Electric Locomotives Energy Saving by the Discrete-Adaptive Traction Drive Control: Experimental Confirmation

This paper is devoted to studying a freight electric locomotives efficiency increasing. Energy efficiency indicators for various operating conditions were analyzed. The locomotive efficiency in function of tractive power was found by statistical processing of on-board recorder data. The experience shows that electric locomotives energy efficiency in operational conditions is less than nominal value. A locomotive efficiency control system for multi-engine traction drive has been developed, the power utilization factor is chosen as a criterion. As a result, this increases the locomotive efficiency distributing the tractive force over the optimum number of traction motors when operate at partial load. Direct confirmation of the reduction in energy consumption was obtained from operational tests. All other things being equal, when the electric locomotive operates in discrete-adaptive mode in combination with automatic speed control, an increase in the efficiency by 11.1% and a decrease in the specific power consumption for traction by 25% are achieved.