Optimized Slip and Slide Prevention Control for Electric Train Units

Railway transportation is a vital mode of transportation that is widely used across the globe. Ensuring the safety of passengers and the train is of utmost importance, along with optimizing energy efficiency. Wheel-rail contact adhesion is an essential parameter that determines the rolling motion of wheels on the rails. The coefficient of friction plays a crucial role in determining the adhesion parameter, and a reduction in the coefficient of friction can lead to wheel skidding. In this paper, an optimized slip/slide prevention control algorithm has been proposed that works separately on each axle, thereby determining which axle is slipping and providing control to that axle set only. The algorithm prevents wheel locking during heavy slide detection and provides emergency brake assistance in emergency situations. The simulation results show that the optimized protection system provides better safety measures against axle lock in emergency situations. The proposed algorithm not only ensures passenger safety but also supports large energy savings in wheel slip and slide. The model consists of a full-scale model of a 3-car electric train unit constructed with the help of MATLAB-Simulink modeling and simulation software. The proposed algorithm has been implemented and tested on the simulated model of a train unit in MATLAB-Simulink, demonstrating significant improvements from the previous research.