ELECTRIC TRACTION

A SEMINAR

by
NAGARJUNAREDDY UMMADI
16005A0205
Ⅳ -YEAR
BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
in
ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
(AUTONOMOUS)
CONTENTS:

INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………….................................1

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES…………………… ….........…………………2

TYPES…………………………………………………………………….………………...3

SYSTEM OF TRACK ELECTRIFICATION ……………………………………………... 4

TRACTION MOTORS………………………………………………………………………5

CONCLUSIONS……………………………………………………………………………...6

REFERNCES…………………………………………………………………………………7
1. INTRODUCTION:

The system which use electrical power for traction system i.e. for railways, trams,
trolleys, etc. is called electrical traction. The track electrification refers to the
type of source supply system that is used while powering the electric locomotive
systems. It can be AC or DC or a composite supply.
Selecting the type of electrification depends on several factors like availability of
supply, type of an application area, or on the services like urban, suburban and
main line services, etc.
What is Electric Traction System?
A system which causes the propulsion of vehicle in which tractive or driving
force is obtained from various devices such as diesel engine drives, steam
engine drives, electric motors, etc. is called as traction system.

It can also be defined as the railway vehicle that provides the necessary traction
power to move the train is referred as the traction or locomotive. This traction
power can be diesel, steam or electric power.

The traction system can be classified as non-electric and electric traction

systems.

Non-electric traction system

A traction system that doesn’t use electrical energy for the movement of vehicle
at any stage is referred as non-electric traction system.

The steam engine drive is the best example of a non electric traction system and
it is the first locomotive system used before the invention of actual electric
traction systems.
 ADVANTAGES:

 Coefficient of adhesion is better.

 Cheapest method of traction.
 Less vibration.
 less maintenance cost.
 Rapid acceleration and braking.
 High starting torque.
 It has great passenger carrying capacity at higher speed.
 Free from smoke and few gases, so used for underground and tubular
railways.
 No exposure to passengers to exhaust from the locomotive
 Lower cost of building, running and maintaining locomotives and multiple
units
 Higher power-to-weight ratio (no onboard fuel tanks), resulting in
 Fewer locomotives
 Faster acceleration
 Higher practical limit of power
 Higher limit of speed
 Less noise pollution (quieter operation)
 Faster acceleration clears lines more quickly to run more trains on the track
in urban rail uses
 Reduced power loss at higher altitudes (for power loss see Diesel engine)
 Independence of running costs from fluctuating fuel prices
 Service to underground stations where diesel trains cannot operate for safety
reasons
 Reduced environmental pollution, especially in highly populated urban
areas, even if electricity is produced by fossil fuels
 Easily accommodates kinetic energy brake reclaim using supercapacitors
 More comfortable ride on multiple units as trains have no underfloor diesel
engines
 Somewhat higher energy efficiency in part due to regenerative braking and
less power lost when "idling"
 More flexible primary energy source: can use coal, nuclear, hydro or wind as
the primary energy source instead of oil
DISADVANTAGES :

 Electrification cost: electrification requires an entire new infrastructure to be

built around the existing tracks at a significant cost. Costs are especially high
when tunnels, bridges and other obstructions have to be altered for clearance.
Another aspect that can raise the cost of electrification are the alterations or
upgrades to railway signalling needed for new traffic characteristics, and to
protect signalling circuitry and track circuits from interference by traction
current. Electrification may require line closures while the new equipment is
being installed.
 Appearance: the overhead line structures and cabling can have a significant
landscape impact compared with a non-electrified or third rail electrified line
that has only occasional signalling equipment above ground level.
 Fragility and vulnerability: overhead electrification systems can suffer severe
disruption due to minor mechanical faults or the effects of high winds
causing the pantograph of a moving train to become entangled with the
catenary, ripping the wires from their supports. The damage is often not
limited to the supply to one track, but extends to those for adjacent tracks as
well, causing the entire route to be blocked for a considerable time.
Third-rail systems can suffer disruption in cold weather due to ice forming
on the conductor rail.
 Theft: the high scrap value of copper and the unguarded, remote installations
make overhead cables an attractive target for scrap metal thieves. Attempts
at theft of live 25 kV cables may end in the thief's death from
electrocution. In the UK, cable theft is claimed to be one of the biggest
sources of delay and disruption to train services — though this normally
relates to signalling cable, which is equally problematic for diesel lines.
 People may climb onto standing train cars, and some are seriously hurt or
killed when they come too close to the overhead contact line.
 Birds may perch on parts with different charges, and animals may also touch
the electrification system. Animals fallen to the ground are fetched by foxes
or other predators.
 In most of the world's railway networks, the height clearance of overhead
electrical lines is not sufficient for a double-stack container car.
Electric traction system
Electric traction involves the use of electricity at some stage or all the stages of
locomotive movement. This system includes straight electrical drive, diesel
electric drive and battery operated electric drive vehicles.

In this, electrical motors are used for producing the vehicle movement and are
powered by drawing electricity from utilities or diesel generators or batteries.

Electric traction system

It has many advantages over non-electric traction systems such as more clean
and easy to handle, no need of coal and water, easy speed control, high
efficiency, low maintenance and running costs, etc.

As mentioned above, electric traction systems can be self contained locomotives

or vehicles that receive power from electric distribution system (substations).
Self contained locomotives includes
  Battery operated electrical drives
 Diesel operated electrical drives

Vehicles that receives the power from substation is also referred as a third rail
systems which includes

 Railway electric vehicles fed from overhead AC or DC supply

 Trolley buses or tramways supplied with DC supply (i.e., battery electric
drives)

4 Supply Systems of Electric Traction

The way of giving the power supply to locomotive unit is generally referred as
traction electrification system. Presently, there are four types of track
electrification systems are available based on the availability of supply. These
are

 DC traction system
 Single phase AC traction system
 Three phase AC traction system
 Composite traction system

DC Traction System
In this traction system, electrical motors are operates on DC supply to produce
necessary movement of the vehicle. Mostly DC series motors are used in this
system. For trolley buses and tramways, DC compound motors are used where
regenerative braking is required.

The various operating voltages of DC traction system include 600V, 750 V,

1500V and 3000V.

 DC supply at 600-750V is universally employed for tramways and light

metros in urban areas and for many suburban areas. This supply is obtained
from a third rail or conductor rail, which involves very large currents.
 DC supply at 1500- 3000 is used for main line services such as light and
heavy metros. This supply is drawn mostly from an overhead line system
that involves small currents.
In both cases, only one conductor or rail is required to supply power to
locomotive while track rails are used as return conductors in majority of cases.

Both these supply voltages are fed from substations which are located 3-5 KM
for suburban services and 40 to 50KMs for main line services. These
substations receive power (typically, 110/132 KV, 3 phase) from electric power
grids.

This three phase high voltage is stepped-down and converted into single phase
low voltage using scott-connected three phase transformers.

This single phase low voltage is then converted into DC voltage using suitable
converters or rectifier such as power electronic converter, rotary converters,
mercury arc converters, etc. The DC supply is then applied to the DC motor via
suitable contact system and additional circuitry.

The advantages of this system include

 In case of heavy trains that require frequent and rapid accelerations, DC

traction motors are better choice as compared AC motors.
 DC train consumes less energy compared to AC unit for operating same
service conditions.
 The equipment in DC traction system is less costly, lighter and more
efficient than AC traction system.
 It causes no electrical interference with nearby communication lines.
Despite all these advantages, DC electrical system necessitates AC to DC
conversion substations relatively at very short distances. This is the main
disadvantage of DC traction system.

That’s why this system is preferred only for suburban and road transport
services wherein stops are frequent and also distance between stops is small.

Single Phase AC Traction System

In this type of traction system, AC series motors are used to produce the
propulsion of vehicle. This system uses AC voltages from 15-25KV at a
frequency of 16.7 (i.e., 16 2/3) or 25 Hz. This low frequency leads to give better
performance and more efficient operation by the series motor.

This single phase supply is fed to the locomotive unit via a single overhead line
while track provides the return path.

The high voltages (15-25KV) obtained from overhead conductor are stepped
down to a suitable motor operating range (typically 300-400V range) using
step-down transformer carried by the locomotive unit itself.

The secondary tapping of this transformer offer variable voltage to AC series

motor for speed regulation.

The low frequency operation of overhead line reduces the communication

interferences. Also, the reactance of the line is low at lower frequency and
hence the voltage drop in the line is reduced.

Because of this low line voltage drop, it is feasible to locate the substations at
50 to 80kms apart from each other. Therefore, this system is preferred for main
line services where cost of overhead system is not a much important factor and
for suburban services where rapid acceleration and retardation are not required.
Three Phase AC Traction System
In this, three phase induction motors are used for the movement of locomotive.
This system normally works on 3000-3600V AC at a frequency either 16 2/3 or
normal supply frequency.

This system employs two overhead lines for two phases, whereas the track
forms third phase. These conductors are powered from substations which are
rated at higher voltages and they receive power from three-phase transmission
lines.

The high voltages from transmission lines are stepped down to 3.3 KV
(3000-3600 V) by transformers while the frequency is reduced by frequency
converters installed at substations.

The three phase induction motor used in this system has the following
characteristics; simple and robust construction, provision of regenerative
braking without additional equipment and high operating efficiency, better
performance, etc.

However, these motors are suffer with some drawbacks such as high starting
current, low starting torque, complicated overhead structure, especially at
crossings and junctions and not suitable constant speed characteristics of
induction motor traction work.

These systems are adopted where high output power is required and also where
automatic regeneration braking is needed. However, these systems do not found
much favour compared to other systems.

Composite Traction System

The above discussed methods have their own merits and demerits. Single phase
AC system has less distribution cost whereas DC system has excellent driving
capability by DC series motors and three phase system has automatic
regenerative braking capacity.
So by combining the advantages of AC/DC and single/three phase systems, the
overall performance of the traction system gives better result than individual
system and hence the evolution of composite system.

Basically composite systems are of two types, namely

 Single phase to three phase system

 Single phase to DC system

Single phase to three phase system

This traction system is also called Kando system. It consists of single
phase16KV, 50 Hz supply which is fed from the substation and is being carried
through a single overhead conductor.

The single phase supply is then converted into three phase supply of the same
frequency using phase converter equipment in the locomotive itself. The three
phase supply is then fed to induction motors to drive the locomotive.

It is also possible to develop high starting torque of induction motors by

reducing the supply frequency at ½ to 9 Hz by means of inverter controlled
through silicon controlled rectifiers.

The main advantage of this system is that the overhead two conductor
arrangement of three phase AC system is reduced to a single overhead
conductor and hence more economical.
Single phase to DC system
This traction system is most popular and widely used system everywhere. It
combines the single phase high voltage AC distribution at industrial frequency
with DC series motor traction.

In this, the overhead line carries single phase, 25KV, 50 Hz supply which is
then stepped down to a desired range using step-down transformer located in the
locomotive unit itself.
This single phase supply is then converted into DC using rectifier (in the
locomotive) and then applied to DC series motor.

The advantages of this system include higher starting efficiency, less number of
substations, simple substation design and lower cost of fixed installations.

Main Parts of AC Electric Locomotive

The figure below shows the block diagram of an AC locomotive system that
employs single phase supply to drive three phase motor.

The various components of this system include overhead contact wire, circuit
breakers, pantograph, transformer, three phase traction motor, rectifier, inverter,
smoothing reactor, etc.
 Electric Locomotive
Pantograph
The main function of pantograph is to maintain link between overhead
conductor and power circuit of locomotive at different speeds of the vehicle
under all wind conditions. It collects the current from overhead conductor and
supplies to rest circuit.

Circuit Breaker
It protects the power circuit in the event of any fault by isolating it from the
supply. It also isolates the circuit during maintenance.

Transformer
It receives the high voltage from overhead conductor via pantograph and circuit
breaker and then step-down the voltage to desired level required by the rest
circuit.

Rectifier
It converts a low voltage AC supply from the secondary of transformer to a DC
supply.

DC Link
It connects the rectifier and inverter circuits. It consists of filter arrangement
(capacitor and inductor arrangement) that filters the output from rectifier (by
removing the harmonics form it) and then supplies it to the inverter.

Main Inverter
It converts the DC power to three phase AC power in order to drive three phase
AC motors.

Axle Brush
It acts as a return path for the supply. Once the power is drawn to the
locomotive from overhead system, the current complete its path through axle
brush and one of running tacks.

Auxiliary Inverter
This inverter supplies the power to other parts in the locomotive unit including
fans, motor blowers, compressors, etc.

Battery
It supplies the necessary starting current and also power up the essential circuits
such as emergency lighting.

Compressor
It maintains the cooling/heating requirement in the locomotive unit.

Cooling Fans
These fans maintain the necessary cooling for the power circuits. Modern
locomotive systems use electronically controlled air management systems to
keep the desired temperature.
TRACTION MOTOR :

A traction motor is an electric motor used for propulsion of a vehicle, such as

an electric locomotive or electric roadway vehicle.
Traction motors are used in electrically powered rail vehicles (electric multiple
units) and other electric vehicles including electric milk floats, elevators, roller
coasters, conveyors, and trolleybuses, as well as vehicles with electrical
transmission systems (diesel-electric, electric hybrid vehicles), and battery
electric vehicles.
Motor types and control

Direct-current motors with series field windings are the oldest type of traction
motors. These provided a speed-torque characteristic useful for propulsion,
providing high torque at lower speeds for acceleration of the vehicle, and
declining torque as speed increased. By arranging the field winding with
multiple taps, the speed characteristic could be varied, allowing relatively
smooth operator control of acceleration. A further measure of control was
provided by using pairs of motors on a vehicle; for slow operation or heavy
loads, two motors could be run in series off the direct current supply. Where
higher speed was desired, these motors could be operated in parallel, making a
higher voltage available at each and so allowing higher speeds. Parts of a rail
system might use different voltages, with higher voltages in long runs between
stations and lower voltage near stations where only slower operation was
needed.
A variant of the DC system was the AC operated series motor, which is
essentially the same device but operated on alternating current. Since both the
armature and field current reverse at the same time, the behavior of the motor is
similar to that when energized with direct current. To achieve better operating
conditions, AC railways were often supplied with current at a
lower frequency than the commercial supply used for general lighting and
power; special traction current power stations were used, or rotary
converters used to convert 50 or 60 Hz commercial power to the 25 Hz or 16
2/3 Hz frequency used for AC traction motors. The AC system allowed efficient
distribution of power down the length of a rail line, and also permitted speed
control with switchgear on the vehicle.
AC induction motors and synchronous motors are simple and low maintenance,
but are awkward to apply for traction motors because of their fixed speed
characteristic. An AC induction motor only generates useful amounts of power
over a narrow speed range determined by its construction and the frequency of
the AC power supply. The advent of power semiconductors has made it possible
to fit a variable frequency drive on a locomotive; this allows a wide range of
speeds, AC power transmission, and rugged induction motors without wearing
parts like brushes and commutators.

Transportation applications

Road vehicles
Traditionally road vehicles (cars, buses and trucks) have used diesel and petrol
engines with a mechanical or hydraulic transmission system. In the latter part of
the 20th century, vehicles with electrical transmission systems (powered
from internal combustion engines, batteries or fuel cells) began to be
developed—one advantage of using electric machines is that specific types can
regenerate energy (i.e. act as a regenerative brake)—providing deceleration as
well as increasing overall efficiency by charging the battery pack.

Railways
Traditionally, these were series-wound brushed DC motors, usually running on
approximately 600 volts. The availability of high-powered semiconductors
(thyristors and the IGBT) has now made practical the use of much simpler,
higher-reliability AC induction motors known as asynchronous traction
motors. Synchronous AC motors are also occasionally used, as in the
French TGV.
Mounting of motors
Before the mid-20th century, a single large motor was often used to drive
multiple driving wheels through connecting rods that were very similar to those
used on steam locomotives. Examples are the Pennsylvania Railroad
DD1, FF1 and L5 and the various Swiss Crocodiles. It is now standard practice
to provide one traction motor driving each axle through a gear drive.
usually, the traction motor is three-point suspended between the bogie frame
and the driven axle; this is referred to as a "nose-suspended traction motor". The
problem with such an arrangement is that a portion of the motor's weight
is unsprung, increasing unwanted forces on the track. In the case of the famous
Pennsylvania Railroad GG1, two bogie-mounted motors drove each axle
through a quill drive.
Windings
The DC motor was the mainstay of electric traction drives on both electric and
diesel-electric locomotives, street-cars/trams and diesel electric drilling rigs for
many years. It consists of two parts, a rotating armature and fixed field
windings surrounding the rotating armature mounted around a shaft. The fixed
field windings consist of tightly wound coils of wire fitted inside the motor case.
The armature is another set of coils wound round a central shaft and is
connected to the field windings through "brushes" which are spring-loaded
contacts pressing against an extension of the armature called the commutator.
The limited, otherwise the supply could be overloaded or the motor and its
cabling could be damaged. At best, the torque would exceed the adhesion and
the driving wheels would slip. Traditionally, resistors were used to limit the
initial current.
Power control
As the DC motor starts to turn, interaction of the magnetic fields inside causes it
to generate a voltage internally. This back EMF (electromotive force) opposes
the applied voltage and the current that flows is governed by the difference
between the two. As the motor speeds up, the internally generated voltage rises,
the resultant EMF falls, less current passes through the motor and the torque
drops. The motor naturally stops accelerating when the drag of the train matches
the torque produced by the motors. To continue accelerating the train, series
resistors are switched out step by step, each step increasing the effective voltage
and thus the current and torque for a little bit longer until the motor catches up.
Dynamic braking
If the train starts to descend a grade, the speed increases because the (reduced)
drag is less than the torque. With increased speed, the internally generated
back-EMF voltage rises, reducing the torque until the torque again balances the
drag. Because the field current is reduced by the back-EMF in a series wound
motor, there is no speed at which the back-EMF will exceed the supply voltage,
and therefore a single series wound DC traction motor alone cannot provide
dynamic or regenerative braking.
There are, however various schemes applied to provide a retarding force using
the traction motors. The energy generated may be returned to the supply
(regenerative braking), or dissipated by on board resistors (dynamic braking).
Such a system can bring the load to a low speed, requiring relatively little
friction braking to bring the load to a full stop.

Automatic acceleration
On an electric train, the train driver originally had to control the cutting out of
resistance manually, but by 1914, automatic acceleration was being used. This
was achieved by an accelerating relay (often called a "notching relay") in the
motor circuit which monitored the fall of current as each step of resistance was
cut out. All the driver had to do was select low, medium or full speed (called
"series", "parallel" and "shunt" from the way the motors were connected in the
resistance circuit) and the automatic equipment would do the rest
REFERENCES:

1. ^ Andreas Steimel Electric Traction - Motive Power and Energy Supply:

Basics and Practical Experience Oldenbourg Industrieverlag,
2008 ISBN 3835631322 ; Chapter 6 "Induction Traction Motors and
Their Control"
2. ^ "TGVweb - "Under the Hood" of a TGV". www.trainweb.org.
Retrieved 2017-12-12.
3. ^ Сидоров 1980, p.47