W-hr/ton-km

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