A Supercapacitor-Based Method to Mitigate Overvoltage and Recycle the Energy of Pantograph Arcing in the High Speed Railway

Cuidong Xu, Zhu Chen, Ka Wai Eric Cheng, Xiaolin Wang and Ho Fai Ho
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Cuidong Xu: Department of Electrical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
Zhu Chen: Department of Electrical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
Ka Wai Eric Cheng: Department of Electrical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
Xiaolin Wang: Department of Electrical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
Ho Fai Ho: Department of Electrical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 7, 1-12

Abstract: The pantograph arcing phenomenon may shorten the service life of a pantograph and even destroy onboard devices and instruments, due to the irregular motions of the train and the intermittent line–pantograph disconnection. This paper points out that abrupt inductive energy from the magnetizing inductance of the traction transformer can lead to an electromagnetic transient process with unexpected overvoltage across it. Further, a supercapacitor-based power electronic system is proposed, which can not only redirect the inductive energy to the supercapacitor pack through bidirectional converters but also mitigate the overvoltage across the main electrical equipment when pantograph arcing occurs. Simulation results show the overvoltage could be reduced and the energy stored in the supercapacitor which could also be used to provide energy for sensors or other devices.

Keywords: pantograph arcing; overvoltage; supercapacitor; high speed railway (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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