Energy efficiency of traction drive of railway road electric locomotives

The subject of the study is energy efficiency of traction power supply system and traction electric drive of electric locomotives. The article is scientifically based on the assessment of the energy efficiency of the mutually connected system of electric traction of trains. The study is aimed at solving problems on reduction of voltage losses in the contact system, active power in the contact system and traction electric drive of electric locomotives. This is possible due to the full and continuous use of the electrical potential of the power supply system. The research methodology is based on the law of energy preservation, mathematical modeling of the energy process and spectral analysis of voltage and current on the current collector of the electric locomotive. Analytically and by results of calculation it has been proved that significant losses of voltage, active power in the contact system, traction electric drive of electric locomotives are caused by unsatisfactory operation of power regulators and mismatch of voltage level in the contact power network, which is necessary for realization of heavy and high-speed driving of trains. In order to eliminate the negative effect of the inductive coupling of AC traction power supply on the energy efficiency and speed of trains, it is proposed to increase the voltage in the DC contact system and develop power regulators of electric locomotives. Mathematical model of DC electric traction system shows possibilities of reduction of electric energy losses and increase of movement speed due to application of electric semiconductor variator for matching of high voltage in contact system with voltage of traction electric motors of electric locomotive.