In-train forces from energy-efficient driving strategies
Date
2013
Authors
Zhou, P.
Pudney, P.
Howlett, P.
Editors
Gaertner, P.
Advisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type:
Conference paper
Citation
22nd National Conference of the Australian Society for Operations Research (ASOR 2013), 2013 / Gaertner, P. (ed./s), pp.293-299
Statement of Responsibility
Conference Name
22nd National Conference of the Australian Society for Operations Research (1 Dec 2013 - 6 Dec 2013 : Adelaide, South Australia)
Abstract
For many years the Scheduling and Control Group at the University of South Australia has been developing systems that provide driving advice to train drivers to help them stay on time and minimise energy use. These control strategies minimise the mechanical work done by the traction system, which in practice gives savings of 10-20% in the diesel fuel or electrical energy used to power the train.
In this paper we describe different models that can be used to estimate in-train forces on long trains, and we use the most realistic of these models to show that control transitions that may occur with energy-efficient driving do not result in excessive in-train forces.
These energy-efficient driving strategies require the driver to switch between maximum power and coasting and between coasting and braking. On long, heavy trains, control transitions combined with changes of gradient can cause the connections between wagons to change between tension and compression. In extreme cases, the forces between wagons can be high enough to break a coupler. Although energy-efficient driving is designed to minimise total energy input it is still possible that excess energy will contribute to unacceptable in-train forces at some critical locations.
School/Discipline
Dissertation Note
Provenance
Description
Access Status
Rights
Copyright 2013 The Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand Inc