Electric Drive Solution for Low-Floor City Transport Trams

Abstract

The urban transport system based on trams as the basic means of transport is one of the oldest systems of human transport in urban agglomerations. A tram is a more efficient, cheaper-to-operate, and greener means of transport compared to a bus. Striving to enable the use of this means of transport by elderly and disabled people, constructors and manufacturers of tram vehicles began to consider the requirements of the ordering parties—organizers of municipal public transport—in their solutions. The basic condition for disabled and elderly people to use tram transport is the possibility of safe and efficient entry and exit from the vehicle at tram stops. The fulfillment of this condition is possible only in the case of tram vehicles with a low 100% floor, and this, in turn, requires the replacement of trolleys with traditional wheelsets, that is, trolleys with independently rotating wheels, in the construction of the running gear. A wheelset with independently rotating wheels (IRW) does not have self-centering properties, and, thus, problems may arise with excessive wear of wheel and rail profiles and with continuous contact of the wheel flange with the rail, which may, consequently, lead to derailment. Driving a vehicle on the track in this case is governed by different laws. To prevent such phenomena, it is required to use the wheel drive control system, which allows for the stabilization of the vehicle movement on the track. Both the introduction of independently rotating wheels in the construction of the bogie and the drive connected to the wheel control system requires research and analysis to confirm the correctness of the assumptions made. The innovative solution of the control system in the case of a tram vehicle was patented and then the patent was implemented to produce a low-floor tram with 100% low floor by a Polish tram manufacturer. This article presents the results of the work carried out on the adoption of the concept of a running gear and drive solution for a low-floor tram vehicle with independently rotating wheels and the results of simulation analysis of the drive control of such a system, using mathematical models of the mechanical system (running gear) and the electrical system (motor drive control system).

Advances in Electric Traction System—Special Issue

“…The papers presented in this Special Issue cover a wide range of selected problems of advances in electric traction systems [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8], electric drives for ground and air transport [9][10][11], DC [12,13] and AC [14,15] power supply used in network traction, automation and control [16,17], and energy savings that help the environment [18].…”

“…In [9], the authors present the results of research on the adoption of running gear and a drive solution for low-floor tram vehicles with independently rotating wheels, and the outcomes of simulation analysis of the drive control in such system, using mathematical models of the mechanical system (running gear) and the electrical system (motor drive control system). The Vector Control Method used in that paper makes it possible to simultaneously control rotational speed and electromagnetic torque of the motor, which provides better dynamics of the drive system compared to control with scalar methods.…”

Improving the energy efficiency of a tram’s running gear

“…to overcome the resistance to its movement. Among several ways to create rail vehicles with competitive energy efficiency indicators, one of the most promising is the use of innovative bogie designs [17][18][19][20][21].…”

Kinematic running resistance of an urban rail vehicle undercarriage: a study of the impact of wheel design

“…The analysis of scientific and technical information shows that various technical solutions and innovations in the field of railway transport are usually implemented first in urban rail vehicles and later in other types of rail vehicles 4 , 5 . This trend also applies to the current development direction of railway transport, such as the low floor concept, which significantly impacts the design of undercarriages, traction drive-trains, brake systems 6 , 7 , and other components of railway vehicles 8 , 9 . It is known that the wheelsets of railway vehicles must support the vertical loads and the guiding forces while transmitting traction and braking forces in the wheel/rail contact 10 – 13 .…”