Analysis of Energy Dissipation in an Electric Transit System

Reducing energy consumption in electrified transit systems is becoming increasingly important as energy prices rise and environmental concerns become more prominent. In electrified transit systems, significant savings can be accomplished by utilizing braking energy. Energy from regenerative braking can be used to power vehicles via the traction supply system, or stored on board vehicles using energy storage devices. The effectiveness and energy savings of regenerative braking or on board energy storage is dependent on the nature of the system, particularly the vehicle drive cycles and service frequency. The paper describes an analysis methodology developed to consider energy flows in an electrified transit system, hence enabling the potential benefits of regenerative braking and energy storage devices to be assessed.Copyright © 2008 by ASME