Review of Traction Standards and Simulation of Traction Power Supply System

Electrification of railway systems, increasing operating speeds of trains, and introduction of high-speed trains have renewed the need for detailed study on traction power supply systems. This paper reviews two technical standards on traction supply systems, namely, EN50163 and EN50388. These standards are related to system voltage levels and power factor conditions for secure, reliable, efficient and economic operation of the entire system. Further, the paper presents detailed simulation studies on one electrical section of a 2x25 kV traction system. The catenary and feeder voltage profiles are obtained for a train positioned in the section, consuming a certain quantity of power. The relative influence of the different system parameters on the catenary voltage profile is evaluated through multiple simulation runs, considering a distinct set of parameters for each run. From the simulation runs, it is observed that traction transformer leakage reactance, catenary and rail impedances along with mutual impedances among the catenary, rail and feeder are more influential than the rest. Variation in the voltage profile with train location, power consumed and operating power factor are illustrated through the simulation studies. The worst-case operating location of the train from the point of view of catenary voltage dip is determined. The simulation studies are finally utilized to derive the limits on the maximum power that can be drawn by a single train, operating in this section, on the P-Q plane, complying with the relevant traction standards.