ELECTRIC TRACTION & MEANS OF POWER SUPPLY UNIT IV

1. SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC TRACTION

2. D.C. & A.C. SYSTEM

3. POWER SUPPLY FOR ELECTRIC TRACTION SYSTEM

4. COMPARISION & APPLICATION OF DIFFERENT TYPE OF SYSTEM

5. SUB-STATION & EQUIPMENT LAYOUT

6. CONDUCTOR RAIL & PANTOGRAPH

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 SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC TRACTION
Traction systems can be classified as-

One those not involves electric energy e.g. steam locomotive, Internal combustion engines

(Diesel engines)

Others those involves use of electricity.g. Diesel- Electric, Battery- Electric, Straight Electric
Engines.

Steam Engine Drives-Advantage-

1. Simple Design.

2. Easy Speed Control

3. Independent of Track.

4. Low initial cost and low track electrification.

5. Simplified Maintenance

6. Operational Dependability

7. No interference with telecommunication lines.

Drawbacks-

1. Low thermal efficiency. As used low pressure steam and non condensing type as such
efficiency 5-7%.

2. Need supply of feed water at regular interval and feeds need sufficient time.

3. Need steaming time, to make locomotive operative.

4. Coal and water also carried out by steam locomotive.

5. In steam locomotive because of boiler C.G. is very much high , which limits its speed while
negotiating curves.

6. S.L.M. performance depends upon firing rate of coal, single fireman maintain firing rate
2000kg/hr. and two foreman maintain rate about 2700kg/hr.

7. Due to unbalance force produced by reciprocating mass coefficient of adhesion 0.25 as

compared to Electric Locomotive 0.3 to0.45 , which effects its capacity and design.

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8. Due to low coefficient of adhesion power weight ratio is low.

9. Due to unbalance reciprocating force wear and tear of track is more.

10. As S.L.M. carries coal and water also their payload is reduced.

11. More crew members are required in S.L.M.

12. Due to coal and dust S.L.M. is not clean service.

13. S.L.M. repair cost is heavy.

14. S.L.M. having low operational availability.

15. Bigger size work shop shade needed.

16. Due to low coefficient of adhesion low acceleration and retardation.

17. Not suitable for underground railway.

Electric Drives (E.E.T) Advantages-

1. Cleanliness, no smoke and dust.

2. High starting torque-It is possible to achieve high acceleration of 1.5 to 2.5 kmphps. Against
0.6 to0.8 in S.L.M.

3. Handle greater traffic density and greater industrialization.

4. High schedule speed.

5. Power requirement 50 kw/track km.with load factor 60-70%.As such provide important base
load.

6. Encourage rural electrification.

7. Flexibility of operation-It can handle easily urban and sub urban traffic smoothly.8. Low
maintenance cost and maintenance time.

8. Starting time- E.L.M. are ready to start against 2hrs. Required for S.L.M.

9. Braking is better even regenerative braking can be used, less wear and tear of brake shoes.

10. Absence of unbalance force.-Due to absence of unbalance reciprocating mass coefficient of

adhesion is more as compared to S.L.M. less wear and tear of track good riding quality.

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11. C.G. of E.L. is lower so electric locomotive can handle curve at higher speed.

12. Operational convenience at severe gradients.

13. Like S.L.M. ash and free cleaning pit coaling crane and water supply plant are not required
in E.L.M. Shed and workshop space is low.

14. Increase in line capacity, high acceleration and retardation is possible with high speeds of
goods train even at gradients.

Disadvantages-

1. High capital cost as it needs track electrifications and higher cost overhead supply system.

2. Power failure effects traffic for hours.

3. Traction is tied up with electrified routs.

4. Radio interference in communication lines.

5. Provisions of +ve booster required in return current paths to avoid corrosions.

6.In cold countries a service locomotive is required to run up and down the line in order to
prevent fornmation of layer of ice on conductor rail.

7.Steam locomotive can use their steam for heating the xcompartment in cold season very
cheaply , as compared to Electric locomotive.

SYSTEM OF RAILWAY ELECTRIFICATIONS

1.DC System 600V, 750V, 1500V AND 3000V.

2.Single phase AC System-15 to 25KV, 16.67, 25 and 50 Hz.

3. Three phase AC. System- 3.3 to 3.6KV at 16.67Hz.

4. Composite System-Involves conversion of single phase AC to 3 phases AC or DC.

EFFICIENCY-

S.No. Traction System Efficiency

1 Electric Locomotive with H.P.P. 40-42%

2. Electric Locomotive with T.P.P. 35%

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3. Diesel-Electric locomotive 26-30%

4. Steam locomotive 5-7%

DC SYSTEM

1. In India 600-750V DC is used in urban system and main service line 1500V-3000V.

2. E.g. 1500V Igatpuri to Bombay , V.T.and Poona. 3000V is used in Howrah VARDHMAN
section later replaced by 25KV A.C..

3. In DC system electric motors used are DC series motors, compound motors.

4. Contact system in DC is third railtype or overhead conductor type . Third rail is used for low
voltage say 750V.

5. Contact system is fed by substation spaced 3 to 5 km and main service line 15 to 30 km.

6. Substation received power on high voltage 3 phase , as such substation consists of rotary
converter or mercury arc rectifier and transformer.

7. These substation themselves received power from 220/132kv 3phase network. This high
voltage 3 phase supply is converted into low voltage single phase supply by Scott connected
or V connected transformer. This low voltage single phase AC is converted to suitable DC supply
using rectifier or converters.

8. DC motors produces high starting torque for given armature current and has smaller weight
per h.p. and lower maintenance cost as compared to A.C. series motors .

9. This system is better suited for urban and suburban service where frequent starting and
stopping encountered.

Disadvantages-High cost of substation. These substations are placed at shorter distance and to
be provided with negative booster .There are more corrosion in underground work as
compared to A.C. system.

For heavy suburban service low voltage DC system have following advantages-

1. DC trains consume less energy than single phase AC trains.

2. No interference with overhead communications lines.

3. Equipments of DC trains are less costly and more efficient than similar AC equipments.

5. For distribution conductor rails are less costly.

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6. For frequent and rapid accelerations of heavy trains DC motors are best suited than AC
motors.

SINGLE PHASE AC SYSTEM

1.Studies indicates that single phase series motors at low frequency supply at low frequency
supply improve commutation properties but at same time p.f. and efficiency also increases
.They are suitable for maximum operating voltage 300-400V.

2. In single phase AC system AC series motors are used for getting necessary locomotive power.

3. For economy single conductor at high voltage 15Kv and frequency 16.67 -25 Hz is used , the
return path through rail.

4.High voltage supply which reduces the current consumption viz. impedance drop, as such
substation are spaced 50-80km.

5. In case of industrial supply simply transformer and frequency converter is required.

6. Locomotive carries step-down transformer which step down 15Kv TO 300-400Vfor series
motors. On load tap changing gear is applied for variable current.

7. System is developed in 1904 at Sweden and Switzerland. European countries adopt15 kV

16.67Hz, in America 11Kv 25Hz supply are used.

8. Rotary converter is the limitations.

Singles phase AC system is adopted for mainly main line service. Where cost of overhead
structure is of more importance and rapid acceleration and retardation is not as important as
for suburban railways.

THREE PHASE LOW FREQUENCY SYSTEM

1. In this system 3- phase induction motors is used to obtain required locomotive power. These
motors operates at 3.3Kv, 3.6Kv,16.67 Hz supply.

2. This system exist in Italy, 2 overhead conductor and rails from 3- phase supply used for
induction motors, no need of transformer.

Advantages-Ease in operation , Induction motors used in this system are quite simple, robust
and give trouble free operation, these motors having high efficiency. Saving in Substation-
Spacing

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Disadvantages-1. Two over head conductor feeding system become very much complicated at
crossing and junctions.

2.Constant speed characteristic of induction motors is not suited for traction work

3. Induction motors having speed torque characteristic similar to DC shunt motors and not
suitable for parallel operation.

COMPOSITE SYSTEM

Two type of composite system are mainly used which are-

1. Single phase to 3 phase system (or Kando System)

2. Single phase to DC system.

Single phase to three phase system- Kando system

1. This system developed in Hungry in 1932. It consists of 16kV, 50Hz single phase overhead
line, which is converted in to 3 phase supply by means of phase converter equipment installed
at locomotive.

2. This three phase supply is fed to Induction motors.

Advantage- Complicated overhead trolley wire equipment is replaced by single wire system.

Disadvantage- Low starting torque, high starting current and absence of speed control. With
development of Silicon controlled Rectifier as inverter it is possible to get variable frequency ½
cycle to 9 cycle. At low frequency Induction motors develop high torque.

Single phase to DC System

1. This system used 25 Kv 50Hz A.C. supply , which is step down by transformer in locomotive.
This supply is than converted in to DC and used in driving DC series traction motors.

This system has been used for all future electrification in India.

2. It is used between Howroh to Tuindla, Igatpuri to Bhusawal, Virar to Sabarmati etc.

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Advantages-1. Light overhead Catnery system – Due to high system voltage, line current
forgiven traction power will be less.This reduce conductor cross-section and supporting
structure.

2. Even high insulation required for higher system voltage increases the cost of OHE but
reduction in cross-section area of conductor has over riding effect on reduction of overall cost
of OHE and making it simple and light.

3. Saving in Substation- Spacing between substation depends upon voltage regulation . Due to
reduction in line current in A.C. system than DC system the voltage drop oin OHE is less. This
make large spacing 50-80km against 12-30km with 3000VDC system.

4. Large spacing of substation in AC system effects lot of flexibility in location of site of

substation.

5. It is possible to take power supply directly from H.V. National grid substation.

6. Transformer ranging 7 to 12.5 MVA USED i.e. 10-12MW.

7. In DC system there is limitation of size of substation working capacity limited to 2-6MW.

8. In case of DC locomotive coefficient of adhesion is 27% against AC rectifier locomotive using

DC traction motor is 45%.

9. Starting efficiency of A.C. locomotive is higher than DC locomotive.

10. The cost of fixed installation for 25kV. 3000VDCand 1500vdcis in ascending order.

11. Traffic density also making this system economical is also in ascending order.

12. In case of AC locomotive power drawn is low initially and will rise only with increase in
speed of train.

Disadvantage of 25kV A.C. System

1. It produces both current and voltage unbalancing effect on supply.

2. It produces interference in communication circuit.

Both short coming can be overcome by-

1. Balancing traction load equally in all phases.

2. By using Scott or T connected 3 phase/2 phase transformer s in traction substations.

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3. By using isolating transformer which reduce induced voltage and keep it below 60 V.

4. We use booster transformer and return conduter to reduce interference at source in case of
thickly populated area.

5. Traction load are balanced equally in three phase by connecting different substation across
different phase say RY-YB-BR in rotation.

6. Connection with high capacity grid.

COMPERISION BETWEEN AC AND DC SYSTEM

1. DC series motors develop more starting torque as well as running torque for same size of AC
motors. Therefore DC motors are capable of of giving more acceleration as compared to AC
motors.

2. Number of speed in DC motors is limited as compared to AC motors, wherein with the help of
tap changer many speed is possible.

3. DC series motors are less costly more efficient and lighter as compared to AC motors of same
hp.

4. Regenerative braking is more efficient and has less complication as compared to AC system.

5. More elaborate negative boosting is required in AC as compared to DC system.

6. Number of substation needed for given track km is less in AC system as compared to DC

system.

7. Overhead distribution is lighter and less costly in AC system than DC system.

8. AC system has high interference in communication lines as compared to DC system.

9. Rail conductor system of track electrification is less costly in DC system as compared to AC

system.

10. Maintenance required is less in DC system as compared to AC system.

SUB-STATION & EQUIPMENT LAYOUT

1. Continuity of supply is to be maintained in all conditions. As such supply is fed to substation
by two sources or in double ckt. Transmission lines.

2. Two bus bar , one main , other transfer and connected to bus coupler.

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3. Isolaters are provided both the side for sectionalizing the bus for maintenance.

4.Two 132/25 kV transformer used. At a time only one is operational. These transformers are
provided with tap changer +10% and-5%.

5.One transformer ckt. Breaker, one feeder ckt. Breaker of 25kV. Single pole with associated
double pole isolator are provided on secondary side of transformer.

6. Feeder ckt. Breaker is required with over load relay, impedance relay. All the faults are clear
by operation of this breaker.

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Feeding post1.Normally two feeders are running between substations and feeding post.

2. Each feeder has two conductor one insulated for 25kV and other for 3 kV for connection to
track as return path 20sqmm. Copper or 400sqmm. ACSR used. These feeders are connected to
two set of bus bar through two oil ckt. Breaker.

3.These two set of bus bar are connected with each other with bus coupuler.

4.As such feeding will not stop even if one iof the feeder goes off or taken out for maintenance
purpose.

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5. 25Kv ckt. Breaker of feeding post are controlled by remote control centre of .

6. Interlock double pole isolating switches are provided on both side of ckt. Breaker for safety
and maintenance.

7. In case of two track line there are four interrupter two for each feeder and supply two track
on one side of feeder post.

Miscellaneous Equipments at control pot at switching station

1. Lightning arrester.

2.Auxillary transformer 25kV/230V of 10 KVA.capacity for supply required for remote control
equipments’.

3. Potential Transformer.

4.Batteries for operations of remote control equipments.

MAJOR EQUIPMENTS AT SUB STATION

1.Transfomers- Traction transformers are specially designed to withstand severe operating

conditions. They are required to have high short ckt. Time capacity. They have class A
insulations.

2.In order to limit the effect of short ckt. Impedance of transformer is not less than 8.5% for
10MVA and 10% for 12.5MVA. Having tap changer plus/minus 10%.

3. Circuit Breaker- The ckt. Breaker should have capacity 750A, at 25kV, and interrupting
capacity 500MVA .MOCB are used.

4. Interrupter-It is non-automatic type ckt. Breaker installed at feeding, sub sectioning and
paralleling post. They are provided with interlock.

5. Remote Control Centre- It is required to have compressive picture of supply condition and
arrangement to operate switchgear for which Remote Control Centre are required.

MAIN EQUIPMENT FOR DC SUB STATION

Apart from other equipments the main equipments for DC Sub-Station are for conversion of AC
to DC for traction purpose-

a. By rotary converter.
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b.By Mercury Arc Rectifier

c. By Semi-conductor rectifier.

In India Mercury Arc Rectifier are widely used due to-

a. Operation is simple and noiseless.

b. It responds quickly to baring load.

c. It having less weight and occupies less space.

d. Maintenance cost is low.

e. Full load efficiency is between 80 to 95% , it having higher efficiency.

f. Easy voltage regulation by grid control.

132kV grid voltage is step-down to 1.5 k V DC.

CATANARIES

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 OVERHEAD LINE CATENARY

For speed up to 120kmph. Simple CATENARY used,.

For speed 190-224 kmph. Compound CATENARY is used,.
For speed 144kmph. Modified Y simple CATENARY is used.

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 CONDUCTOR RAIL & PANTOGRAPH

PANTOGRAPH

(Single pan pantograph)

BOW COLLECTER

BOW COLLECTER
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 BOW COLLECTER

PENTOGRAPH CROSS ARM PENTOGRAPH

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 Double pan pantograph
BOW COLLECTER

1. It can be used at high speed.

2. It require the provision of duplicating bow or an arrangement for reversing the bow for
motion in reverse direction.

3. Most disadvantage of bow collector is its irreversible operation and low current collection
capacity. Both of these two disadvantages are overcome in pantograph.

PENTOGARPH
1Main function of pantograph is to maintain the link between the overhead system and power
ckt. Of locomotive. At varying speed, in different climate and wind condition on varying
stiffness of OHE

2. A positive pressure is to be maintained at all time to avoid loss of contract and sparking. But
this pressure shall be low to minimize wear and tear of wire.

3. There are two type of pantograph-

a. Diamond type.

b. Single ended faively type.

4. Traditional diamond type pantograph consists of pressed steel channel section fitted with
renewable collector strip and supported at apex of pantograph with tubular framework.

5. The collected strips is forced against contact wire by upward action of pantograph spring.

6. In DC overhead system collector strip of copper, copper-steel, aluminum are bronze is used.
But required some lubricating medium as metalized carbon collector s are used.

7. Main disadvantage of Diamond pantograph is forgiven vertical range it require lot of area.

8. British railways have used cross armed diamond type pantograph, this save about 30% area.

9. For 25 KV AC since current collected is small simple pan pantograph is sufficient, but for
1500VDC where current collection may range unto 2500A two pan pantographs may be in use.

10. Pantograph be raised or lowered from cabin by any of the following method-

a. Air raised gravity lowered.

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b. Air raised spring lowered.

c. Spring raised air lowered.

11. In case of 25 KV AC traction system contact wire of OHE is of light section. As such low contact
pressure 6.6 to 9 kg against 10-15 kg in DC is used.

CONDUCTOR RAIL SYSTEM

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1. Early days electric traction employed conductor rail system. Of supply of electric power to
traction unit. It was due to belief unsatisfactory current collection at high speed from overhead
supply.

2. This system is used in many countries mainly for high density suburban traffic.

3. Supply is collected fom an insulted rail running parallel to the track at distance 0.3 to 0.4 m
and return path through running rails.

4. In underground system of traction in large cities insulated return rail is used to eliminate any
electrolyte action of public service buried in vicinity.

5. In majority of rail system current collection is from top surface of rail, but in certain case it is
from side or under side of conductor rail.

6. Conductor rail having low resistance, to reduce voltage drop at joint, the conductor rail are
riveted or jointed together by copper conductor.

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7. Conductor rail system is suitable for heavy current collection top contact system for voltage
750V A and side contact system up to 1200V.

BIBLOGRAPHY
UTILIZATION OF ELECTRIC POWER
Unit IV
ELECTRIC TRACTION AND MEANS OF SUPPLYING POWER

S. No. Book Name Writer Page No.

1 Utilization Of Electric Power R. K. Rajput 452-477

2 Art and Science of Utilization of Electric Energy H. Pratap 495-514

3. Utilization Of Electric Power J. B. Gupta 411-458

4 Utilization Of Electric Power Swarnkar, Choudhary 5.1-5.38

5 Utilization Of Electric Power Pooja Jain 5.1 – 5.18

6.1-6.2

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