Unification of Onboard Traction Energy Storage Devices for Railway Rolling Stock

Abstract

As the cost of traction lithium batteries decreases, many rolling stock models are being created that use them to receive recovery energy, equalise the load on the energy source, and ensure autonomous operation. The objective of the work is to show the advantages of separate design and production of onboard traction storage devices and the rolling stock using them, which will require standardisation of energy storage devices, as well as to outline the range of requirements that will need to be set when developing a standard, and to illustrate proposals by identifying possible requirements for weight, size and energy characteristics of a unified energy storage device. For this purpose, a review of approaches to the use of energy storage devices and modern designs of rolling stock on which traction batteries are used is followed by main scenarios for the use there-of. Following identification of main processes of energy conversion by the traction drive of locomotives at various time intervals, the parameters of energy storage devices were assessed for a wide range of possible scenarios for their application using methods of traction theory. The results obtained allowed calculating main characteristics of unified energy storage modules. A specific analysis was carried out to identify the limitations that determine energy intensity and power, weight, dimensions and method of mounting of storage devices, their rated voltage. Requirements are formulated for design of a standard mechanical, electrical and information interface of the proposed modules.