Electric rail traction in Czech Republic and level of effectiveness and energy saving measures Текст научной статьи по специальности «Электротехника, электронная техника, информационные технологии»

UDC 621.331

H. SEELMANN (BRNO UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY)

Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Institute of Railway Constructions and Structures, Veveff 331/95, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic, e-mail: seelmann.h@fce.vutbr.cz

ELECTRIC RAIL TRACTION IN CZECH REPUBLIC AND LEVEL OF EFFECTIVENESS AND ENERGY SAVING MEASURES

This measure aims to reduce the peak usage of energy for trams and trolley buses in order to limit the contracted reserve capacity and the related costs. As final result, in 2012 DPMB contracted 6.24% less of additional reserve capacity due to new system. At the moment 380 electric vehicles (240 trams and 140 trolleybuses) are equipped with this system, which was certificated by Czech Railways Authority and can now be implemented by all other public operators in Czech Republic.

Brief history of electric rail traction in Czech Republic

Railway transport

The history of railway transport in Czech Republic began in 1827 when the first section of horse railway Ceske Budejovice/Budweis - Linz (Austria) was opened. The first railway route operated by steam locomotives was section Breclav -Brno (1839) of the Northern line from Vienna (first section Vienna - Deutsch Wagram opened in 1837). In 1903 the first electric railway, the local line Tabor - Bechyne went into operation (24 km in standard gauge, traction 2x700 V DC, today 1500 V DC). In 1912 there followed a second local line Rybnik - Lipno nad Vltavou (22 km in standard gauge, traction 1200 V DC, from 1955-2003 with 1500 V DC, since 2003 with 25 kV AC/50Hz).

The next step was the electrification of the railway ring in Prague 1926-1928 (about 30 km standard gauge, traction 1500 V DC, since 1962 with 3000 V DC). Then it took nearly 20 years until the next extension: In 1957 there went into operation the first electrified long distance railway line Praha - Ceska Trebova with a length about 160 km and traction 3 kV DC. From this time most of the main Czech (and also Slovak) railway routes have been continuously electrified. An important step has been made in 1965 with the electrification of the line Kutna Hora - Jihlava (90 km) with traction 25 kV AC/50 Hz. The existence of two traction systems in formerly Czechoslovakia, however, in the 1970s caused problems in flexible operation (there existed only locomotives or electrical units with one of the two tractions). Therefore company © Seelmann H., 2014

Skoda in 1974 delivered the first dual-system locomotives. Today, Czech Railways (CD) operate even three-system electrical units (class 680 „Pendolino") and locomotives (class 380) which are able to operate also in Austria and Germany (with traction 15 kV AC/16.7 Hz).

Very important for the development and research on electric traction is the large test circuit of VUZ (Railway Research Institute) in Velim near Prague, which exists since 1963 and enables power supply either AC or DC current system (25 kV AC/50 Hz, 15 kV AC/16.7 Hz, 3 kV DC, 1.5 kV DC) and therefore allows the testing of many rail vehicles of European railway operators.

At the end of 2013 overall 3217 km of the 9468 km long railway network of SZDC (the state owned Railway Infrastructure Administration of Czech Republic) are electrified (these are 34%) with the following traction systems:

• 1788 km with 3 kV DC (mainly in the north);

• 1391 km with 25 kV AC/50 Hz (mainly in the south);

• 24 km with 1.5 kV DC (local line Tabor -Bechyne);

• 14 km with 15 kV AC/16.7 Hz (line Satov/near Austrian border - Znojmo, operated by trains of OBB/Austrian Federal Railways).

The allocation of today's electric traction systems can be seen on the following map (fig. 1).

Public urban transport (tram, metro, trolleybus)

History of electric urban rail transport in Czech Republic began in 1891 with the opening of the first tram line in Prague. Today tram systems exist in 7 cities (resp. agglomerations) with a total length of 356 km (2012). All systems are operated at voltages of approximately 600 V DC. The Czech Republic is also well known for its production of tramcars: Company CKD-Tatra manufactured with tramcar T3 the most numerous type of tram in the world (about 14.000 units).

The only city with metro system in the Czech Republic is Prague. The first section opened in 1974 and today 3 lines with a total length of 59 km

are in operation. The traction is performed at opened in 1936 in Prague. Today trolleybus

voltage 750 V DC by third rail. For the future there systems exist in 13 cities (resp. agglomerations)

are planned extensions of the existing lines as well with a total length of 393 km (2012). Most systems

as the construction of a fourth line. are operated at voltages of 600 V DC, two of

Another speciality of electric urban rail 750 V DC. transport in Czech Republic is the trolleybus which The allocation of today's electric urban rail

is considered here as railway (because of his transport can be seen on the following map (fig. 2). overhead wire). The first trolleybus line was

Railway network in the Czech Republic

Fig. 1. Railway network in the Czech Republic Source: SZDC (Railway Infrastructure Administration of Czech Republic, state organization)

Czech Republic

Public urban transport

<0 Agglomeration A. Metro system Q Tram system D Trolleybus system

Fig. 2. Public urban transport

Source: Wikimedia Commons

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Level of effectiveness and energy saving measures on electric rail traction

Use of multi-system electric locomotives and units

Because the existence of two traction systems in formerly Czechoslovakia caused problems in flexible operation in the year 1974 there were delivered the first dual-system locomotives. Today, Czech Railways (CD and CD Cargo) operate the following multi-system electric rail vehicles:

Two-system vehicles 3 kV DC and 25 kV AC/50Hz: 163 locomotives class 340 and 362/363.

Two-system vehicles 3 kV DC and 15 kV AC/16.7Hz: 16 locomotives class 371/372.

Three-system vehicles 3 kV DC, 25 kV AC/50Hz and 15 kV AC/16.7Hz: 20 locomotives class 380, 7 units class 680 („Pendolino"), 7 units class 640/650 („RegioPanter").

Furthermore, locomotives from ZSSK (Slovakia) class 350 (3 kV DC, 25 kV AC/50Hz) and OBB (Austria) class 1116 (15 kV AC/16.7Hz, 25 kV AC/50Hz) and 1216 (3 kV DC, 15 kV AC/16.7Hz, 25 kV AC/50Hz) are running with international trains also in Czech Republic.

Regenerative braking and recovery of electricity

Today regenerative braking and recovery of electricity in the electric railway network in Czech Republic is usual, but often in a limited form. The reasons for these limitations are:

Relatively small amount of electric locomotives and units capable for regenerative braking: Until now, these are 50 locomotives (class 363.5 and 380) as well as 97 units (class 440, 471, 640/650 and 680). Furthermore some locomotives of the OBB Taurus class (1116 and 1216) are runnig with international trains from and to Austria.

DC power supply system is a subject to restrictions on the maximum voltage: While European standards allow peak voltage of 3.9 kV, the locomotives of CD and CD Cargo have been only designed for a limit voltage of 3.6 kV.

Regarding the AC system the supplier of electricity (company CEZ - Czech energy plants) initially was not very interested in regenerative braking and recovery of electricity due to the stochastic occurrence of these energy source (in case of older vehicles combined with additional problems like higher harmonics and worse power factors); all these problems increase the requirements on regulation of the entire supply network. Therefore, originally, regenerative braking was banned in the AC railway network. Because of newer technolo-

© Seelmann H., 2014

gies regenerative braking and recovery of electricity now continuously is allowed on more and more lines.

It is a goal of SZDC and CD to solve these problems and increase the amount of regenerative braking and recovery of electricity in the next years.

A different situation can be found in electric urban rail transport: The Prague Metro with a large number of simultaneously circulating units with frequent acceleration and deceleration has ideal conditions for regenerative braking. Also the Czech tram and trolleybus systems have made significant efforts in the recent years: A wide range of new vehicles put into service have regenerative braking. In addition in older vehicles the expired electromechanical equipment has been replaced by new electronic one which also enables regenerative braking.

Automatic train leading by using magnetic information points

For purposes of automatic train leading (in Czech AVV) are on the track situated installations for identifying position, so-called magnetic information points. Magnetic information points are located in rails designed at the moment mainly for rides of local trains (with many stops). Description of the line ("route map") must be contained in the vehicle part of AVV ("on-board"). Based on the train position identification, the route map and information transferred though the train control device and/or input by the driver the vehicle part of AVV ensures a continuous and economical train ride. With AVV local trains can achieve savings of 7-9% of traction energy. Currently, about 350 km of tracks and about 250 locomotives and units are completely equipped with ATL.

Planned conversion of 3 kV DC to 25 kV AC/50 Hz

SZDC, the state owned Railway Infrastructure Administration of Czech Republic, plans the conversion of its lines elctrified with 3 kV DC to 25 kV AC/50 Hz during the next 30-40 years. Traction 25 kV AC/50 Hz is more efficient not only in investment but also operationally, e.g. eliminating damage by stray currents.

Optimized Energy Consumption in Tram and Trolley Bus Network - A project of Brno Public Transport Company (DPMB)

This measure was realized within the EU-project CIVITAS-ELAN in the years 2009/2010. It aimed to reduce the peak usage of energy for trams

and trolley buses in order to limit the contracted reserve capacity and the related costs. Brno Public Transport Company (DPMB) has to contract its annual expected amount of electricity to ensure the electric vehicles operation. To obtain a balanced energy distribution, there is also a requirement for DPMB to book monthly a reserve capacity for each 15-minute interval. The costs related to reserve capacity have a negative influence on the cost of electricity because unused capacity still needs to be paid and exceeding the contracted reserve capacity is heavily penalised.

To achieve these objectives a remote heating control was installed in 380 electric vehicles (240 trams and 140 trolleybuses). This includes also an automatic warning system which in case of reaching the level of reserve capacity will generate the message to be transferred to the on-board computer in the electric vehicle and switch off the heating automatically for 5 minutes.

As final result, in 2012 DPMB contracted 6.24% less of additional reserve capacity due to new system and the total savings due to the operation of the system reached almost 132.000 EUR.

The whole system was certificated by Czech Railways Authority and can now be implemented by all other public operators in Czech Republic.

REFERENCES

1. Baudys K. Zeleznicni osobni doprava [Passenger rail transport]. Ustav logistiky a managementu dopravy CVUT v Praze, Fakulta dopravni [Department of Logistics and Management of Transport of Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Transportation Sciences]. Presentation, Praha, 2013.

2. Binko M. Automaticke vedeni vlaku na siti SZDC [Automatic train leading on network of SZDC]. SZDC [Railway Infrastructure Administration, state organization]. Presentation, Praha, 2012.

3. Binko M. Modernizace zeleznicni infrastruktury do roku 2025 [Modernization of railway infrastructure up to the year 2025]. SZDC [Railway Infrastructure Administration, state organization]. Presentation, Jesenik, 2013.

4. CIVITAS ELAN project in Brno. Optimised Energy Consumption in Tram and Trolleybus Network. Internet http://www.civitas.brno.cz/

5. Rocenka dopravy Ceske republiky 2012 -Transport Yearbook Czech Republic 2012. Ministerstvo dopravy - Ministry of Transport. Praha, 2013.

6. SPZ - Stranky pratel zeleznic [Railway Fans Pages]. Statistiky vozidel zeleznicnich spolecnosti -Ceske drahy / CD Cargo [Statistics on vehicles of Railway companies - Czech railways / CD Cargo]. Internet http ://spz.lo gout.cz/stat/stat.html

7. SZDC. The Network Statement on nationwide and regional rail systems. SZDC [Railway Infrastructure Administration, state organization]. Praha, 2012.

8. SZDC. Prohlaseni o draze celostatni a re-gionalni [The Network Statement on nationwide and regional rail systems]. SZDC [Railway Infrastructure Administration, state organization]. Praha, 2013.

9. SZDC - Sprava zeleznicni dopravni cesty [Railway Infrastructure Administration, state organization]. Internet http://www.szdc.cz/

10. VUZ - Vyzkumny Ustav Zeleznicni [Railway Research Institute]. Internet http://www.cdvuz.cz/

11. Wikimedia Commons. Map of public transport in the Czech Republic.

Received 14.05.2014.

Internal reviewer Kuznetsov V. G.

External reviewer Tankevich E. M.

Czech Railways currently operate 163 two-system locomotives for 3 kV DC and 25 kV AC/50Hz, 16 two-system locomotives for 3 kV DC and 15 kV AC/16.7Hz, 20 locomotives and 14 units for three-systems (3 kV DC, 25 kV AC/50Hz, 15 kV AC/16.7Hz. Furthermore, some multi-system locomotives from Austria and Slovakia are running with international trains also in Czech Republic.

Regenerative braking and recovery of electricity in the electric railway network in Czech Republic is usual, but often in a limited form. Reasons are relatively small amount of electric locomotives and units capable for regenerative braking, restrictions on the maximum voltage in DC power supply system and restrictions because of requirements for the regulation of the overall network in AC power supply system.

With automatic train leading local trains can achieve savings of 7-9% of traction energy. Currently, about 350 km of tracks and about 250 locomotives and units are completely equipped with this system.

Optimized Energy Consumption in Tram and Trolley Bus Network is a project of Brno Public Transport Company. This measure aims to reduce the peak usage of energy for trams and trolley buses in order to limit the contracted reserve capacity and the related costs.

Keywords: electric traction, effectiveness, energy saving.

© Seelmann H., 2014

130 ISSN2307-4221 ErnKmputyiKa^H mpaHcnopmy, № 7. - 2014.

УДК 621.331.3

Х. С1ЛМАН (ТЕХНОЛОГ1ЧНИЙ УН1ВЕРСИТЕТ, М. БРНО)

Технологiчний унiверситет м. Брно, факультет цившьного будiвництва, 1нститут залiзничних споруд та бу-дiвель, вул. BeBepi 331/95, 602 00 Брно, Чехiя, ел. пошта: seelmann.h@fce.vutbr.cz

ЕЛЕКТРИЧНА ТЯГА У ЧЕСЬК1Й РЕСПУБЛ1Ц1, Р1ВЕНЬ ЕФЕКТИВНОСТ1 ТА ЗАХОДИ ЕНЕРГОЗБЕРЕЖЕННЯ

Чеськ залiзницi обслуговуються 163 двосистемними електровозами для систем 3 кВ поспйного струму та 25 кВ змшного струму частотою 50 Гц, 16 двосистемними електровозами для систем 3 кВ поспйного струму та 15 кВ змшного струму частотою 16.7 Гц, 20 eлeктpовозiв i 14 одиниць рухомого складу призна-чеш для роботи на трьох системах електропостачання. ^м того, деяк багатосистемш електровози з Авст-piï та Словаччини також працюють на залiзницях Чeхiï у складi мiжнаpодних по!здв.

Рекуперативне гальмування та вiдновлeння електроенергп в електричних мережах 4exiï зазвичай ви-користовуеться, але досить часто в обмеженому виглядк Причиною тому е вiдносно невелика кiлькiсть eлeктpовозiв та одиниць рухомого складу придатних для рекуперативного гальмування, обмеження стосо-вно максимально!' напруги в систeмi тягового електропостачання поспйного струму та обмеження стосовно вимог для регулювання в загальних мережах системи електропостачання змшного струму.

За допомогою технологи автоматичного ведення по'зду примюью по'зди досягають eкономiï електрое-нepгiï до 7-9 %. На даний час майже 350 км колш та близько 250 eлeктpовозiв та одиниць рухомого складу обладнаш шею системою.

Оптимiзованe споживання eнepгiï в мережах трамваев та тpолeйбусiв - проект компанп громадського транспорту Брно. Цей захщ спрямований на зниження ткового навантаження для тpамваïв та тролейбуав з метою обмеження договipноï peзepвноï потужностi та пов'язаних з цим витрат.

Ключовi слова: електрична тяга, eфeктивнiсть, енергозбереження.

Внутрiшнiй рецензент Кузнецов В. Г. Зовшшнш рецензент Танкевич С. М.

УДК 621.331.3

Х. СИЛМАН (ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКИЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ, Г. БРНО)

Технологический университет г. Брно, факультет гражданского строительства, Институт железнодорожных сооружений и зданий, ул. Вевери 331/95, 602 00 Брно, Чехия, эл. почта: seelmann.h@fce.vutbr.cz

ЭЛЕКТРИЧЕСКАЯ ТЯГА В ЧЕШСКОЙ РЕСПУБЛИКЕ, УРОВЕНЬ ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТИ И ЭНЕРГОСБЕРЕГАЮЩИЕ МЕРОПРИЯТИЯ

Чешские железные дороги обслуживаются 163 двухсистемными электровозами для систем 3 кВ постоянного тока и 25 кВ переменного частотою 50 Гц, 16 двухсистемными электровозами для систем 3 кВ постоянного тока и 15 кВ переменного тока частотою 16.7 Гц, 20 электровозов и 14 единиц подвижного состава предназначены для работы на трех системах электроснабжения. Кроме этого, некоторые многосистемные электровозы из Австрии и Словакии также работают на железных дорогах Чехии в составе международных поездов.

Рекуперативное торможение и возобновление электроэнергии в электрических сетях Чехии обычно используется, но очень часто в ограниченном виде. Причиной этому есть относительно небольшое количество электровозов и единиц подвижного состава способных применять рекуперативное торможение, ограничения относительно максимального напряжения в системе тягового электроснабжения постоянного тока и ограничения в отношении требований для регулирования в общих сетях системы электроснабжения переменного тока.

С помощью технологии автоматического ведения поезда пригородные поезда достигают экономии электроэнергии до 7-9 %. На текущий момент почти 350 км путей и около 250 электровозов и единиц подвижного состава оборудованы этой системой.

Оптимизированное потребление энергии в сетях трамваев и троллейбусов - проект компании общественного транспорта Брно. Это мероприятие направлено на снижение пиковых нагрузок для трамваев и троллейбусов с целью ограничения договорной резервной мощности и связанных с этим затрат.

Ключевые слова: электрическая тяга, эффективность, энергосбережение.

Внутренний рецензент Кузнецов В. Г. Внешний рецензент Танкевич Е. М.

© Seelmann H., 2014

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