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24 AB B review 2|10

LALIT TEJWANI Since Indias (and indeed Asias) rst train steamed from Mumbai in1853, Indias railway network has grown to more than 64,000 route km. It now

transports approximately 2.5 million tonnes of freight and 19 million passengersevery day. This article looks at some of the developments that are preparing Indiasrailways for the future, and shows how ABBs technologies can make railwaysgreener and more efcient.

A B B is helping upgrade Indias railways

G reener railfor India

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25Greener rail for India

Indias early electrification projects usedD C , but since the 1950s, all new projectshave used single-phase 25 kV / 50 H z. IRdraws its power from the 220 / 132 / 110/ 66 kV / 50H z three-phase regional grids,converts it for traction power require-ment and supplies it to trains using over-head line (O H L) electrification. C urrently,IR consumes more than 2,000 M W of

power, mainly through a national networkof 400 traction substations.

Since 1980, IR has been automating itssubstations with microprocessor-basedSupervisory C ontrol and Data Acquisition(SC AD A) systems to permit their remote

of rail transportation, electric traction hasestablished itself as the most energy ef-ficient. Since 1925, when Indias firstelectric train ran in M umbai, there hasbeen a majo r push for electrification: A sof M arch 31, 2009, I R had electrified18,942 route km, which is 28 percent ofthe countrys total railway network . T hetarget is to electrify 1,500 km of existing

lines every year 1.

O n main lines, electrification has permit-ted the operation of heavier freight andfaster passenger trains. B y virtue of theirhigh acceleration and brak ing capability,EM U s are ideal for suburban services 1 .A nother important catalyst for electrifica-tion has been Indias will to reduce itsdependence on costly imported fossilfuels. B y centralizing the generation anddistribution of energy, electric traction

furthermore offers the advantage of re-duced air and noise pollution for travel-ers and the environment.

Indian R ailways (IR ) is one of theworld s largest railway systems un-der single management and the larg-est employer in the world with ap-

proximately 1.4 m illion staff. O rganiza -tionally IR is owned and controlled by the

G overnment of India. D ay-to-day opera-tions are managed by the R ailway B oard.In addition to being a rail operator, IR isunique compared with other major railoperators in having its own rolling stockmanufacturing facilities. IR manufacturesapproximately 3,000 coaches annuallyas well as 500 diesel and electric loco-motives, and major aggregates such aswheels, axles and traction motors.

A s of M arch 31, 2008 IR s fleet consisted

of 47,375 passenger coaches, includingEM U s (electric multiple units). T here arealmost 8,400 locomotives in operation,3,400 of which are electric. Electric trainscurrently account for more than 65 per-cent of freight traffic and over 50 percentof passenger traffic.

Sustainable growt hD evelopment of the railway network hasgained higher priority in recent years dueto urbanization, mobility issues and se-

vere road congestion. R ail transportationis far more energy efficient, economicalin land use and cost-efficient than roadtransportation. A mong the various modes

Footnote1 Electric multiple unit (EM U ) refers to coaches

used for (m ostly suburban) train services that

have multiple prime movers for each car. T he

same car that carries passengers also has inte-grated motive power, as opposed to the normal

situation where the passengers are in coachesthat are not self-propelling and a locomotive

hauls the train.

1 Indian Railways electrified rout es as of 31, March 2009

Source: http://www.core.railnet.gov.in/_M apElectrificationofIR _eng.htm * 168 R. K .M . M G electrified line dismantled

P lanwise progress of electrification ob IR (First electric train started on 3.2.1925)

Status of electrification on Indian Railways

1 Section already electrified up to 31.03.09 18,9422 Targets (C ore) 2009 2010 1,2383 Targets (C ore) 2010 2011 1,0004 Works in progress (C ore), (incl. 2 & 3) 3,8365 Works with R VN L / Zonal railways 1,4486 M issing links / Identified routes 14,7027 D F C route 3,293 K m8 D F C feeder route 1,742 K m

R . K . M .

AS O N 31.03.2009

PlanPeriod

Pre.Indep.

1925-471st

1951-562nd

1956-612rd

1961-66

Annualplan

1966-744th

1969-745th

1974-78

Interplan

1978-806th

1980-857th

1985-90

Interplan

1990-978th

1992-97

9th1997-2002

10th2002-2007

11thup to

31.3.09

R . K . M .Electrified

388 141 216 1, 678 814 953 533 195 1, 522 2,812 1,557 2, 708 2,484 1,810 1,299

R . K . M .Cumulative

388 529 745 2, 423 3,237 4, 190 4,723 4,918 6, 440 9,252 10,809 13, 517 16,001 17,811 18,942*

R.K .M = route kmM G = meter gauge

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26 AB B review 2|10

G T O -based. IR has launched a programto upgrade these locomotives with IG B T-based propulsion converters 3. IR selectedAB Bs s BO R D LIN E C C series of water-cooled converter, which is based on4.5 kV low-loss HiP ak IG BTs. T he mostimportant accrued benets are:

Enhanced tractive effort, performanceand availability due to use of axle con-trol and a new generation of adhesion-control system.

Improvement in overall power-convert-er efficiency due to lower semiconduc-tor losses for an equitable operating

control and operation. A divisional SC AD Afacility can control a region extendingsome 200 to 300 km . SC AD A allows re-mote monitoring of electrical parameters(voltage, current, power factor, etc.) inreal time and the remote operation ofswitchgear, as well as automatic faultdetection and isolation. T his facilitatesbetter control of demand peaks, trouble-

shooting, etc. SC A D A is replacing an old-er system that was based on electrome-chanical remote-control apparatus.

ABBs contribut ionC hallenges that IR is currently faces onmany of its electrified lines include thefollowing: Wide voltage variation between 17 and

31 kV, mainly due to the line imped-ance varying with the position of trains

P oor power factor (in the range of

0.7 to 0.8) caused by the inductivenature of the traction load, and theineffectiveness of existing fixedcapacitor banks to adequatelycompensate dynamic loading

Low-order harmonics injected into thetraction network by conventionallocomotives using D C traction

T hese characteristics cause high systemlosses, reactive power absorption, andinterference with sensitive electronics in

signaling and telecommunication equip-ment. A B B is deploying state-of-the-arttechnology to address these issues andimprove overall efficiency and availabi lity.

Traction transformers

A C electric locomotives and EM U s drawpower from the single-phase 25 kV O H L,and then convert it to a lower voltage forthe traction motors using the tractiontransformer. B esides high demands onreliability and performance, traction

transformers must also be compact andlightweight and display high efficiency.A B B is the worlds leading manufacturerof traction transformers, and can supplythem for different sizes, shapes andpower ratings, permitting installation indifferent parts of the train ranging fromthe roof to the under-floor area 2 . In India,A B B traction transformers are success-fully running in high-power electric loco-motives, E M U s, and metros.

Vehicle Propulsion & On-Board AuxiliaryPower Supply

In IR s locomotives with three-phase drive,the propulsion converters were originally

3 STATCON panel used to contro l reactivepower power flows

2 BORDLINE M 180 kVA auxiliary convert er(H Module)

In order to meetrising passengertraffic, and offermore competitiveintercity travel, IR isimproving passen-ger facilities, in-creasing platformlengths and intro-ducing more trainservices. Footnotes

2 See also A nnual Year Boo k, Indian Railways,2007-08 and Emerging Technologies &

St rategies for Energy M anagement in R ailways,O ctober 2008.

3 See also www.abb. com/railways

point when compared to G T O -basedtraction converters.

Improvement in the quality of motor-current waveform leading to reducedmotor losses, torque ripple and betterride quality.

In conventional IR locomotives with DCtraction system, rotary converters wereused to generate three-phase supply(3 415 V / 50 H z) required by machine-room auxiliaries. In addition to the highmaintenance requirements of such rotaryconverters, their drawbacks include poorvoltage regulation, low input power fac-tor, low conversion efficiency, presenceof lower order harmonics at output andlack of diagnostic facilities. To overcomethese limitations, rotary converters are

gradually being replaced by static powerconverters.

A B B caters to this market with its ener-gy-efficient air-cooled B O R D LIN E M 180auxiliary converters that utilize solid-stateIG B Ts to generate a sinusoidal and bal-anced three-phase voltage supply 2 . Thissolution, featuring an active PW M (pulse-width modulation) rectifier at the input,

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only penalize IR when the power factor islagging, but in some cases also when thepower factor is leading as a result of over-compensation. Sub-stations thus needreactive power compensation that can beadjusted dynamically and in real time.

AB Bs STAT C O N is a voltage sourceconverter / inverter that can both absorb

and deliver reactive power

3. It usesIG B T switching devices and is modular,permitting future expansion should de-mand rise.

ST AT C O N is shunt-connected and there-fore easy to install. It totally relieves thesource from reactive power, resulting inbetter utilization of the supply equipmentand network . A lso by providing very fastdynamic compensation, it improves volt-age profile and reduces system losses

and hence the loading on incoming pow-er transformers, switchgear, cables, etc.

FSKII outdoor breaker

IR uses 25 kV outdoor circuit breakersand interrupters in all of its traction sub-stations and switching posts. In consul-tation with IR , A B B has developed itsFSK II magnetic actuated range of break-ers and interrupters that offer increasedreliability due to radically fewer movingparts 2 . T he magnetic actuator is a bi-

stable device, meaning that it does notrequire energy to keep it in the open orclosed position 4.

Turbocharger

Every year, IR rolls out approximately 300new diesel locomotives from its twoplants in India. A B B turbochargers havebeen boosting the performance of theselocomotives since 1975. H igh-efficiencyturbochargers such as AB B s TP R 61and VT C 304 improve reliability and re-

duce fuel consumption by 5 percent 5. A B B is also involved in IR s emission-re-duction program, and is performing over-hauls on turbochargers. IR s workshopshave also built rolling stock for export tomore than 10 Asian and African coun-tries. A B B s turbochargers are also fre-quently used on such export locomo-tives, not least because of the globalpresence of AB B s service network.

Urban transportation

A ccording to the 2001 census, I ndia has300 cities with a population of more than100,000, and 35 cities with a million ormore compared to only five cities in the

enables unity power facto r (cos ) opera-tion and lowers line-side harmonic dis-tortion. Furthermore, the converterscontrolled startup and sinusoidal wave-form reduce stress on motor insulation,eliminating the need for special motors.T hese converters are customized to me-chanically and electrically fit into existing

locomotives, permitting them to be retro-fitted 2.

Reactive pow er compensation

T he power requirement of trains acrossthe network is characterized by its highvariability in demand. In addition, tractionconverters inject low-order harmonicsinto the traction network. T he line voltageis thus prone to high uctuations. IR con-ventionally employs xed-shunt capacitorbanks at most substations to compen-

sate the lagging power factor. T he draw-backs of switched capacitor banks arethe coarse size of the switching steps andtheir response time. P ower suppliers not

5 ABB turbochargers for Indian diesellocomotives

TPR 61 type turbocharger

VTC 304 type turbocharger

4 FSKII 25kV outd oor breaker toIR specifications

Indian R ailways (IR )is one of theworld s largest rail-way systems under

single managementand the largestemployer in theworld with approxi-mately 1.4 millionstaff.

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28 AB B review 2|10

availability as well as savings on mainte-nance and spare parts 7.

B ecause of its experience with DM R C ,as well as metros in M umbai and B anga-lore, A B B has emerged as the leader interms of market share for turnkey electri-fication, S C A D A and power products formetro rail networks in India.

Future outloo kIndias growing industrialization and popu-lation present an ever increasing need fortransportation. R iding on the waves ofeconomic success, IR has witnessed adramatic turnaround leading to an unprec-edented nancial turnover in the last fewyears. T his has been made possible by: H igher freight volumes without

requiring substantial investment ininfrastructure

Increased axle loadings

T he reduction of turnaround times forrolling stock

T he reduced unit cost of transporta-tion

T he rationalization of tariffs resultingin an increased market share forfreight.

In the Eleventh Five Year P lan (2007-12),investment in the railway sector is esti-mated at $65 billion 4 . Almost 17 percent

Today, K olkata and D elhi 6 are the onlytwo cities to have operating metro sys-tems. B esides ongoing expansion ofthese systems, new metro projects areat various stages of implementation inB angalore, M umbai, C hennai andH yderabad. In Delhi, M umbai, and Ban-galore, independent metro operatorsare procuring their own coaches accord-

ing to international

specifications andglobal tenderingprocesses. Withan increasing num-ber of projects,annual demand formetro coaches isexpected to growbeyond 1,000

coaches within the next few years. Bom-bardier Transportation has already set upa coach factory in western India and is

supplying coaches for D elhi M etro. O therinternational transportation companiesand Indian rolling-stock manufacturersare also seeking to enter this businessthrough collaborations and technologytie-ups.

SCADADelhis DM R C 6 needed one unifiedSC A D A control center (with backup), andhence sought to upgrade and integratethe old SC AD A system and RT U s 5 with

the new system without losing operatingtime. A B Bs latest M icroSC AD A P ro sys-tem provided one common system forthe complete network and delivered high

latter category in 1951. A pproximately30 percent of Indias population lives inurban areas, which contribute 55 percentof the G D P. India is being urbanized at afaster rate than the rest of the world: M i-gration is adding millions to urban popu-lations every year. T his urban growth isexerting increasing pressure on infra-structure. T he deterioration of urban

transport systems can rapidly lead tolower economic productivity. U rgentmeasures are thus needed to improve

urban transportation.

P ublic transport occupies less roadspace and causes less pollution per pas-senger-km than personal vehicles. O f thewide variety of public transport optionsavailable, high-capacity rail-based metrosystems are deemed to be the most suit-able for Indias densely populated cities.U nder the aegis of the M inistry of U rbanD evelopment, the central and local stategovernments are setting up independent

organizations to advance urban trans-port development. Solutions selected in-clude build-own-operate models withprivate partnerships.

7 DMRC SCADA cont rol room6 Delhi Metro Rail Corporation

Delhi M etro R ail Corporation (DM R C ) was incorporated to implement and

operate a mass transit system in the D elhi area. A BB has been a partner of

DM R C since 2002 and provided products and systems for both the tractionpower supply and rolling stock . T hese include traction, receiving and

auxiliary substations, overhead electrication, S C AD A systems, inte gra ted

building and asset managem ent solutions, and traction transformers and

motors. T he system i s electried at 25 kV / 50 H z. I t features AB B s compact

gas- and air-insulated switchgear, 25 kV pole-mounted vacuum interruptersand circuit breakers with magnetic actuator mechanisms.

DM R C is the rst independent metro operator in India, and has proven to

be a role model for on-time project execution and efciency. D M R C is nowproviding consultancy services to most of the new metro projects in India,

and is also taking on international consulting assignments.

P hase I of the metro, com prising a route length of 65.1 km, was completed

in 2006. P hase II, set to be completed in 2010, will add a further 128 km .Upon completion of this second phase, da ily passenger trips are expected

to reach 2 million per day. D M R C plans to have 381 km of metro operational

by 2021.

O f the total 193 km of phases I and II , A BB has executed or is implementing

the electrication of approximately 163 km .

Footnotes4 See also P rojections of Investment in

Infrastructure during Eleventh Plan,G oI report(O ctober 2007)

5 R T U: remote terminal unit.

A n important catalyst for elec-trification has been Indias willto reduce its dependence oncostly imported fossil fuels.

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alent to one third of its cars and onlyone-fourth of its planes 6 . In India, feasi-bility studies have already been initiatedfor a high-speed corridor to link M umbaiand D elhi at 350 k m/h. Further links arelikely to be added in the future.

IR is continuously adop ting new energy-saving and renewable-energy options inrolling stock and non-traction loads 7 .

T hese initia tives range from redesigningthe air-conditioning and lighting systemsin passenger coaches to harnessing so-lar power for station facilities, or usingwind farms to supply power to manufac-turing units. D ue to their lack of guaran-teed availability, such renewable sourcesare not suitable for traction loads. T heyare, however, deemed suitable for sta-tionary non-traction loads. D rawing onboth available technologies and experi-ence and the force of innovation, India is

on its way to establishing a more efficientrail network for its future.

Lalit Tejwani

AB B Ltd, M arketing and S ales (Railways)

K olkata, India

lalit.tejwani@ in.abb. com

Footnotes6 See also T he H indu (7 Jan. 2010) Encouraging

high-speed trains, and Vision 2020,Indian R ailways(D ecember 2009).

7 N on-traction loads are defined as the energy

consumed by the production units, variousworkshops, and other infrastructure.

Freight

A lthough the freight business is a signifi-cant revenue earner, and also helps sub-sidize IR s passenger business, passen-ger trains are given a higher priority inscheduling. To nevertheless improvefreight throughput and offer industry bet-ter transit times, the Dedicated FreightC orridor (D FC ) project is being advancedfeaturing 3, 300 km of double-track lines

and is budgeted at $12 billion. D FC willpermit freight trains with higher axle load-ings to run at 100 km/h (com pared to thecurrent average of 25 km/h) . T he westernD FC between M umbai and Delhi is ex-pected to carry mostly container trafficfrom the ports on the western coast,whereas the D elhi-Howrah eastern DFCwill carry mostly bulk cargo such as coal,iron ore, steel, etc. A s part of the D FCproject, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SP V)

is to be developed

with foreign fund-ing and expectedto be completedby 2015.

High speed

H igh speed railtakes pressure offroads and short-haul flights and so

reduces air pollution, congestion, noiseand accidents, and also frees travelers

from the frustrations of traffic congestionand airport security lines. In Europe, car-bon dioxide emissions per passenger-kmon Europes high-speed trains are equiv-

of this investment will be via public-pri-vate-partnership (P P P ) projects in thefreight and high-speed corridors, urbantransport systems, rolling stock manu-facturing and captive-industrial and portconnectivity.

In order to meet rising passenger trafc,and o ffer more com petitive intercity travel,IR is improving passenger facilities, in-

creasing platform lengths and introducingmore train services. IR needs to acquiremore than 4,500 coaches annually formain-line services (660 of which shouldbe air conditioned) . C urrent captive man-ufacturing facilities are not able to meetthis requirement, and this is limiting thelaunch of new train services and the rateof replacement of old coaches. To in-crease the supply, IR is by itself and inpartnership with private manufacturers

setting up new production units. N ew die-sel and electric locomotive production fa-

cilities using the PP P model are also be-ing discussed as a way to augment IR slocomotive eet with higher power andtechnologically advanced locomotives.

D M R C is the first independentmetro operator in India, andhas proven to be a role modelfor on-time project executionand efficiency.

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