Railway Electrification Lessons for the future

Interfaces between AC and DC

Systems
An Inconvenient Coexistence
Tony Fella
Atkins Technical Authority
DC Traction Power Supply Systems

Once upon a time

...life was simple (or maybe just less complicated).

There were DC electrified railways and there were
non-electrified railways.

Then one day, along came the AC electrified

railway.and a potentially complex interface was
created.

AC and DC System Interfaces

The number of occasions where interfaces between AC and

DC electrified systems is greater now that ever before.
Looking to the future, the number and complexity of similar
interfaces is likely to increase even further.
Will the lessons of the past be remembered?

AC and DC System Interfaces

The growth of light rail and tram systems, not only in the UK
but worldwide, often requires AC and DC electrified systems
to interface, either because of inter-operation or because of
physical proximity.
Often these interfaces share infrastructure between the
systems and if the interface is not considered at an early
design stage significant issues can arise later when they are
more difficult to resolve.

AC and DC System Interfaces

25 kV Interface Station
750V DC Interface Station
25kV &
750V DC Interface Station
25 kV Parallel Running
750V NR Overrunning
NR owned Power supply
Insulated Fourth Rail
750V NR Overrunning
LUL owned Power supply
Fourth rail bonded to rails
750V NR running and LUL
overrunning NR owned power
supply with 4th rail bonded to
rails
25 kV Interface
Under or Over bridges
Depot Area Parallel to 25kV

LU and NR 25kV and 750V DC

Interfaces
This drawing will be updated Please
note Date and Issue
Drawn by R D White
Date 05/12/05 DRAFT Issue 0

Tube and DLR 25kV and 750V DC Interfaces

AC and DC System Interfaces

Transitional Running DC to AC (or vice versa) interfaces

are well understood and often reasonably well managed

Examples in the UK include North London Line (Acton),

Thameslink, West London Line and original Network
Rail/Eurotunnel interface

AC and DC System Interfaces

Principle of AC and DC Dual Electrified Area
Dual Third Rail and 25 kV Electrification Overrunning

DC Area Only
Third rail only

DC Isolation Area

AC and DC Dual Electrified

Area
Third Rail and 25 kV
Electrification

R D White 2005
AC Isolation Area

AC 25 kV Electrification
Electrified Only

DC Traction
Power

Third Rail
Insulated
Rail Joints

Insulated
Rail Joints

Insulated
Rail Joints

Insulated
Rail Joints

25 kV
Overhead Line

Additional Earth Wires bonding of

masts and metallic objects

AC and DC System Interfaces

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AC and DC System Interfaces

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AC and DC System Interfaces

Inter-running between AC and DC electrified lines
is not always so well managed
Earthing and Bonding not adequately considered

Structures inadequately bonded to protect against 25kV faults

Metalwork in public areas earthed to DC Traction Negative or
DNO earth within the 25kV Drop Zone
Metalwork bonded to 25kV earth in the DC Drop Zone (for DC
OCS)
DC system protection not always capable of reliably detecting
positive to earth faults (No OVPDs Installed)

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AC and DC System Interfaces

AC Railways

DC Railways

Rails earthed,

Rails insulated,

Rail: low resistance to DC current 20 Rail high impedance to AC current 0.7

ohms/km
milliohms/km

Traction loads 2kA 8kA or more

Short Circuit Current 150kA

Station earth metallic structures not

connected to running rails

Requirements for control of stray

current

Traction Loads typically 300A - 500A

50Hz

Short Circuit 6kA to 12kA 50Hz

Metallic structures bonded to running

rails

Induction effects due to 50Hz

AC and DC System Interfaces

Typical Earthing and Return Conductor Arrangements of 25kV ac and 1500V dc Railways
25kV ac Railway

Steel Section of Interface Station

1500V dc Railway

Earth
Wire

Return
Conductor

Parallel
Feeds

Return
Conductor

Parallel
Feeds

Earth
Wire

RC
Tie
Down

Traction
Transformer

Impedance
of the train
short circuit
on roof
Maximum


Impedance
of the train
short circuit
on roof
Maximum


Substation
Rectifier

RC Tie
down
Converter
Double Insulated
Rail Clips

Mast
Foundation
7\SLFDOO\
Resistivity
of soil
P

5DLOOHDNDJHW\SLFDOO\NP

Earthing and Traction Return Current of an ac Railway

Fully bonded to metallic structures
Negative pole of the 25kV is connected to earth
Rails bonded to earth via the foundations of the
masts
Earth is the path back to the feeder station for the
short circuit current if an insulator fails
Bonding of masts will control rail potentials

Substation
Earth
Busbar

Rail Leakage 8-NP

Stray Current Mat

Substation
Earth
Diode

AC and DC System Interfaces

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AC and DC System Interfaces

AC railway earthed structures are bonded to rail

DC railway earthed structures are not bonded to rail

Corrosion of AC and DC Railway and Non Railway Assets

Metallic Services: Utilities, Water, Gas, Electricity
Earthed structures of 25kV railway, earth mats, the grid substations,
earthing of buildings, reinforced structures, tunnel linings, interchange
stations

Unintended Traction Return Currents

DC currents in AC system and earth paths

AC currents in DC traction return system

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AC and DC System Interfaces

AC and DC System Interfaces

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AC and DC System Interfaces

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AC and DC System Interfaces

Looking to the future
Conversion of Network Rail 750V DC to 25kV AC

The proposed conversion of existing DC electrified routes on Network Rail in the

south of the UK to 25kV would create more AC/DC interfaces.

The transitional period during conversion will need careful consideration to limit
creating additional hazards.

The final arrangements will need to be suitable for an AC electrified

railway, not a DC railway

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AC and DC System Interfaces

Conversion of Network Rail 750V DC to 25kV AC
A few thoughts:

Track Circuits many track circuits are already dual immune

Earthing and bonding at stations, bridges, interfaces with third parties,

etc

Managing the transition?

Programme for Conversion from DC to AC Systems

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AC and DC System Interfaces

Conversion of Network Rail 750V DC to 25kV AC

Increased risk of rail potentials more earthed metal close to DC

tracks during construction and before conversion

Transitional arrangements during energisation for testing and

commissioning

Earthing and bonding in stations and other public areas

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AC and DC System Interfaces

Conversion of Network Rail 750V

DC to 25kV AC

What might it look like?

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AC and DC System Interfaces

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AC and DC System Interfaces

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AC and DC System Interfaces

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Conclusions

Requirements AC/DC needs to be identified

Failure to address

Programme Risk
Commercial Risk
Operational Risk

Interface Locations
Stations, Bridges etc
Overrunning (e.g. Thameslink)

Systems Compatibility
Signal immunisation
Touch Accessible Potentials
Corrosion
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Thank you for listening