Tesla’s Induction Motors as a Traction Motor for Electrical

Traction Vehicles
Lungu Flavius Mihai

Introduction :
Talking into consideration tehnical development in the second half of the 19th century,
it is understable that the first electrical traction vehicles were equipped with DC traction
motors. This goes for the first demonstration electrical locomotive from 1879, the first tram
in 1881 and the first real electrical locomotive in 1895.
Induction motor : was patented in 1888. Already in 1891, the research on the
application of the new type of motor to electrical traction started. In Charlottenburg, the
company Semens&Halske built an experimental track with two overhead phase wires and
rails as the third phase. The 550 V voltage was applied, and the research was carried out on
an experimental vehicle.
The first three-phase experimental locomotive :
The investigation on a tram equipped with an induction motor started in Switzerland,
in Lungano, in 1892. Already in 1895 the first three-phase tram was put in operation.

(Fig. 1 : The first electrical locomotive)

The company Siemens&Halske constructed in 1897 nearby Berlin, in Lichterfelde, an

experimental track equipped with three-phase 10 kV voltage overhead wire system. The first
three-phase experimental locomotive was built of wood, and the next one had in iron
construction.
 Three-phase AC railway electrification was used in Italy, Switzerland and the United
States in the early twentieth century. Italy was the major user, from 1901 until 1976, although
lines through two tunnels also used the system; the Simplon Tunnel in Switzerland from 1906
to 1930, and the Cascade Tunnel of the Great Northern Railway in the United States from
1909 to 1939. The first line was in Switzerland, from Burgdorf to Thun (40 km or 25 mi),
since 1899.
Locomotives were equipped with a transformer and one 650 V voltage induction
traction motor. Three overhead were laid down by the track.

Generally two separate overhead wires are used, with the rail for the third phase,
though occasionally three overhead wires are used. At junctions, crossovers and crossings the
two lines must be kept apart, with a continuous supply to the locomotive, which must have
two live conductors wherever it stops. Hence two collectors per overhead phase are used, but
the possibility of bridging a dead section and causing a short circuit from the front collector
of one phase to the back collector of the other phase must be avoided. The resistance of the
rails used for the third phase or return is higher for AC than for DC because of the "skin"
effect, but lower for the low frequency used than for industrial frequency. Losses are also
increased, though not in the same proportion, as the impedance is largely reactive.
The locomotive needs to pick up power
from two (or three) overhead conductors. Early
locomotives on the Italian State Railways used a
wide bow collector which covered both wires but
later locomotives used two pantographs side by
side. In the United States, a pair of trolley
poles were used. They worked well with a
maximum speed of 15 miles per hour (24 km/h).
The dual conductor pantograph system is used
on four mountain railways that continue to use
three-phase power (Corcovado Rack
Railway in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, Jungfraubahn and Gornergratbahn in
Switzerland and the Petit train de la Rhune in
France).

The system provides regenerative

brakingwith the power fed back to the system, so
is particularly suitable for mountain railways (Fig. 2 : The Petit train de la Rhune in France)
(provided the grid or another locomotive on the line can accept the power). The locomotives
use three-phase induction motors. Lacking brushes and commutators, they require less
maintenance. The early Italian and Swiss systems used a low frequency, and a relatively low
voltage (3,000 or 3,600 volts) compared with later AC systems.
In 1897 and 1898 two narrow gauge railways in Switzerland, Gornergrat and Jungfrau, were
electrified with three-phase overhead wire system.
The first European electrical locomotive equipped with induction traction motors was built in
Switzerland in 1899.
The following is a list of the railways that have used this method in the past. They are no
longer in use :
I. Tha Cascade Tunnel of the Great Northern Railway
II. The Giovi Railway between Genoa and Pontedecimo in Italy
III. The Sanat Fe-Gergal in Spain
IV. The Simplon Tunnel in Switzerland
V. The Valtellina Line of Italian State Railways

(Fig. 3 : The ValteLine of Italian State Railways)

The following is a list of the current systems :
I. The Corcovado Rack Railway in Rio de Janeiro Brazil
II. The Gornergratbahn in Switzerland
III. The Jungfraubahn in Switzerland
IV. The Petit train de la Rhune in France

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 such as electric multiple
units and other electric vehicles such as electric milk floats, elevators, conveyors,
and trolleybuses, as well as vehicles with electrical transmission systems such as diesel-
electric, electric hybrid vehicles, and battery electric vehicles.

Since the Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) became main-stream with the launch of the
Toyota Prius in 1997, the use of rare earth magnets in vehicle traction motors has become
common. In particular the rare earth based, hard magnetic material Neodymium Iron Boron
(NdFeB) has offered significant performance benefits, not possible with other technologies,
enabling the development of compact, torque- and power-dense electric traction motors. This
trend has continued as mass market Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) such as the Nissan Leaf,
have come to market. However in 2011–2012 the price of these materials rose significantly,
owing to geopolitical concerns relating to security of supply. Whilst the price has recovered
more recently closer to historical levels, concern still remains in the minds of governments
and many manufacturers of hybrid and electric vehicles. Reports have also raised questions
over the environmental sustainability of these materials and this has further encouraged users
to consider alternatives. This paper therefore examines why these magnetic materials have
been so successful in traction motor applications. It also explores the alternatives, including
those which are ready for market and those which are in the process of being developed.

Tesla’s three-phase system : was used for the production of the electrical energy
and transmission to the traction stations.
At first the Marbegno hydropower plant was equipped with three 1470 kW turbines
and 20 kV Schukert generators. In the traction substations equipped with 300 kVA
transformers, the voltage was reduced to 3000 V.
The delivery of ten electrical motorcars, two freight locomotives, nine traction
substations and the cnstruction of the overhead wire system were included in the first
contract.
The research in Germany continued with the construction of the two experimental
electrical motorcars and an experimetal electrical locomotive provided with induction traction
motors on the 23 km long line Marienfelde-Zossen.
In Octomber 1903 the experimental electrical motorcar equipped with four 500 kW,
1000 V induction traction motors reached the speed of 210 km/h. It was supplied from three
10000 V overhead wires located by the track.

The condition of the supply from the single-phase overhead wire system made
possible the development of rotary convertors for the supply of induction traction mototrs. In
the period between the two Word Wars, a few types of rotary convertors made for this
purpose were developed but no solution proved to be enough for wider usage. Robust
construction of induction motor showed very good performances applied to the traction drive
but the limited possibilties of convertors prevented the realization of the desired traction
characteristics.

Conclusion :
The advance in the development of the power electroncs led to considering the
applictaion of the emi-conductor power converters to the traction drives. In 1965 the
company Brush in England made the first attempt using solid-state electronics on one
reconstructed diesel-electrical locomotive. Squirrel-cage rotor induction motors were applied.
Thanks to the supply through semi-conductor thyristor and transistor inverters with
microprocessor control, traction drive with Tesla’s induction motor reached full recognition.
Over the last two decades, all around the world, numerous classes of traction vehicles, for
railways and public city transport, have been equipped with Tesla’s induction motors.
Bibliography :

Webologie :
 http://www.teslasociety.com/
 http://www.sciencedirect.com/
 http://www.nycsubway.org/
Carti :
 Sixth International Symposium Nikola Tesla
(October 18-20, 2006, Belgrade, SASA, Serbia)