Rapid transit induction in action


Emerging technologies are helping light rail operators to escape some of the visual, operational and financial restrictions of overhead catenary. Keith Barrow reports from Augsburg on the development of Bombardierʼs induction- based Primove system.


O


NE of the defining trends in light rail technology over the last few years has been the


emergence of catenary-free systems. Advances in supercapacitor and battery technology have spawned an array of catenary-free solutions and almost all of the major LRV manufacturers have developed their own products, many of which are now being offered commercially. Bombardier’s Primove system draws electrical energy through induction, using the same principles of power transfer used in an electric toothbrush. Primove LRVs draw power from a cable buried beneath the running rails which forms part of a primary circuit. This produces a magnetic field, which is converted back to electrical energy by a pick-up coil mounted underneath the vehicle. A short section of the cable, or primary winding, is only energised as the vehicle passes overhead, and can be safely laid under any surface, including tarmac, concrete, and grass. A typical low-floor LRV would be equipped with two underfloor power receivers, each feeding roof-mounted power management and energy storage units at either end of the vehicle, which are also fed by the regenerative braking system. The power management unit feeds energy back to the traction motors as required.


Primove can operate with a supply voltage of 400-600V ac or 750V dc. The supply is fed to wayside inverters to power the vehicle detection antenna loop, which is laid alongside the track, and the primary winding, which is laid


IRJ August 2012 31


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