THE GREEN TRAIN

The idea of green train is effective in reducing the travel time and thus increasing the speed compared with present trains along with reduction in power consumption. This can be achieved by the following ways:

1. Regenerative brakes: A regenerative brake is an energy recovery mechanism which slows a vehicle by converting its kinetic energy into another form, which can be either used immediately or stored until needed. This contrasts with conventional braking systems, where the excess kinetic energy is converted to heat by friction in the brake linings and therefore wasted. This concept works in following ways: 1. Mechanical storage of energy: Energy from slowing the vehicle is captured through the drive train and stored in a revolving flywheel. The flywheel spins faster and faster as the energy is introduced. When the driver accelerates, the flywheel slows, sending its energy back into the drive train to help propel the vehicle. 2. Compressed fluid method: In the compressed fluid method, energy from the slowing vehicle is sent through the drive train and used to pressurize a fluid. Most often, this is used in heavy vehicles to compress hydraulic fluid. When the vehicle accelerates again, the compressed hydraulic fluid is released back through the drive train to help propel the vehicle, taking a load from the engine. This system has the added advantage of being able to be retrofitted to a vehicle after the factory. 3. Traction motors: Most electrical trains do not use manual brakes, instead relying on what are called traction motors. These are electric motors which provide resistance to the wheels turning, slowing them down. By capturing the energy in these traction motors, engineers were able to build regenerative braking into existing train systems. Most of the electrical regeneration technologies used today was started on rail systems.

2. Aerodynamic resistance: Travel time is the most important factor for attracting passengers. Shortening travel time means that higher speed is necessary. Higher speed increases the aerodynamic resistance (aerodynamic drag) of the train, if the train is the same as before. The higher speed therefore risks to increasing the energy consumption per train-km if no design changes are made on the train. Also the kinetic energy of the train increases dramatically at high speed, which would also increase energy consumption for acceleration of the train from stop to cruising speed. 3. Tunnels: Due to the high speeds all curve radii required on lines will be large. This makes it challenging to the local conditions - hills and valleys, lakes and rivers,villages and other settlement, etc. Part of the line will therefore run through tunnels.

When a train is running in a tunnel the air around itwill accelerate significantly, compared to the open air situation. In small enough tunnels this may cause a strong augmentation of the aerodynamic resistance of the train. 4. Load factor: Load factor is the ratio of occupied seat-km over offered seat-km. Energy consumption of a fast passenger train is essentially independent of the actual load factor. Therefore the specific energy consumption (per passenger-km) is practically inversely proportional to the load factor. This makes the load factor a crucial parameter in the context of energy consumption per passenger-km. The passenger carrying capacity of high speed train is very high than conventional trains. Therefore, the energy consumption of high speed trains is reduced. 5. Speed and carbody tilt: Most existing lines havea large amount of curves where speed-limits apply. To achieve competitive travel times, high-speed trains should be able to negotiate curves with considerably higher speed and cant deficiency (equivalent with lateral track-plane acceleration) than conventional trains. The current trains are therefore equipped with carbody tilt, to reduce lateral acceleration as perceived by passengers when curving. The future Green Train is assumed to have the same features, although with higher performance than present trains. Mechanism of carbody tilting: These trains automatically tilt the passenger

cars by means of hydraulic or electromechanical tilt actuators. Actuators are mechanical devices for moving or controlling a mechanism or system.

The actuators are controlled by a computer that receives signals from an accelerometer placed on the lead car to measures lateral acceleration going into the curve. A gyroscope, also on the lead car, confirms that

acceleration is caused by a curve and not by the realignment of the train such as from an irregularity in the track.

In conventional trains there were individual accelerometers for each bogie. But in the green train we use only one accelerometer and that bogie is known by the name of lead car. While constructing the rail tracks, tracks are little bit tilted just before the point from where the curve starts so that the sensors can detect the upcoming curve. In this way curves are detected by the sensors. The computer system has stored data of all the curve, about their radii, their alignment, their positions and many other informations. Hence when the curve is detected, angle of tilt is easily calculated by the computer. 6. Propulsion performance and aerodynamic resistance:the running resistance FRof a train on level straight track can be written as FR= A + B v + C v2.. (1) wherev is train speed. The two last terms expresses (mainly) the aerodynamic drag of the train, where a large part of the B-coefficient represents the impulse resistance due to ventilation and cooling purposes. At higher speeds (say over 100 km/h) the last term with the C-coefficient is usually dominating. The speed-independent A-coefficient expresses the mechanical resistance, sometimes called rolling resistance. From different factors shown in table, we conclude that the final aerodynamic drag is 20% lower than for the present trains, according to the formula FR= A + B v + C v2= 2500 + 80 v + 4.4 v (2) The train speed v is expressed in units of (m/s). Changes in air drag (in relation to present trains) Component Change in component air Change in total air drag
2

drag Wider carbody Front/tail Bogies Intercar Gaps Total +10%(=increase) -20% -50% -70% -20%

7. Losses and energy efficiency: An important matter for energy consumption is the energy efficiency or, expressed in another way, the energy losses in the propulsion system and the energy used in auxiliary machinery. In addition, comfort and service in passenger and crew compartments use energy for heating, ventilation and air condition, lighting, food preparation, doors, toilets, carbody tilt etc. Efficiency varies with power and speed. At speeds higher than 100 km/h, the average efficiency is assumed to be about 84 %, but is lower for lower speeds under acceleration or electric braking. Green Train is assumed to have about 2 % better energy efficiency in the propulsion and electric braking system than present trains. This is according to be the minimum reduction of energy losses in permanent magnet (PM) traction motors, as assumed for Green Train, compared with the induction motors of present trains. PM motors may also have simplified cooling which would reduce the need for auxiliary power and further increase energy efficiency for PM motor drive system. 8. Eco-friendly nature: The high speed trains use electric traction, thereby
producing no emissions and generating less noise than average trains. It is a typical means of green transportation. The material used for tilting the body of trains is highly recyclable. The heat losses due to friction provided by aerodynamic drag are now negligible because of the concept of the regenerative braking in which this heat energy is converted into some usable form of energy.

9.Reduced cost: The level of comforts for passengers is increased and their cost is decreased in comparison to conventional trains. For example, due to reduced travel time of these trains, the air conditioners, electric equipments etc. Operate for shorter duration for same travelling the same distance. The otherwise wasted energy is reduced by reducing aerodynamic resistance,so the cost to generate this energy is reduced. If one of the devices stop working, it can be replaced by the new one without disturbing the other devices.

The body of the trains remain unaffected by environmental conditions and other external factors due to shielding which is already provided. Hence there are reduced repair expenses. Hence these trains are economically efficient. SUMMARY # Energy consumption per seat-km is reduced by 32 % despite higher top speed and a travel time reduction of almost 10 %, if compared to the present train. # Energy consumption is estimated to be reduced by 38 %. The higher reduction per passenger km than per seat-km is due to the anticipated higher load factor which in turn is due to the more flexible train concept. # Even if top speed is increased from 200 to 250 km/h (+25 %) travel time is reduced by only 10 %. This is because the high top speed can only be utilized on a limited part of the line. The percentage of regenerated energy is twice than for the present train.