Proposals for Introduction of Modern Power Semiconductor Devices Into Converter-Fed Commutator Motor Locomotives of Russian Railways

The paper suggests several ways to introduce power IGBTs into a converter-fed commutator motor (AC-wire, DC-motor) of electric locomotives, operated by Russian Railways in order to increase their energy performance during traction and regenerative braking modes. Multiple systems of the existing locomotive power circuit appear to benefit from their circuitries – which to this day rely on resistors, mechanical contacts or obsolete semiconductor devices – being upgraded with fully controlled modern transistors. For the traction mode, a revision of the traction motor field reduction system is suggested, achieved by replacing massive inductive shunts with IGBTs. Regenerative braking is improved with an IGBT-based substitute for energy-draining ballast resistors, as well as a transistor shunting arm that allows for the revision of the control algorithm of conventional thyristor converters. Analytical description is followed by the results of mathematical simulation, obtained in the MATLAB Simulink environment.