Hervé Mazzoni - Systra - Light Rail Transit Systems and Catenary-Free Solutions : Return of Experience after a 10-Year Development Period

Light Rail Transit Systems and catenary free solutions: Return of experience after a 10-year development period

Light Rail 2016 — Transforming the urban transport landscape

Speaker: Hervé MAZZONI Tramway Product Line Manager / SYSTRA

ARAs 3rd annual Light Rail Conference & Exhibition – Melbourne – Feb. 2016

Light Rail Transit Systems and catenary free solutions

1 – The SYSTRA Group: over 50 years of public transportation experience…

2 – What is a modern tram made of?

3 – All what you always wanted to know

about current collection technologies…

4 – Off-wire: is it the sure sign of a modern tram?


– 1 – The SYSTRA Group:

over 50 years of public transportation experience…

SYSTRA: world-leading tramway engineers

Light Rail Transit Systems and catenary free solutions Page 4

EXPERIENCE IN TRAMWAY…

Planned, designed and tested over 75% of France new tramway lines on time and within budget; 30 other projects worldwide.

Holds the world record for new light rail/tramway lines > 450 km.

Record number of program management, planning, design and construction management contracts on light rail/tramway projects: 30 lines.

Designed the world’s 1st catenary-free tramway line.


– 2 – What is a modern tram

made of?

MODERN TRAM CHALLENGE

Reshaping the cities thanks to technical innovations

or through a taylor made right-of-way?


What is a modern tram made of?

TRAMWAY: AN EVOLVING CONCEPT

1980s: Low floor (Nantes, Paris)

1980s: Articulated bodies and modular vehicle (Nantes, Paris, Grenoble)

1990s: Rubber tyred solutions (Nancy, Caen, Clermont-Ferrand)

2000s: First off-wire solution (Bordeaux)

2010s: On-board energy storage (Zaragoza, Sevila)

2010s: Non-continuous permeable slab (Bordeaux, Le Havre)

2010s: Energy saving solutions (Paris, Qatar, Kaohsiung)

2010s: Compact vehicle (Besançon)

November 2015: First 100% off-wire tramway line (Dubaï)

Citadis in Reims (2011)


What is a modern tram made of?

Besançon / CAF compact vehicle


Characteristics of a modern tram system

Open and at grade right-of-way, integrated in the urban fabric in dedicated or shared lanes

Run under driver’s responsibility and under road traffic rules

Fully accessible system (low floor at all doors)

Full or partial flat floor

Medium capacity system between 2,000 to 8,000 pphpd

Headway down to 3 minutes

Closed passenger stations/Platform Screen Doors/Buried technical premises

Energy friendly system

Grass track

Off-wire system


Around 30-40% of the new LRT/Tram systems planned worldwide have some form of off-wire element

What about the positive and negative aspects presented by the various solutions?

How and where cost is added/removed from new tramway?

Originally, the leading idea for developing off-wire current collection solutions was the limitation of the eyesore due to overhead wires in historical districts: is it still the guiding motivation?

Twelve years after the first achievement of this technology, let’s have a look at the current situation


Eyesore mitigation: a revolving issue…

What do decision makers focus on?



– 3 – All what you always wanted

to know about current collection technologies…


OFF-WIRE SOLUTIONS: revisiting the current collection technologies

All what you always wanted to know about current collection technologies…


Alstom - APS: ground level power collection (Dubai, Angers, Bordeaux, Brasilia, Rio, Orleans, Reims, Tours…)

Proprietary solution, recently made compatible with other vehicles

Segregated safe for the pedestrians

Regenerative braking toward 750Vdc source not implemented

a) Ground level power supply

b) Ground level power supply


Ansaldo – Tramwave

Proprietary solution, prototype implemented in Napoli; first contract in Zhuhai (China) compatibility with other vehicles pledged…

Failsafe principle: • magnetised collector shoe • lifts a burried circuit ferrous belt connector

Regenerative braking pledged being certified from safety point of view, still under design (sept. 2012)

c) Ground Level Power Supplies


Bombardier – Primove

Proprietary solution

Ac current (high frequency) induction based

Tested in Augsburg (Germany); first contract

In Nanjing (China)

Recently redevelopped in conjunction with on-board energy storage

Regenerative braking not originally implemented

d) On-board energy storage solutions


M M

=

3

M M

=

3

Traction converter

Double-layer capacitors

Double-layer capacitors

Energy storage containers: • SuperCapacitors • Rapid Charge Accumulator • or a combination of both solutions

Solutions developped by: • Siemens • CAF • Bombardier • Others…

Dwell time must be at least equal to recharging time

On-board regenerative braking possible

Roof mounted devices

Life expectancy of Supercap (not proven): 7 – 10 years?

d) On-board energy storage solutions


Still limited storage capacity

Example: an energy storage unit is equal to 2.8kWh in total: • 1.0kWh from SuperCap • 1.8kWh from traction battery

One consider that a 30m long tram vehicle needs 4.5kWh/km in “normal” conditions

In normal working conditions, with a vehicle at 2/3 loaded (70t) and on a level track (0% gradient), the performance are in the range of:

Max speed Auxiliary Power

20 km/h 30 km/h 35 km/h

5 kW 1590 m 1240 m 1020 m

20 kW 1050 m 930 m 810 m

40 kW 720 m 700 m 620 m

In other terms, if you want to ride far, switch off the air con’d!


– 4 – Off-wire: is it the sure sign

of a modern tram?

CONSTRAINTS AND LIMITATIONS

Off-wire requirements prevailing other considerations?


Off-wire solutions have an impact on investment costs:

Rolling stock: additional onboard equipment for current collection (pantograph is kept) and for energy storage (up to €300,000/vehicle)

Proprietary solutions make more difficult or impossible the purchase of vehicles made by other manufacturers

Ground level equipment: cables, inverters, third rail, switches, interlocking (up to M€1.8/km)

Track lay-out: construction is more complex and some solutions are not compatible with grass track



Off-wire solutions have an impact on operating conditions:

Off-wire technologies do not reach commonly accepted acceleration rate and top speed

Safety & RAM factors must be addressed

OCS-only vehicles must be kept out of the off-wire lines

Transition from/to OCS section to/from off-wire section is performed at a station, when vehicle is stopped

Ground level equipement for energy transfer must accommodate with turnouts and road intersections



Off-wire solutions have an impact on O&M costs:

First generation of off-wire solutions did not make possible regenerative braking: one can believe that the energy efficiency is around 15% to 20% less than a conventional current collection system

2nd generation of off-wire solutions include on-board storage (supercap), charging time could be longer than strictly necessary dwelling time • the price for that is: more fixed and on-board equipment to maintain

Maintenance of ground level equipment higher than overhead wire system (up to k€75/year/km)

A focus on energy saving: what order of magnitude?


A witnessed tram line, 12km long, Citadis 302 vehicle, peak hours spreading over 25% of the revenue service, 6-minute headway at peak hour, remaining operation duration off-peak hours needing only 50% of the energy during peak hours: • Yearly consumption is around: 6 GWh

Should all regenerative braking capability not be achieved, the lost energy is around 1GWh for one year. (< k€130/year? Figure depending on the cost of electricity in a given country)

It is worth it aiming to reduce this figure, not because of the price paid for energy but for environmental considerations

RAGONE DIAGRAM Isochrone lines show theoritical duration

for a complete discharge (the fastest as possible)


Some orders of magnitude: • Trolleybus (12m long): 160 to 180 kW • Trolleybus (18m long): 240 kW • Citadis 302: 480 kW • Citadis 402: 720 kW

Energy consumption (tramway): • Flexity Outlook/Valencia

(32.37m x 2.40m, 200 pass.): 3.7kWh/km • Urbos 3 Zaragoza

(33m x 2.65m, 200 pass.): 3.93 to 4.22kWh/km • Citadis 402 (42m): 5.35kWh/km

In France, we consider for socio-eco assessment: 5kWh/km

Useful facts&figures

Off-wire: constraints and limitations


Energy storage solutions based on on-board devices (SuperCap, or High-efficiency battery, or combination of both technologies) could improve the energy efficiency, even above the level of conventional regenerative braking through the overhead wire

Up to 7% of the energy is lost in the contact wire

Such technologies are getting improved: reduced size and weight, enhanced storage capacity, higher electrical efficiency because not related to acceptance capacity of the 750Vdc supply line

Manufacturers are targetting up to 30% saved energy

Useful hints


Dubai

In a situation where an on-board energy storage solution is to be selected, think of:

Efficiency ratio (charge/discharge)

Life expectancy and efficiency loss (along with years)

Run length before recharging

Recharging time: “quick charging” ou “flash charging”) => oversizing of Rectifier Stations

Overview of on-board energy storage solutions


Batteries: good kWh/kg, low instantaneous kW/kg, relatively short life duration, relatively good value for money • Exception: Li-Titanate batteries that offer a high kW/kg,

but a very low kWh/kg • The weight of the batteries is still an issue

SuperCap: low kWh/kg, high kW/kg, longer life duration, expensive All SuperCap solutions will only apply for limited capacities

Fly wheels: kWh/kg lower than batteries, high kW/kg, extended life duration Considered only as support devices

Overview of on-board energy storage solutions


One-day long capacity • Requires high energy storage capacity,

thus high energy density is necessary • Charging time is not an issue anymore

Recharging at terminal stations • Less stored energy • Recharging time is an issue

Flash charging at tram stops • Low stored energy but a provision is required in case of… • Recharging time must not be longer than dwell time

Short runs, off-wire, no intermediate recharging: batteries are appropriate

Longer runs, off-wire: flash charging is mandatory



Off-wire solutions are now converging to more on-board energy storage in order to:

Cope with insufficient acceleration rate

Reach a better energy saving regime

Cope with sections of track not covered by ground level energy transfer equipment (permanently or temporarily)



Off-wire solutions originally based on on-board energy storage are still looking for stabilised technologies for batteries and supercap

Distance to next charging point is still an issue, particularly when auxiliary onboard equipment is demanding (air cond’)

Charging regime requires either oversized rectifier stations or wayside energy buffers/accumulators

Pledged life expectancy of batteries and moreover supercap is not proven

Distance to go with stored energy is still an issue (case of one charging point out of order)



Off-wire is definitely an attractive innovative solution in line with urban environment present expectations

Increasing demand for capital/operational cost efficiency and energy saving solutions are not totally met today with off-wire solutions

Interoperability between various off-wire systems may be an issue for networks

Current trend: • interchangeable rolling stock • energy saving considerations

Thank you for your attention

« Naguère encore, au café du Commerce, on ne jurait que par le progrès. Qu’il y ait ou n’y ait pas progrès, le progrès en tant qu’idéal a un sens, et un sens louable :

faire toujours mieux. Aujourd’hui l’idéal du progrès est remplacé par l’idéal de l’innovation : il ne s’agit pas que ce soit mieux, il s’agit seulement que ce soit nouveau,

même si c’est pire qu’avant, et cela de toute évidence. Cet idéal est poursuivi dans les plus petites choses comme dans les plus grandes ; il est absurde, mais le public n’a pas

conscience de cette absurdité, ou, s’il en a conscience, se tait et serre les fesses, car l’innovation, en tant qu’Idée-Bête, est une divinité, et comme telle effrayante.

Adorez-la, ou gare ! »

Henry de Montherlant, Va jouer avec cette poussière, Carnets 1958-1964

Is an innovative solution always an improvement?

Business

Hervé Mazzoni - Systra - Light Rail Transit Systems and Catenary-Free Solutions : Return of Experience after a 10-Year Development Period