Page 25 - Innovation in energy management: contribution of railways to sustainable mobility

R.10. Promote the development of efficient (ground) power
electronics

Investment: Nature: Improvement:
To be analysed

Related to:

R.3 R.4 R.5 R.7

While power electronics have traditionally been used in rolling stock, their use in ground
infrastructure has been more limited. The introduction of new operating approaches and
electrical connections (to which the previously introduced challenges refer) has changed
this trend and the use of this new equipment has been essential for the last few years.

Unlike what happens with on-board equipment, in the field of ground infrastructure, the
requirements associated with mechanical aspects (space and vibrations, among others),
are less important, although there are other new requirements that are currently not fully
explored. A particularly important aspect refers to compliance with all the standards
associated with the generation of disturbances in the railway system, on the Control,
Command and Signalling installations, since it will be common practice to be able to
connect this equipment in locations other than the electrical substations of traction, with
the connection to the running rail being compulsory.

Modelling techniques (digital twin) in Medium Voltage networks will help to guarantee a
decent quality of electrical service when, increasingly, new systems based on generation
and power electronics are being incorporated.

On the other hand, semiconductors have been based throughout history on silicon as the
basic element. Silicon carbide has been replacing silicon for a few years, especially for
blocking voltages above 500 V. Silicon carbide components have much lower losses than
silicon-based power semiconductors. In addition, higher blocking voltages and higher
operating temperatures dominate. Somehow, the use of this new material has made it
possible to find the ideal component that allows the blocking of high voltages (in the open
state), high currents (in the conduction state) and low power losses to be combined in
the same element.

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Position paper: Innovation in energy management: contribution of railways to sustainable mobility
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