Energy use in the operational cycle of passenger rail vehicles

Abstract: This master thesis investigates and analyzes the energy use for traction and auxiliary equipment in passenger rail vehicles. It covers both the train service with passengers and when the trains are going through other stages in the everyday operation. The operational cycle and associated operational situations are introduced as a way of describing the varying use of a train over time. The descriptions focus on the most common activities and situations, such as stabling and parking, regular cleaning, inspections and maintenance. Also how these situations affect energy use by their need for different auxiliary systems to be active. An energy model is developed based on the operational cycle as a primary input, together with relevant vehicle parameters and climate conditions. The latter proving to be a major influence on the energy used by the auxiliary equipment. The model is applied in two case studies, on SJ's X55 and Västtrafik's X61 trains. Both are modern electric multiple units equipped with energy meters. Model input is gathered from available technical documentation, previous studies and by measurements and parameter estimations. Operational cycle input is collected through different planning systems and rolling stock rosters. Climate input is finally compiled from open meteorological data banks. The results of the case studies show that the method and models are useful for studying the energy used by the trains in their operational cycles. With the possibility to distinguish the energy used by the auxiliary equipment, both during and outside the time the trains are in service with passengers. With this it's also possible to further investigate and study potential energy saving measures for the auxiliary equipment. Simulations of new ventilation control functions and improved use of existing operating modes on the trains show that considerable energy savings could be achieved with potentially very small investments or changes to the trains. The results generally show the importance of a continued investigation of the auxiliary equipment's energy use, as well as how the different operational situations other than the train service affect the total energy use.