Simulation Tool to Evaluate Power Consumption on Electrified Railway Lines

Ardanuy Ingenieria has developed its own Simulation Tool denominated “Rail Power” which permits Power Consumption on Electrified Lines to be evaluated.

RailPower is a comprehensive tool which permits electrical dimensioning studies to be carried out on railway lines based on real operational conditions. The results obtained help facilitate decisions in order to correctly electrify the line which thus contributes to cost optimization, determining operational limits and anticipating any critical situations which may arise.

The field of application for which RailPower can be used is extensive. It is designed to be applied to all kinds of railway transportation systems by carrying out simulations of electrification systems implementing both alternating (1×25 kV and 2×25 kV) as well as direct current (750 V, 1,500 V and 3,000 V). For each study, two modules are tested. The first module simulates train circulation by forcing it to comply at all moments with the necessary signalling requirements and consequently obtains the dynamic train results (speed, acceleration and power). The second module tests the equivalent electrical circuit and results are obtained for the pantograph voltage, current for each train, output and the power for each substation feeder as well as for the contact cable and return rail current.

Results of all associated calculations related to dynamic, electrical and graphical train circulation aspects can be observed on the screen (or can be printed) in table or graphic form for their subsequent interpretation and analysis. The software program provides instantaneous and average values as well as the RMS for all calculated terms.