Flywheel Energy Storage for Regional Rail

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Flywheel Energy Storage for Regional Rail

• Matthew Read, Professor Roderick Smith
• Future Railway Research Centre
• Imperial College London

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UK Diesel Trains

• Diesel trains use 40 of total traction energy
• Where is this energy used in the vehicle?

Intercity Diesel-Electric
Regional Diesel-Hydrodynamic
13
40
43
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Source Improving the efficiency of traction
energy use, RSSB report
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Energy storage for trains
Requirements for regen braking
Ultra-caps
Power/kg
Hydraulics
Batteries
Advanced flywheels
Energy/kg
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My research

• Creation of computational model
• Model allows
• Characterisation of existing vehicles
• Investigation of route, driver and power-train
  variables
• Study of flywheel systems

Inputs
Outputs
Vehicle data
Speed profile
Power-train efficiency
Route data
Diesel-hydrodynamic vehicle model
Control parameters
Fuel consumption
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Mechanical flywheel transmissions

• Planetary gear set forms core of transmission
• Innovative control methods proposed
• Simple hydraulic system
• Mechanical friction brake/clutch system

Sun gear
Planet carrier
Advanced flywheel
Final drive
Control via ring gear
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Results

• Flywheel transmission efficiency 90
• 30 fuel saving possible for branch line
  operation

Conventional vehicle
Flywheel hybrid

• Flywheel systems offer a potentially
  light-weight, robust and efficient energy storage
  solution

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Thank YouAny Questions?

• Matthew Read
• Email m.read06_at_imperial.ac.uk
• Tel [phone]