BASICS OF 25 kV ac SINGLE-PHASE ELECTRIC TRACTION
INTRODUCTION
1. Overhead Lines (OHL) are provided over running Railway lines to
provide energy to electrically driven Railway EMUs, locomotives or train
sets.
2. Modern Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) provide fast commuter services
with quick reversal at terminals (can be driven in either direction). Rapid
acceleration and deceleration enables reduction of “Headway” with use
of appropriate signaling technology.
3. The amount of power that can be drawn from the Overhead Line is
limited only by the size of locomotives, traction drive, motors etc. The
overhead current collection system draws power form the National Grid
which itself does not impose any restriction.
4. Distinguishing features of electric traction
a. Eco-friendly: no fumes
b. Energy-efficient: regenerative braking feeds power back into the
system
c. Low maintenance costs: There is no power pack on-board
d. Higher speeds, higher trailing loads and increased throughput.
5. Systems of current collection
a. Third rail systems at 750 V dc – Underground, LRT
b. Overhead Line systems at 1500 V dc – Suburban services
c. Overhead Line systems at 25 kV ac – Conventional Commuter
services, long-distance freight and passenger services
d. Overhead Line systems at 2×25 kV ac – Heavy Haul freight services,
High speed passenger services
i. Channel Tunnel Rail Link
ii. French TGV, Japanese Shinkansen
6. Overhead Line Voltage-choice of 25 kV ac
a. Earliest electrification schemes used 1.5 kV dc as the Voltage for
overhead line.
b. With the growth of rail networks and increased demand for
transportation of Goods and Passengers, more and more trains had
to be run. This resulted in excessive voltage drop due to
comparatively higher current in the OHL.
c. Higher conductor cross section made OHL expensive, heavier and
difficult to handle.
7. Main Components of 25 kV ac Electrification System
a. Power Supply Installations such as Feeder Stations, MPTSLs, TSLs
and TCBLs with appropriate switching, protection and metering
systems.
b. Overhead Line Equipment suitably sectioned and isolated as per
needs of operation and maintenance.
c. Arrangements for both Local and Remote operation of Circuit
Breakers and other switching and isolation devices.
d. SCADA systems for remote control of devices at Power Supply
Installations, display of status, and for gathering operational data in
real-time
e. Earthing and Bonding for safety of personnel.
8. Power Supply Installations
a. Feeder Stations receive single-phase supply at 132 kV ac from
nearest Grid Substation. 132 kV/25 kV single phase traction
transformers are installed to step down the voltage to 25 kV ac
before being fed to the OHL. These transformers are specially
designed to cater to the severe operating environment of traction
which is characterized by frequent short-circuits and line faults.
b. On KTMB, each Feeder Station is equipped with two transformers.
Both transformers receive power at 132 kV but are connected to
different phases. Under normal operation, each transformer supplies
power to one-half of the feeding zone of the FS.
WIRING PLAN (LTBE)
9. Lines-To-Be-Electrified (LTBE) diagram gives the schematic
representation of the railway lines or tracks which are to be electrified
or wired with 25 kV ac (shown as firm lines). Those not required to be
electrified are normally shown as dotted.
10.Engineering Schematic Layout Plans for stations and other yards form
the basis of the LTBE or wiring plan. Engineering plans indicate the
tracks existing on the ground i.e. on the open route, at stations and in
yards. The basic plan is obtained from the civil engineers and is updated
by incorporating therein all the remodeling works taken up thereafter.
The take off points of private siding (which may need to be wired) and
those, which run alongside the tracks to be wired are also shown.
11.In yards, reception lines are wired in full. For loops and departure lines,
where loads are formed, only the top ends are wired (depending upon
how placement is to be done on the departure lines). In some yards
crossovers may exist between two wired lines for shunting movement
by non-electric engines only. These should also be wired to prevent OHL
and locomotive pantograph damage in the event an electric engine is
routed over it inadvertently.
GENERAL TRACTION SUPPLY DIAGRAM
12.General Traction Supply Diagram gives schematic arrangement of
equipments and remote controlled Circuit Breakers at switching
stations, i.e. Feeder Stations, Mid-point Track Sectioning Locations,
Track Sectioning Locations (TSLs) and Tie Circuit Breaker Locations
(TCBLs). The function of these switching stations will be explained
subsequently.
13.The general supply diagram fixes the locations of the Feeder Stations
and other switching stations. Remote control and Tele-signaling of the
status of the switches is arranged at the Remote Control Centre where
Traction Controllers can view the entire supply diagram on their console.
Other Remote control switches such as yard, Depot and loco shed circuit
breakers are also incorporated in the General Supply diagram.
LOCATION OF FEEDER STATIONS (FS)
14.Voltage obtained at the farthest end from the Feeder Station is the
deciding factor in locating Feeder Stations. While the maximum voltage
at substation should not normally exceed 27.5 kV, the voltage of the
farthest end should not fall below 19 kV. The distance between Feeder
Stations decreases if the section has booster transformers and return
conductor due to increase in impedance offered by them. The location
of feeder stations is also dependent upon the proximity of Supply
authority’s substations.
DISTANCE BETWEEN FEEDER STATIONS
15.As a first approximation the distance between adjacent Feeder Stations
may be tentatively taken as under:
25 kV with Booster Transformers and return conductors 40 – 50 Km
25 kV without Booster Transformers 50 – 80 Km
2 x 25 kV AT system 80 – 100 Km
Other considerations are:
i) Switching Station should be approachable by all-weather roads,
ii) Length of 132 kV transmission line from the Supply Authority’s
substation should be as less as possible
iii) Should avoid sites which get water logged
iv) Land acquisition issues should be settled much in advance.
MID-POINT TRACK SECTION LOCATIONS (MPTSLs)
16.In order to reduce unbalance in the Supply Companies’ grid due to
single phase traction loads, it is necessary to draw power at different
phases at successive Feeder Stations. This segregation is achieved by
inserting a Mid-Point Track Sectioning Location (MPTSL) between two
Feeder Stations. Electrical isolation of OHL supply in adjacent sections is
achieved by inserting a Neutral Section opposite the MPTSL. In the event
of outage of a transformer at a FS, it becomes necessary to extend the
feed of the adjacent FS by closing the Bus Coupler Circuit Breaker at the
MPTSL between the two FSs.
17.It may be necessary to add more Feeder Stations in future due the
increase in traffic and trailing loads. When such a situation arises, the
MPTSLs between the Feeder Stations may have to be converted to
feeder stations. New Mid-Point Track Sectioning Locations (MPTSL) will
have to be inserted between Feeder Stations.
18.Neutral section at MPTSL should be located on a straight track at
adequate distance from a stop signal either behind or ahead of it. In
undulating terrain the neutral section should be located in a valley.
Locating it on a rising gradient or on crest of hill is not desirable.
TRACK SECTIONING LOCATIONS (TSLs)
19.Intermediate Track Sectioning Locations (TSLs) are inserted between the
Feeder station and MPTSL to reduce length of faulty sections of OHL
from a remote location speedily. Stations having large yards need to
have independent isolation through a circuit breaker so that the yards,
loco sheds and other running lines are fed through individual remote
controlled circuit breakers.
SECTIONING DIAGRAM
20.Once the wiring plan is finalized, the next step is to prepare the
sectioning diagram which indicates the electrical divisions or portions
(called sections) of the OHL which can be isolated from the rest for
either maintenance or repairs. The need also arises in the event of a
fault in the OCS which requires urgent repairs. The isolated section
should be as small as practical thus permitting movement of electric
trains on healthy lines and minimizing the dislocation to the train
movement.
PRINCIPLES OF SECTIONING
21.Main running lines and loops should be electrically isolated from
secondary lines and yard lines. On double track section, OHLs of Up and
Down tracks should have electrical isolation. Unless it is inevitable, the
OHLs of Up and Down lines should be supported on separate structures
(Mechanical Isolation).
22.Lines for different activities should have electrical isolation. This is
especially true for yards where reception, dispatch, common exit and
entry lines, engine run around lines, loco shed lines, and sidings are
separated from each other.
23.Pit lines used for locomotive maintenance and sidings where open
wagons are loaded or unloaded should be specially isolated at both ends
through short neutral sections. In addition, these should be provided
with earthing arrangement for the dead section at both ends to ensure
safety of personnel working close to OHL.
METHODS OF PROVIDING ELECTRICAL ISOLATION IN OHL
24.There are two types of electrical isolation:
a. When the supply across the isolation device is on the same phase, we
employ Insulated overlaps or Section Insulators. In this arrangement,
the two adjacent OHL sections get temporarily shorted by the passage
of Pantograph below it
b. Where the supply across the two adjacent sections of OHL is on different
phases, we employ neutral sections. In this method of isolation,
Locomotive or EMU Pantograph does not “bridge” the two supply
portions.
25.Insulated overlap or section insulator?
a. Inserting an insulated overlap in the OHL requires three span lengths
since a wire run terminates and another run begins
b. Inserting a section insulator in the OHL does not require any wire
termination and can be inserted anywhere. However, it presents a “hard
spot” and requires imposition of speed restrictions. Hence, its use on
main lines should be avoided.
26.Neutral Sections are provided at following locations where the supply is
at different phases.
a. Opposite feeder station
b. Opposite MPTSLs.
27.On main running lines the sectioning should be such that the electrical
insulated overlap is protected by a stop signal. This will permit direct
reception of the train up to the stop signal even when there is a power
block ahead of the stop signal.
28.At a wayside station, if a loop line has separate structures for OHL thus
having mechanical independence (as it should be), the electrical
isolation of the loop and the main line be staggered (spaced out) as
follows:
a. Locate the loop line section insulator immediately behind the loop
starter signal.
b. Locate the insulated overlap for the main line just beyond the turnout
well in advance of the main line starter.
This provides the flexibility of receiving a train on the loop if there is a
power block on the main line section in rear of the starter signal.
Moreover, it is possible to dispatch a train from the main line when there
is a power block in section in the rear of the station.
SECTIONING IN YARDS
29.In addition to the provisions contained in section above, the reception
and dispatch lines in freight yards may also be segregated in groups of
3 or 4 lines to form separate electrical section. Gathering lines,
locomotive run around lines, common entry and exit lines have special
importance. Hence power supply to these lines should be either from
alternate feed arrangements or from a gantry with bus-bar
arrangements to ensure their greater availability.
30.Additional sectioning between the TSL’s can be achieved through
provision of manually operated or motorized isolating switches (Mast
Isolators).
31.Excessive sectioning, resulting in having a large number of isolating
switches, feeder wires and section insulators can reduce reliability while
increasing the need for maintenance. Section insulators, overlaps, and
isolating switches need regular maintenance, which requires power
blocks on both sides of such equipments. Minimum sectioning,
therefore, should be the aim while preparing the Sectioning diagram.
MINOR SECTIONING DIAGRAM
32.Minor Sectioning diagram indicates the entire sectioning, showing
Sections between FS and MPTSL, between MPTSL and TSLs, as also the
sub-sections between Mast Isolators at Insulated overlaps. It also shows
the structure-number of the OHL structures on both the sides of the
insulated overlap, the neutral section or the section insulator, across
which the switches are located. MSD also shows the locations of the
remote controlled switches at the switching stations. Physical location of
switching stations is finalized after site inspection.
ISOLATION DIAGRAM
33.Isolation Diagrams are prepared for every station, yard and open routes
where BTs are provided and it covers the entire electrified territory. All
electrical sections fed by Circuit Breakers are numbered. Further
isolation is achieved by Mast Isolators and Insulated overlaps or Section
Insulators. The smallest portion which can be electrically isolated is
known as a Sub-section and is also numbered
REMOTE CONTROL
34.All switching Stations (FS, MPTSL, TSL, and TCBL) are equipped with
circuit breakers which can be operated locally as well as from a remote
location. The sectioning diagram is now combined with the general
supply diagram which is displayed at the Remote Control Centre on a
Mimic Diagram Board
