Recuperation of Regenerative Braking Energy in Electric Rail Transit Systems

TL;DR

This paper reviews and compares various methods for capturing and utilizing regenerative braking energy in electric rail transit systems, aiming to improve energy efficiency and reduce waste.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of existing technologies and approaches for regenerative energy recuperation in electric rail systems, highlighting their advantages and limitations.

Findings

Energy storage systems can significantly improve energy recovery.

Reversible substations enable efficient energy transfer between trains.

Timetable optimization enhances regenerative braking effectiveness.

Abstract

Electric rail transit systems are large consumers of energy. In trains with regenerative braking capability, a fraction of the energy used to power a train is regenerated during braking. This regenerated energy, if not properly captured, is typically dumped in the form of heat to avoid overvoltage. Finding a way to recuperate regenerative braking energy can result in economic as well as technical merits. In this comprehensive paper, the various methods and technologies that were proposed for regenerative energy recuperation have been analyzed, investigated and compared. These technologies include: train timetable optimization, energy storage systems (onboard and wayside), and reversible substations.