>> For Road, Off-Road and Rail Applications page 14

Railway Technology Magazine

>> MEE-NT

For Regional Traffic

page 6

>> For Road, Off-Road

and Rail Applications

page 14

>> From Paris to Stuttgart

by TGV

page 16

1

_Issue

3 Editorial

4 Ilha

Formosa

6

MEE-NT Now Available for Short-Dist ance Traffic

9

For Urban and Rural Applications

10

Grid Interferences of Power Electronic Converters

14

Road, Off-Road, and Rail Applications

16

From Paris to Stuttgart by TGV

18

Rational Handling of Energy

21

Rail Solution Asia in Taipei

22

Keep Cool

Rail Focus

Railway Technology Magazine

Publisher:SMATechnologie AG Hannoversche Str. 1–5 34266 Niestetal Germany

Phone +49 561 95 22 - 0 Fax +49 561 95 22 - 100

Responsible for contents

Dirk Wimmer [email protected]

Coordination

Susanne Günther [email protected]

Rail Focus Railway Technology Magazinewill be published biannually German edition: 1.500

International edition: 750

All brand and product names used in this magazine are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders, although they may not be specifically designated as such. Reprints, including excerpts, are subject to written approval from the publisher. Printed on paper made from chlorine-free bleached cellulose.

© 2004 SMA Technologie AG. All rights reserved.

photo: Siemens

photo: Bombardier

photo: Transrapid International

Dear readers,

We are happy to present the first edition of our new Railway Technology Maga-zine.

Our Rail Focus magazine is to inform you at first hand about SMA’s Railway Technology division, to introduce individ-ual projects and to provide you with in-teresting information on the use of SMA systems.

We regularly raise special issues and would like to impart our long experience

and wide range of know-how in form of professional articles to those who are interested in technology.

In view of the daily information overload we would like to present the essential issues in a clear, simple and under-standable form and hope you will have a good time in reading the Rail Focus magazine.

We welcome your feedback and sugges-tions.

Please enjoy reading!

Railway Technology Management

E D I T O R I A L

Birgit Wilde Roland Grebe

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Ilha Formosa!

Still today, ‘formosa’ stands for Taiwan. Taiwan is still a subtropical island with virgin forests, desert mountain ranges and remote, fan-tastic sandy beaches. Originally the island was populated by Polyne-sians. Now, the most of the popula-tion of 22 million people are Chi-nese living in the Western lowland of the island. Taiwan is said to be the second most populous area in the world although the East is only sparsely populated.

The second-largest city of Taiwan after Taipei is Kaohsiung with a pop-ulation of approx. 1.5 million peo-ple. Kaohsiung is located at the Southern tip of Taiwan where approx. a total of 3.5 million people, including the surrounding cities, live. Kaohsiung has been affected by heavy industry, mainly

steel and shipbuilding, and by the container harbor which is the third largest in the world after Hongkong and Singapore. And there is defi-nitely room for growth.

Traffic in Kaohsiung is less hectic than in Taipei. However, traffic and air pollution give reason to extensive measures in infrastructure.

Many construction projects are currently running in the city of Kaohsiung. The first Metro is being designed – a mainly underground transport system of 28 km and with 23 stations for the “Red Line” and 14 km with 14 stations for the “Orange Line”. Additional lines and a light-rail system are planned to be opened up.

In addition to the tracks, stations and depots, the vehicles are new-ly constructed as well. The first trains are expected to go into serv-ice on a line section at the begin-ning of 2007. The service will be upgraded to the entire line and to

SMA provides energy supplies

for Metro in Taiwan

More than 400 years ago, the first

Eu-ropeans passed an island in the

Chi-nese Sea with the Dutch navigator Jan

Huygen van Linschoten on board of the

Portuguese ship. When he saw the

is-land he called out “Ilha Formosa”

meaning more or less ‘beautiful island’.

byDirk Wimmer

Mascot of the Metro company Kaohsiung

all vehicles at the beginning of 2008.

In addition to signal and control technology, catenary design and entire project management, Siemens was commissioned with the supply of 42 Metro trains with three coach-es, each, in 2001. Each Metro train

will be equipped with two auxiliary power supplies MEE-NTSD_{by SMA.} MEE-NTSD_{is the name for all} auxil-iary power supplies for short-dis-tance traffic (Metro, tram and re-gional commuter trains). The sys-tems for CITADIS®_{RegioTram Kassel}

and CORADIA LIREX® _Stockholm

belong to SMA’s new product family as well. MEE-NTSD_{is based on the} proven technology platform MEE-NT (see article pages 6—8).

Design draft of trains for Metro Kaohsiung Depot for Metro Kaohsiung under construction

photo: Siemens

Input converter MEE-NTSD

of ALSTOM CORADIA Lirex®

for the Lokaltrafik Stockholm

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Since 1999, the multiple input voltage APS (Auxiliary

Power Supply) MEE-NT is used by different European

operators. For the first time, SMA realized an

elec-tric separation in the input stage by a soft switching

input converter that can be operated at all UIC input

voltages without electromechanical regrouping.

More than 250 railway coaches have meanwhile

been equipped with multiple input voltage MEE-NTs

and prove their reliability in daily use on European

railroads.

by Dirk Wimmer

Technology Platform MEE-NT The MEE-NT is a modern proven platform for auxiliary power sup-ply systems for short- and long-dis-tance traffic. The technological ad-vantages of the MEE-NT are avail-able for the MEE-NTSD_{* and the} MEE-NTLD_{** as well:}

• Easy and low-cost adjustment to different applications due to modular system concept • Lightweight systems due to

electric separation in input converter with HF transformers • Compact design with very high

efficiency due to resonant switching power units

MEE-NT —

Now Available for Short-Dist

ALSTOM CORADIA Lirex®_{for Lokaltrafik}

Stockholm, equipped with MEE-NTSD_{, during}

final installation at ALSTOM LHB

For short- and long-distance traffic

*) SD = Short Distance **) LD = Long Distance

• Optional operation under partial load conditions without forced ventilation due to special arrangement of the heat sinks • AC output voltages in grid

quality with load tolerant neutral wire without additional 50 Hz transformer

• High power factor and low grid disturbances in input and high output voltage quality due to advanced digital control • Easy service, analysis and

maintenance due to modern diagnosis system and modular design

MEE-NTSD _{is available as modular} system for different applications. Each MEE-NTSD_{consists of an input} converter with electric separation by HF transformers and any number of output modules. Solutions are available for all grid voltages usual in short-distance traffic. Output modules, such as three-phase inverters and battery chargers, com-plete the system.

A DC voltage output for charging the battery and supplying the connected DC voltage consumers is required in almost all systems. Thus, an input converter with an optional-ly integrated battery charger has been developed for the MEE-NTSD

reducing the system costs, weight and required space.

SMA also entered new grounds in the development of the enclosure. For the first time, non-welded enclo-sures that can be mounted under floor and on the roof are available. They can alternatively be manufac-tured as steel, stainless steel or alu-minum enclosures and convince by their low weight.

The multiple input voltage MEE-NTLD has continuously been enhanced since its launch in 1999 and is now available as complete system kit.

ance Traffic

ALSTOM CITADIS®_{for the RegioTram Kassel, equipped with MEE-NT}SD

photo: ALSTOM

LHB

photo: ALSTOM

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con-verters can be combined with any number of output modules, such as battery chargers and three-phase inverters. The inverters can be op-erated in fixed or variable frequency mode and generate a load tolerant neutral wire without additional trans-former, if required.

A number of options, such as auto-matic train line detections, battery inverters or diagnosis displays, com-plete the product range.

MEE-NTSD_{for ALSTOM CITADIS}®_{RegioTram Kassel}

Double-deck couchette coach of the CityNightLine, equipped with multiple input voltage MEE-NTLD

Power electronic module

of the MEE-NTSD_{CORADIA Lirex}®_Stockholm

A P P L I C A T I O N

For Urban & Rural Applications

18 of a total of 28 tram-trains be-longing to the family of regional light rail vehicles RegioCITADIS®_are two-system vehicles. They are used in Kassel’s tram system as well as in the system of the Deutsche Bahn AG. The remaining ten vehicles are new hybrid vehicles that may be driven in electric mode with 750 V DC and in diesel-electric mode as well: They run under the tram’s catenary in the city and the integrated diesel engine allows full operation on non-electri-fied railroads in Kassel’s surrounding areas.

The first eight vehicles have passed extensive test runs and will be used in regular traffic between Kassel and Warburg in December 2004. The routes Kassel—Wolfhagen and

Kassel—Melsungen are scheduled to open in 2005 and 2006.

SMA provides auxiliary power sup-plies for the redundant board supply and independently controllable air conditioning units for the tram-trains of RegioTram by order of ALSTOM. SMA realized an innovative and very

light weight solution for the vehicles custom-tailored to the requirements of Kassel’s tram system and the region-al system of the Deutsche Bahn AG.

Link: www.regiotram.de

First roll-out

of the RegioTram Kassel

Salzgitter – 6

_{of July 2004. The}

first RegioTram for Nordhessen rolled

out of the hall of the railway

tech-nology manufacturer ALSTOM LHB

with a great fuss. By December

2004, eight vehicles will connect the

cities of Kassel and Warburg in

Germany.

byDirk Wimmer

Roll-Out of the first RegioCITADIS®_{of ALSTOM for Greater Kassel area,}

equipped with MEE-NTSD

Great reception for the new train: Representatives of ALSTOM, the “Nordhessischer Verkehrsverbund” (NVV)as well as of the local policy

photo: ALSTOM

LHB

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non-con-ducted interferences are distin-guished. Non-conducted interfer-ences are divided into field-bound and radiated phenomena. In case of field-bound interferences the sep-arately measurable values for the electric and magnetic field are assessed in the near field. For example, limit values for magnetic flux density in the track bed caused by auxiliary power supplies apply in order to avoid impact on sen-sors. Critical units are e. g. axle-counters used for clear track sig-nalling systems. In addition, the DIN VDE 0884 standard specifies frequency-dependent limit values for electric and magnetic fields re-ferring to personnel protection in order to specifically protect

per-sons with implants, such as pace makers.

In case of radiated interferences in the far field the electric and the mag-netic fields are not separately mea-sured. Test methods and limit values comply with the values of the classi-cal EMC (Electro Magnetic Com-patibility) and are specified in the harmonized EN 50121 standard. In case of conducted interferences, interference voltages and parasitic currents above 9 kHz as well as test methods and limit values are specified by the EMC standards, specifically by the EN 50121 stan-dard. Particularly in case of low fquencies grid interferences are re-ferred to.

When considering grid interfer-ences, the impact of current har-monics on the voltage quality of a PCC (Point of Common Coupling) is basically summarized. These coher-ences that are normally complex are significantly characterized by the grid impedance and the con-sumers with non-linear current and voltage characteristic according to the frequency ranges to be consid-ered. The ideal case is when the power supply behaves like an ohmic consumer for the frequency of the supplying grid. This means, that a power supply absorbs pure DC cur-rent in DC voltage grids and pure AC current in AC voltage grids with a maximum power factor.

Grid Interferences of

Power Electronic

Converters

Auxiliary power supplies for rolling stock may affect their environment. This

im-pact is to be restricted to an extent that other equipment is not impaired in its

functioning and that damages of persons are impossible. This article describes

the most common interferences and indicates the requirements to be

consid-ered in developing and producing an auxiliary power supply.

Shanghai Movia Metro, equipped with a battery charger based on MEE-NTSD_technology

While the requirements indicated above aim at the voltage quality at the PCC, limit values assuring inter-operability of different electric sys-tems apply as well. In case of AC and DC voltage grids maximum tolerable parasitic currents, such as harmonic currents of a passenger train’s influ-encing units, are defined according to the UIC 550 standard. In addition, operators may require the compli-ance with specific limit values in or-der to guarantee the functioning of special communication and sig-nalling systems within their grids. Specifically power electronic actua-tors may have an undue impact on other consumers and equipment in case of an input current with har-monics. This applies e. g. to clear

track signalling systems operating with discrete frequencies. Electric, capacitive or inductive coupling is possible.

In case of DC voltage grids a mini-mum input impedance of the power supply to the feeding grid is speci-fied as well. The reason for this are communication systems, such as the 75 Hz automatic train control in the Dutch 1,500 V DC grid, functioning by modulation of signals onto the DC voltage grid. The power supply may not function as absorption cir-cuit for these discrete signal fre-quencies.

Due to the requirements mentioned above sophisticated auxiliary pow-er supplies must be able to affect the

input current in a way that the limit values specified for harmonics are complied with. This may be possible by filtering and controlling the input current.

The current is filtered by using pas-sive components, such as inductors and capacitors. However, specifi-cally inductors will quickly have sig-nificant additional weight due to the vehicles’ power requirements. A highly dynamic current control is therefore a better solution that may be adjusted to the different require-ments by slight software changes. Solution realized

for the MEE-NT

When designing the MEE-NT we considered the requirements

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Power electronic module of a multiple input voltage MEE-NTLD

cated above right from the start. It was possible to comply with these requirements by selecting an opti-mum pulse frequency, by influencing the input current in terms of control and by an additional inductivity for high frequencies. This concept al-lows to design a system optimized for low weight that may be project-specifically adjusted at low costs. In case of the MEE-NT the input cur-rent is influenced by the hard switch-ing step-up converter on the input side. The step-up converter controls the voltage via the resonance ca-pacitor for the soft switching invert-er connected and at the same time can directly affect the input current by a subordinate, extremely dy-namic current control circuit.

The MEE-NT makes it possible to lim-it the grid loads caused by harmon-ics and to avoid impact on other consumers by complying with the limit values for parasitic currents and input impedance. The compatibility of the MEE-NT was already proven by extensive tests during different projects. The DB AG verifications required for the compliance of the limit values for magnetic fields in tracks could effectively be complet-ed as well.

Innovative Converter Platform

for Long- and Short-Distance

Traffic

Innovative Converter Platform

for Long- and Short-Distance

Traffic

System advantages

• Compact and lightweight system due to sophisticated technology

• Low-cost adjustment to any coach type

• Highest reliability

• High availability due to effective diagnosis

• Minimum maintenance due to modular system design

SMA Technologie AG

Hannoversche Strasse 1–5 34266 Niestetal

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Computer Technology for

Mobile Applications

SMA computer systems are used in the

Metro that went into service in Bangkok

last summer, in new Chinese passenger

trains and in the German maglev train

Transrapid. The company developed a

special know-how for using computers

in mobile applications within the last

years. This experience can be found in

the Enduro MobilePLC and WINtrak

fieldbus terminal blocks.

by Susanne Günther

In the field of mobile applications, the demands on computers differ widely and are harsher than in any other area. In the case of railway vehicles, high frequency vibrations occur steadily over long periods of time, whereas excavators and cranes must primarily resist sudden shock impacts. A forestry vehicle must be able to start even at very low temperatures and a harvester has to operate reliably in hot summer weather. EMI immunity is of utmost importance specifically in rail-way applications (see page 10— 12). In addition, the components must be corrosion-resistant when e. g. they are used on board of Metro trains that are usually running in congested areas with sulfurous air. Vehicles are normally very

ex-pensive machines. Downtimes are therefore not affordable. In addi-tion, the safety of passengers and transported goods ranks first. This means that the use of industrial computers for vehicles is only possi-ble when, in addition to rigid indus-trial standards, additional specifica-tions are met. When developing sys-tems for mobile applications, we of-ten refer to the European Railway Standard EN 50155.

Less is more

During the past years, the concept of decentral control has established itself in automation technology. The use of fieldbusses, such as CAN-open, made this technological development possible. Modular

systems boast several advantages, including simpler wiring which facilitates installation and mainte-nance, and results in significant weight reduction and financial savings. Decentral control provides additional advantages in mobile applications. Often, the space for electronic components and wiring in vehicles is limited. The amount and therefore also the weight of the wiring must be taken into consider-ation. That is one reason why con-ventional connections by means of thick cables is not a good solution. In addition, decentral control sys-tems can be designed as an island architecture, meaning that it is pos-sible to distribute several controls and I/O-nodes within the vehicle. Plus, building redundant systems is

Road, Off-Road and

very simple and is an important safety feature.

Rugged = Enduro

For mobile applications, the Enduro MobilePLC coupled with WINtrak field bus terminals is the optimal ba-sis for a decentral control system. The Enduro has two electrically sep-arated CAN interfaces and two Ethernet ports. The PC compatible processor GEODE SC 1100 is de-signed for fanless operation in the T3 temperature range (–25 °C up to +85 °C). After connecting the voltage supply, the Enduro boots the operation system and the appli-cation from the integrated Com-pactFlash. The electronics of the Enduro is sealed by a lacquer and thus protected against

environmen-tal influences. In the field of vibra-tions and broadband noise the Enduro complies with the require-ments according to the EN 61373 standard, Category Life Testing 1, Class B, mounted at the car body. Vibration resistant = WINtrak Fieldbus terminals for mobile ap-plications are rare. SMA current-ly provides ten different modules. The modules consist of one base and one electronic module, each. They communicate with the con-trol system via CAN according to the ISO 11898 standard. The process interface cable is at-tached to the base module with tension spring terminals, the

elec-tronic elements are simply

plugged on. Electronic elements

can thus easily be added or ex-changed.

The Enduro and the WINtrak termi-nals comply with the EN50155 stan-dard, use the standard CANopen protocol for mobile applications, are complimentary to one another and form a modular control system for simple realization of mobile application solutions at low price.

Rail Applications

Transrapid Shanghai: SMA computer for vehicle and section diagnosis and route measurement

Vehicles run under harshest environmental conditions

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In 1992, Germany and France agreed to build a high-speed

line between Paris, Eastern France and Southern Germany. The

route from Paris to the East via Lothringen and Saarbrücken to

Mannheim is an important step for closing the gap between

the German and French high-speed network.

byDirk Wimmer

As of 2008, the travel time from Paris to Stuttgart will take only four hours (currently: six hours). Passengers may benefit from this closed gap al-so on other routes. The travel times between Paris and Frankfurt will be under four hours and between Paris and Munich a bit more than six hours.

In January 2003, the French Rail-ways SNCF ordered 30 new TGV power cars at ALSTOM. These units are assembled with trailors already available for the TGV-Reseau to form

15 new TGV POS trains. The new TGV POS power cars are equipped for three different supply voltages (25 kV 50 Hz, 15 kV 16.7 Hz and 1.5 kV DC voltage) and designed for the use within the French and

German high-speed network with a maximum travel speed of 320 km/h. Battery and brake charger In addition to new drive technology and multiple input voltage

equip-From Paris

to Stuttgart

by TGV

ment of the TGV POS power cars new auxiliary power supplies were used as well. In summer 2003, ALSTOM commissioned SMA to supply battery and brake chargers for the TGV POS. Two battery chargers per power car redundant-ly provide the 72 V main suppredundant-ly and charge the battery. The brake

charger is primarily important for safety.

In addition to being fast, high-speed trains need to be able to efficiently and safely break at any time. Elec-tro-dynamic braking via the drives is very important. A brake charger is necessary in order to guarantee electro-dynamic braking in case the catenary or the power convert-er supplying the traction intermediate cir-cuit fails. In this extreme case, the brake char-ger is able to supply the two traction

interme-diate circuits of a traction unit with a minimum voltage from the battery within a few seconds. It is thus pos-sible to ensure functioning of the electro-dynamic brake under these circumstances.

Mechanical Integration

The mechanical integration of the TGV POS chargers into the specified underfloor configuration was a spe-cial challenge. SMA’s container technology introduced with the aux-iliary power supplies for RegioTram Kassel provides significant advan-tages in terms of weight. The under-floor enclosures are non-welded aluminum IP65 enclosures with a weight of only 12 kg without fixing rails.

SMA battery charger TGV POS in front view with interfaces and revision door

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for diesel-generator sets with variable speed

Compared to conventional technol-ogy, the use of sophisticated power converter technology combined with permanently excited synchronous machines provides significant ad-vantages when developing mobile power generating sets. Adjusting the speed of the combustion engine to the actual load situation allows to drastically reduce fuel consumption, noise emission and machine wear and tear. Since the output voltage and frequency of the generator is lower than the grid voltage required in case of low speeds, a frequency converter is used for the necessary adjustment. SMA equips diesel-generator sets with frequency

con-MSA40 – Frequency converter for diesel-generator sets with variable speeds

Rational

Handling of Energy

Innovative power engineering – not only for railways

In times of raw materials running short it becomes more and more

important to use all available energies as effectively as possible. As

the consumption of electric energy is increasing worldwide it is so

much more important to also use the available energy sources as

ef-ficiently as possible. In many cases sophisticated power electronics

is essential in order to approach this objective.

verters of the power classes 5 kVA to 44 kVA for the Kirsch GmbH in Trier, Germany.

Power electronics for steam power plants

In conventional combined heat and power plants, the fuel, normally nat-ural gas, is directly combusted in an engine powering a generator. Heat extracted from the generator’s cool-ing circuit is tapped for a heatcool-ing system. Whereas, the SteamCell ini-tially generates steam that is used to power a specifically developed ma-chine. This machine in turn provides electric power of variable frequen-cy and voltage via a permanently excited synchronous generator. The frequency converter connected feeds the power into the public grid.

The generation of steam makes high total efficiencies possible since ther-mal power for the heating system is not only produced as waste product of engine cooling. The combustion process is more controlled than with-in an engwith-ine. The emission values therefore comply with those of so-phisticated boiler heating systems. However, these systems are not able to generate electric current! As the system may be adjusted to almost all kinds of fuels without high efforts it may be used on vehicles or in the field of renewable energy sources, such as biomass energy, as well.

Due to a wide range of know-how and the technical basis resulting from many different converter

applications SMA was able to pro-vide a specific converter with new features for the SteamCell in best time. The process requires the syn-chronous machine to be powered as well as slowed down. In addi-tion, the electric power is to be fed into the public grid. Here, SMA could directly rely on the experi-ence of the Solar Technology divi-sion.

A home power supply on the basis of the SteamCell economically and ecologically friendly feeds the elec-tric power produced into the grid. This power will be used exactly where it is produced without un-necessary transport losses.

>>>

Design of SteamCell SteamCell is a compact steam powered plant

for cogeneration

Illustration: Enginion

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Hydro Boy –

the inverter for fuel cell heating systems

Fuel cell heating systems are also plants for cogeneration. In contrast to the SteamCell they generate elec-tric power and heat out of natural gas by an electrochemical reaction. A high electrically efficient and low-noise system with low pollutant emis-sions is the result.

The fuel cell provides DC current. An inverter transforming the DC current into the commonly used AC current is required to feed the current into the public grid. Based on the expe-rience in the field of photovoltaic, SMA has now developed a power inverter for fuel cell applications: the Hydro Boys. In cooperation with

partners in the business of heating engineering, SMA has designed the Hydro Boys as a specific solution for fuel cell heating systems. The Hydro Boys are used at a key position in a relatively new technology and will perform efficiently since they are based on SMA’s proven and reli-able photovoltaic inverters. For more than a year now, about a hundred devices are successfully performing a field test.

Fuel cell heating systems with inte-grated inverter for home power sup-ply are among the most sophisticat-ed systems for transforming fuel into useful energy. They will make an im-portant contribution to a sustainable handling of fossil raw materials still available.

The least common denominator of the applications mentioned above is that up-to-date power electronics supports rational handling of the used energy in order to directly save fuel or to decentrally generate elec-tric power with a high total efficien-cy. We consider this an interesting and, in view of the increasing costs of fossil energy sources, essential task for the future.

However, Asia is not just China. For example, in Thailand, Korea or Sin-gapore new transportation systems are developed or existing systems are expanded or modernized as well. Compared to China, these coun-tries are very interesting specifically for modernization projects. Many systems have already been in ser-vice for some years. Modernizing and/or upgrading the systems is an option often used in view of the ve-hicles’ remaining useful life.

Countries, such as Vietnam, should be considered as well. Currently, they do not have the financial resources required but may present significant potential in the near future.

In order to meet the potential of the market a number of trade exhibitions have been established in Asia. One of these exhibitions is the Rail Solution Asia, a combination of trade exhibition and conference, which takes place every year in an-other Asian city.

The Rail Solution Asia attracts deci-sion makers of many Asian opera-tors, consultants or manufacturers and provides a basis for the estab-lishment of new contacts and for the discussion of concrete projects. The exhibition has a pleasant familiar atmosphere providing the possibili-ty for casual discussions during meet-ings with snacks and drinks every night.

Due to the SARS crisis, the exhibition in Hongkong in 2003 did not fulfill the expectations. In 2004, the exhi-bition took place in the “Taipei International Convention Center” (TICC) directly in the heart of Taipei. SMA also participated in the exhi-bition.

SMA’s main goal was to present their MEE-NTSD _{system optimized} for the use in short-distance traffic to a broad public. The system con-vinced large-scale operators in Asia by its advantages, such as low sys-tem weight and high modularity.

The Taipei International Convention Center in front of the 101-Tower Exhibition hall with SMA booth

N E W S

A wide range of projects, from

light-rail trains, to Metros and high-speed

trains all the way to maglev trains,

attract railway technology

manufac-turers to Asia, especially to China.

byDirk Wimmer

Rail Solution Asia

in Taipei

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Keep Cool

The Bvmz 185 were developed in the 80ies as last generation of rail-way coaches before the ICE motor-ized trains. At that time, the high de-mands on comfort within the Inter-City and EuroInter-City traffic also in the second class of coach and espe-cially regarding air conditioning could only be fulfilled by the Bpmz coaches developed at the end of the 70ies. The first high-speed track was opened for service in 1988 resulting in the demand for pressure-tight ve-hicles for use on the high-speed tun-nel tracks.

In order to close this gap, existing Bpmz coaches were adjusted to be pressure-tight and the DB AG pur-chased a total of 180 new Bvmz 185 type coaches. New ground was broken in the interior design: ambiences of compartment and open carriage were combined in

one vehicle and seamlessly merged into each other.

Some of these vehicles have been used for more than 15 years now which is approximately half of a coache’s service life. After this time, the vehicles are generally over-hauled in order to prepare them for the second half of their service life. In August 2003, the DB AG decid-ed to replace the inverters for the electric supply of the air condition-ing system by more powerful SMA devices in order to increase the trav-el convenience for the passengers in hot summer weather.

Concept

The inverter supplies the air condi-tioning system with electric power. It generates a three-phase AC volt-age allowing to power the

com-pressor engine of the air condition which produces cooling energy just like a standard refrigerator.

Temperature control

Temperature control is an essential feature of an air condition. The in-verter’s output voltage and frequen-cy is varied which is required to op-erate the compression motor of the air condition with a variable speed. Different refrigerating capacities can therefore be set. The air conditioning control within the vehicle specifies the temperature and refrigerating capacity.

Modification

In order to save costs when chang-ing the BordBistro and Bvmz coach-es the DB AG decided to use the ex-isting enclosures. The SMA inverter’s mechanical and electric design had to be adjusted to these enclosures.

SMA inverter for Bvmz coaches

Air-conditioned railway coaches of high quality, such

as the Bvmz 185 assembled to locomotive-driven

trains are the basis for national and international

long-distance traffic of German Railways (DB AG) in

ad-dition to motorized high-speed trains (ICE) consisting

of fixed train units. The DB AG decided to replace the

inverters for the electric supply of the air conditioning

by more powerful SMA devices in order to increase

travel convenience for the passengers.

The electric and mechanical exter-nal interfaces (plugs, blanking plates, etc.) were reproduced to have a new inverter that fits in form and function. Thus, the old inverter may be replaced by the new invert-er in a short amount of time and with little efforts by the maintenance workshop of the DB AG.

Such a procedure for modifying the vehicles requires considerable logistic efforts since the old

enclo-sure needs to be re-moved, sent to SMA, reequipped and sent back to the mainte-nance workshop. The time available for this

procedure is short as the coaches with the new inverters are to be put back into service as fast as possible. The first devices already prove their efficiency in daily use. Thus, the passengers can travel at convenient

temperatures even in hot summer weather. Technical data Input voltage Output voltage Output frequency Power

Harmonic distortion of the output voltage Special features Cooling 460 V, 162_/ 3/ 50 Hz 3 x 90 V to 285 V 20 to 65 Hz, sine 26 kVA / 24 kW < 10 %

• short and open circuit proof • 100 % non-symmetric load

resistant

• high overload withstand capability

• power factor control • diagnosis interface forced ventilation

Air con inverter for Bvmz coach

The inverter (three-phase inverter) is supplied with 2 x 230 V, 162_/ 3Hz by a transformer connected in incoming circuit that is coupled with the train line. The inverter generates a three-phase AC voltage of 3 x 99 to 285 V, 20 to 65 Hz at the output.

BordBistro and Bvmz coaches are equipped with SMA inverters

SMA

Technologie AG

www.SMA.de

photo: Transrapid International photo: ALSTOM

LHB