Eurailmag - #15 - March 2007 - (Page 115)

Rolling Stock The partners in PLATHEE combine all the competencies needed to achieve its goals: SNCF, 2HEnergy (engines), ERCTEEL (electronics), ALSTOM (rail equipment) and two laboratories, LEEI and INRETS. In a world where technological progress is accelerating and energy sources will be more diverse, Coquery argues in favour of hybridisation, which he believes is a good response to the radical developments that are coming. “If diesel electric generators are prohibited or exorbitantly expensive to operate in 20 years, it will have to be possible to modify the locomotives on order today.” MEGASTORAGE CAPACITIES ON THE ENERGY FRONT Gérard Coquery, head of the New Technologies Laboratory at INRETS, says that 70% of INRETS research concerns road transport. FROM PANTOGRAPH TO WHEEL: There is one area, however, where its work converges with rail A PATHWAY FOR ENERGY transport: “We are studying new technologies from the angle of duration and trying to better understand sysFor over a century, engineers have been tems like the components of ultracapacitors”. seeking to transmit the maximum amount According to Coquery, ultracapacitors for of energy through the traction chain while SNCF OPERATES energy storage are an important area of minimising the loss to the chain’s compoenergy research. “When it comes to energy, nents. Improvement has and will come by ON 15,000 KM OF there are three key things that must be studying each of these components. mastered simultaneously: power electronics, NON-ELECTRIFIED energy storage buffers, which include ultracaBetween the pantograph and wheel, energy is disperpacitors, and clean electric generators.” sed in friction, heat and other electrical losses. “It's TRACK simple”, explains Marc Debruyne, a traction expert at Work in his laboratory is focused mainly on Alstom. “On a TGV, 10 MW must be supplied to technological reliability. This research will proobtain 8.8 MW at the wheel.” So the efficiency of a vide knowledge of new materials and allow predictive utilisation so modern 6-MW traction chain working from a monophase, 25 kV-50 Hz catethat they are not changed too early or too late. An essential aspect nary is about 85%, with the components absorbing a portion of the power. of this research is finding non-polluting solutions. “Ultracapacitors Strategies for converting electrical energy have evolved over the years. “The store electricity and release it with nearly 100% efficiency. All these transformers are a bit more efficient, and we have improved the motors, but systems contain small quantities of toxic materials, but the life basically there has been no revolution in that area”, explained Mr Debruyne. cycle of these materials can be controlled. And a new generation of “We are still limited by saturation of magnetic induction in the iron and by the ultracapacitors with no such materials is being developed”, notes temperature of the insulation. Also, in traction engines, the bearings must not Coquery. heat about 120°C". …go to page 118 EURAILmag Business & Technology Issue 15 http://www.compagnie-deutsch.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Eurailmag - #15 - March 2007

SOMMAIRE
NOTICE BOARD
COATINGS
NEWS
SERVICES
INFRASTRUCTURE
HIGH-SPEED LINES
TUNNELS
PEOPLE
ROLLING STOCK
WEBSITE DIRECTORY

Eurailmag - #15 - March 2007

https://www.nxtbookmedia.com