Railway Decarbonisation Technologies: Energy-efficient Train Operation and Renewable Traction Power Networks

Speaker: Dr Zhongbei Tian, University of Birmingham

Energy and environmental sustainability in transportation are becoming ever more critical. Electrified railway systems play an essential role in contributing to reducing energy usage and CO2 emissions compared with other transport modes. This presentation will introduce the development of railway electrification, a multi-train traction power network modelling method, and energy optimisation technologies of train driving and renewable integration technologies.

The modern trains are implemented with regenerating braking mode, which allows the braking energy to be regenerated as electricity and used by the trains or fed back to the electrical network. The railway energy flow includes the energy supplied from the substations, the energy wasted in the power transmission network, the energy used by the train in traction, and that regenerated by braking trains. By evaluating the railway energy systems, it has been found that railway energy consumption can be reduced by optimising train driving controls, train operation timetables, and power supply infrastructure. Dr Zhongbei Tian will present some projects and outcomes in railway energy optimisation.

Part of the Engineering - Dynamics and Vibration Tea Time Talks series.