IMPROVING THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF AC ELECTRICAL LOCOMOTIVES EQUIPPED WITH COMMUTATOR DRIVES

Abstract

The national strategy for improving energy conservation level in the field of traction rolling stock is being implemented through the procurement of new energy-efficient locomotives and modernization of in-service fleet. The AC electric locomotives of Russian Railways equipped with commutator traction machines, have rather poor power performance characteristics in traction and regenerative braking mode, which leads to a significant consumption of electricity and growth of operating costs, which unacceptable in difficult political and economic conditions. To improve the energy efficiency of AC electric locomotives equipped with commutator traction machines and thyristor converters, a variety of ways were proposed, and many technical solutions have been implemented, but the problem still remains of issue. One of the ways of solving these problems that has not hitherto been implemented is constructing the converter based on a single-phase double-bridge rectifier using diode arms, as well as its new control algorithm.