BHEL – Electronics Division, Bangalore
IGBT BASED 3 PHASE PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY
FOR LOCO
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IGBT BASED 3 PHASE PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY
FOR LOCO
Current Status
 Locomotive with tap changer based DC drive
 Indian Railways migrated from conventional DC drive propulsion to
AC 3 Phase
• High power traction converters manufactured with Oil Cooled GTOs
• Microprocessor based controls
• Bogie drive configuration and modularity concept adopted
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IGBT BASED 3 PHASE PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY
FOR LOCO
Limitation with GTO based system
 Requires large gate drivers and snubber circuits, hence higher losses
 Obsolescence of power device GTO and electronic components
 Proprietary ASIC’s and Hybrid circuits
 Platform dependant control architecture, RTOS and software tools
 Proprietary protocol, inability to configure third party hardware & software
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IGBT BASED 3 PHASE PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY
FOR LOCO
Limitation with Proprietary H/W, S/W and
Component Obsolescence
 Electronic hardware Components
• Processors
• Memory chips
• ASICs
Computer H/W needed to interface with loco electronics
• Proprietary interface card
Tools needed to develop and maintain software
• Proprietary tools
Operating system of maintenance PCs & loco
• RTOS on loco: Proprietary OS
• DOS on PCs (Obsolete)
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IGBT BASED 3 PHASE PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY
FOR LOCO
Emerging technology in converter
 Introduction of high power IGBTs
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No snubber circuits
Smaller gate circuits
Higher switching frequency
Lighter (20%) and smaller
Higher reliability (30% longer MTBF)
Lower noise
Better slip/slide control (vector control)
 Water Cooled System
 Axle Control Configuration
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IGBT BASED 3 PHASE PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY
FOR LOCO
Emerging technology in Control system
Open Standard Platform
• Hardware on standard backplane bus – Vendor independent
• Standard RTOS and third party Software tools
• State – Of – Art Digital Communication as per TCN – IEC 61375
• Reduction in number of electronic cards – Economical solution
• Configuration and modification at ease using PC based tool
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IGBT BASED 3 PHASE PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY
FOR LOCO
Salient features of IGBT based propulsion system
 Traction Converter
• Water cooled IGBT based power modules
• State – Of – Art vector control
• Axle Control Configuration
• Modern Slip/Slide Control
 Traction Control Unit (TCU)
• Digital I/O cards and signal processor boards
• Control cards based on TCN as per IEC 61375
• Compatible to communicate with existing VCU
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IGBT BASED 3 PHASE PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY
FOR LOCO
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IGBT BASED 3 PHASE PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY
FOR LOCO
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IGBT BASED 3 PHASE PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY
FOR LOCO
Challenges in retrofit
 Accommodating the IGBT based system in the existing dimension
enhancing the performance and retaining interfaces both mechanically and
electrically
• IGBT system occupies less space – ease in accommodating
• Weight reduction - 43 %
• Retain all electrical and optical connectors .
 The equipment is designed for axle control over existing bogie control
• Each Inverter feeds individual traction motor achieving axle control
• Inverter power handled is less
• More redundancy
• More reliable operation of the locomotive
• Additional software and separate electrical connections for
individual motors
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IGBT BASED 3 PHASE PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY
FOR LOCO
Challenges in retrofit
 The control system offered is TCN, IEC 61375 standard also
designed compatible with the existing Proprietary system
• Control system designed with MVB for communicating with VCU(TCN)
• Additional gateway provided to communicate with existing VCU
• Rack enclosure and cooling arrangement retained
 The control system designed with optimum hardware with vector control
along with modern slip/slide control for maximum adhesion under all rail
conditions
 State of art fast Digital signal Processor Boards
 Less control boards
 No Proprietary ASICS and hybrid ICs
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IGBT BASED 3 PHASE PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY
FOR LOCO
Challenges in retrofit
 The equipment designed with normal water-cooling instead of oil cooled
system
• Water cooling equipment is simpler more efficient and economical
• Existing heat exchanger area retained modifying the oil cooling circuit to
water cooling.
 The Converter equipment designed for existing Transformer and Motor as
used in GTO based system
• IGBT based equipment injects high voltage and current stresses
• Stress seen by transformer and motor.
• Solutions offered for high stress as part of converter for designed
stress of motor and Transformer
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IGBT BASED 3 PHASE PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY
FOR LOCO
Challenges in retrofit
 TCN based Vehicle Control Electronics
• Up gradation to TCN based open control platform
• Vendor independent hardware due to standard back plane
• A standard real time operating system
• Software built using standard languages as per IEC 61131
• Standard software tools on PC for programming.
• Interfacing cabling in the loco retained the same.
• Rack enclosure and cooling arrangement will be same
 BHEL geared up to retrofit 4000 HP Diesel Loco IGBT based Electrics
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IGBT BASED 3 PHASE PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY
FOR LOCO
BHEL Capability
 Technically skilled manpower
 Full fledged facilities for Assembly and manufacture
• IGBT based Converter equipment
• Surface Mount Technology for Controller card
• Water and Oil Cooling system
 Testing facility
• Power module and cooling system
• Automated test facility for controller card
• Integrated testing of complete rack
• Environmental test chambers in energized condition
 Complete equipment testing at BHEL
 Expert Technical support for trouble shooting
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IGBT BASED 3 PHASE PROPULSION TECHNOLOGY
FOR LOCO
Thank You
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