Author(s)

C. H. Bae, M. S. Han, Y. K. Kim, S. Y. Kwon & H. J. Park

Abstract

The paper presents methods of determining the capacity and installation positions of regenerative inverters installed in 1500V DC electric railway system. We suggested a method that calculates using regenerative power obtained from Train Performance Simulation (TPS) and Power Flow Simulation (PFS). We carried out TPS and PFS for Seoul Subway line 5 and 6, calculating regenerative power and determining substations where regenerative inverters would be installed and the optimal capacity and number of inverters to be installed. Keywords: regenerative inverter, electric railway system, train performance simulation, power flow simulation. 1 Introduction In DC electric railway system, 22.9kV system voltage is converted to DC 1500V voltage through a 3-phase silicon diode rectifier and supplied to motor cars. Because, in case of diode rectifiers, regenerative power generated at the regenerative braking of motor cars cannot be absorbed into the supply grid, the power is used at nearby powering trains or consumed as heat at resistances mounted on the cars. However, if a regenerative inverter is installed in inverseparallel with the diode rectifier, it absorbs dump regenerative power consumed at the resistance and transmits it to a high-voltage switchboard for reuse. In this way, energy can be saved by reusing dump regenerative power wasted away as heat and the braking and ATO performance of motor cars can be improved through enhancing the regenerative power absorption rate of catenary lines. Despite these advantages, regenerative inverters cannot be installed in all substations for electric railways because the cost of manufacturing and installing regenerative inverters is higher than the benefit from the use of regenerative

Keywords

regenerative inverter, electric railway system, train performance simulation, power flow simulation.