Complex use of smart grid technology in railway traction networks

Abstract

Abstract The goal is to develop a methodology for modeling electric power supply systems for railways equipped with a complex of devices implemented using smart grid technologies. The results obtained showed that a reliable and high-quality electric power supply for traction of trains and non-traction consumers could be implemented on the basis of the integrated use of Smart Grid active elements, such as a phase converter, an active harmonic conditioner, a controlled reactive power source and a distributed generation plant. On the basis of computer simulation, it has been established that in the absence of reactive power sources, noticeable voltage fluctuations are observed on the 10 kV buses of a non-traction consumer. The asymmetry approaches the limit of normally permissible values; turning off the active filter leads to an increase in the total voltage harmonic distortion up to 16%; in the presence of the whole complex of active devices, high quality of electricity is achieved. The phase number converter is robust and has low sensitivity to parameter setting errors; voltage deviations caused by a limited range of changes in reactive power in its source are short-term and do not exceed values acceptable for practice. Thus, on the basis of Smart Grid technologies, it is possible to implement the connection of distributed generation plants directly to the traction network using a device for transducing the number of phases, formed according to the inverted Steinmetz’s circuit. Elimination of harmonic distortions created by rectifier electric locomotives is carried out by means of an active conditioner of higher harmonics. A controlled reactive power source can be used to maintain voltage levels.