Transactions on Modelling and Simulation vol 5, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.

com, ISSN 1743-355X

An efficient computational technique for a

DC rail traction power flow simulator
incorporating track branches

R.J. Hill, Y. Cai

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ABSTRACT
The simulation of electrical power flow in railway traction networks involves
setting up and solving an electrical network model of the complete system under
the operation of moving trains. To run traction simulation software on a PC, the
program must incorporate facilities for minimising storage requirements and
execution time. The most time consuming calculation is in successive inversion
of the circuit conductance matrix, which is particularly severe in models
incorporating track branches. In this paper, an algorithm is described that can
manipulate a large circuit conductance matrix with economical use of computer
storage and execution time. The technique exploits a special node numbering
scheme, followed by modified Gaussian elimination. The use of the method is
demonstrated on a simulation model of a light rail network with one track
branch.
INTRODUCTION
The design of electric railway traction power networks for new and existing
railways and light rail transit systems is achieved by computer-aided engineering
techniques including simulation. Industrial companies supplying railway
traction power equipment need simulators for calculating optimum substation
rating and spacing, assessing train regeneration effects, maintenance of
minimum and maximum catenary voltages and checking whether rail potential
and earth current are kept within specification, which is necessary for safety and
interference mitigation reasons. It is convenient to mount traction simulators on
standard PCs, in which case the software must run with minimal computational
time and storage requirements, even when solving large geographical networks
with multiple train operation and small calculation timesteps.
A number of traction simulators have been reported in the literature [1-3].
Figure 1 shows a flowchart of a typical simulator which solves the complete
traction network at discrete time intervals, giving a dynamic view of train
movement and power flow over the complete network. The simulation takes
place in two stages. First, there is a train movement calculation which considers
 Transactions on Modelling and Simulation vol 5, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-355X

540 Computational Methods and Experimental Measurements

I SET UP INITIAL CONDITIONS|

TRAIN MOVEMENT CALCULATION

SET NORTON EQUIVALENT TRAIN

CURRENT AND CONDUCTANCE

f
^

OUTPUT
TRAIN VOLTAGE
TRAIN CURRENT
BUSBAR VOLTAGE
FEEDER CURRENTS

Figure 1: Rail network simulation flowchart

the kinematics and dynamics of train motion and returns a power and current
demand for each train in the network. The second stage involves updating the
topology of the electrical circuit model of the traction network by freezing the
train positions and calculating their equivalent electric circuits from the train
movement model power and current values. The power network is then solved
iteratively by matching the power and current demand from each train to that
available from the network. The network solution is obtained from nodal
analysis by setting up a circuit conductance matrix knowing the branch currents
and then inverting to obtain the node voltages. A particular problem for PC
implementation is in achieving quick and accurate matrix inversion, and this is
severely compounded by the incorporation of track branches in the circuit model
which leads to the generation of avery large conductance matrix.

A straightforward technique to model track branches within a traction

network is to isolate them from the trunk line and iterate the power network
solution until the voltages either side of the branch joints are the same. This
technique, however, can only be sensibly applied to systems with one branch.
In this paper, an algorithm to deal with track branches fully integrated with the
 Transactions on Modelling and Simulation vol 5, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-355X
Computational Methods and Experimental Measurements 541

trunk line is presented. First, a nodal voltage circuit model for the traction line is
described, together with a compact data storage scheme directed at enhancing the
efficiency of data manipulation. The nodes are numbered according to a
predefined scheme that results in a sparse conductance matrix being set up,
which is then inverted and solved by modified Gaussian elimination and LU
factorisation. Sample results for train voltage and current, substation busbar
voltage and feeder currents are given, applicable to the design of a light rail
transit system with a parallel double track, three substations, one paralleling
station and one branch line.

TRACTION LINE CIRCUIT MODEL

Electrical power network

A traction network is essentially a long ladder-like electrical circuit with series
impedance corresponding to feeding circuit resistance and shunt admittance
corresponding to the electrical equivalent circuits of the traction vehicles. The
feeding circuit resistance is a lumped representation of an incremental length of
catenary and rails. Feeding substations, track paralleling bonds, rail crossbonds
and, if necessary, track-connected signalling equipment are all represented by
equivalent electrical networks connected to the traction line at discrete points.
The simplest model corresponds to a two-ladder network, with the catenary or
power rail representing one line and the parallel combination of the rails,
assumed to be perfectly earthed, as the other. In addition, there may be one or
more track branches. The model is to be solved at discrete intervals of time as
the trains move along the network, so at each timestep a new circuit model must
be calculated by identifying the train positions and updating their electrical
loading characteristics. The solution is obtained iteratively by matching the
circuit currents and voltages with those of the trains which are frozen in position
during the timestep (Figure 1).
Circuit models within the power network are also required to represent the
track-connected fixed plant. Substations are represented by a Thevenin voltage
and resistance which is transformed within the nodal model into a Norton current
and admittance. In addition, there are four feeding resistances from the
substation busbar to the traction power lines. Paralleling stations are represented
as discrete networks with closed or open switches. There are also isolating
switches at the branch joints. Traction vehicles are represented by equivalent
resistances with value calculated by the power demand returned from the train
movement simulator and the voltage generated at the last calculation iteration.
During each timestep calculation, the traction vehicle is located at a node in the
network at a position calculated by the train movement routine, with the
restriction that traction vehicles cannot be placed exactly at equipment locations.
Figure 2 shows a typical traction network. There is a double track with one
branch line and three substations including one on the branch. The paralleling
station switches on the trunk line and the branch joint switches are all closed. In
the figure, eight trains run on the upper track (down) and ten on the lower track
(up), including the branch line trains.
Nodal voltage representation
The representation of electrical circuits using nodal voltage equations allows
matrix algebra to be used to find numerical solutions. The optimisation of
solution algorithms has been the subject of considerable research and inherent
 Transactions on Modelling and Simulation vol 5, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-355X
542 Computational Methods and Experimental Measurements

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 Transactions on Modelling and Simulation vol 5, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-355X

Computational Methods and Experimental Measurements 543

limitations on the efficiency of the solution process for large networks have been
overcome, for example by pivoting [4] or rearranging storage of sparse matrix
elements [5]. In long, thin circuits such as traction networks, the circuit is in the

form of a ladder network, and the simplification of this type of circuit can also be
achieved by formal techniques [6], In traction networks, the conductance matrix
can be arranged to be sparse by careful numbering of the circuit nodes. The
matrix bandwidth for a two-track system with common substation feeding points
will then be determined by the variation in the number of trains on the two tracks
[7]. In the case of systems with track branches, there are additional off-diagonal
terms within the conductance matrix, as shown in Figure 3. A further aim of the
node numbering scheme in this case must be to facilitate the generation of the
nodal voltage equations and the efficient storage of data. An efficient solution
can be obtained by decomposing using the Cholseky algorithm with the loop
currents obtained using forward and backward substitution.
The algorithm developed for circuit node numbering is developed from
observations of node regularity, with the two ladders in the network constructed
with consecutive connections. Substation busbar and paralleling station nodes
are termed control nodes and appear in both ladders. They are related to four
other nodes (two on each track). To simplify the algorithm, the concept of an
idle train is introduced which ensures that these four nodes are all train nodes. A
train node, however, is related only to two other nodes, which may be train
nodes, control nodes or branch joint nodes. A branch joint node is associated
with three other nodes on the same track - two on the branch line and one on the
trunk line. The two joint nodes of a branch line on both tracks do not
necessarily reside at the same locations.
Node numbering is carried out in a particular order with all nodes assembled
in ascending order of location in the routine. First, train nodes are numbered in
the sequence: trunk line down track, branch line down track, trunk line up track,
and branch line up track. Then branch joint nodes on the down track followed
by those on the up track are numbered. Finally, control nodes are numbered.

DATA MANAGEMENT

Data input
The data input routine establishes a circuit model from a word descnption ol the
system properties, including the locations of the substation feeders, paralleling
bonds and track branch connections, and electrical variables such as impedances
and supply voltages. Data input is by either screen edit or data file. The
locations of the terminals, substations, paralleling stations, branch joints and
initial positions of the trains on the trunk line are measured from a reference
point on the left side, and on the branch line from the branch point. Many input
parameters are defined by switch positions (1 for closed and 0 for open).
The input data is organised as system, substation, train, paralleling station,
branch joint and overhead catenary data. Appendix 1 gives typical data
applicable to a light rail transit system as used in a practical simulation and
Appendix 2 shows the primary data from which the system impedances were
calculated. The track cell length is set during the simulation, typically at 100 m,
and the track-catenary circuit can be terminated in an open circuit, short circuit or
by the line characteristic resistance corresponding to an infinite line.
Transactions on Modelling and Simulation vol 5, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-355X
544 Computational Methods and Experimental Measurements

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 Transactions on Modelling and Simulation vol 5, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-355X

Computational Methods and Experimental Measurements 545

Data manipulation
The first stage of data manipulation stores the raw data read into the program in
such a way as to facilitate the setting up of the nodal voltage equations for each
circuit node, given the condition of variable train position from timestep to
timestep. To do this, the nodes are given codes which are >0 for running trains,
-6 for idle trains, -7 for branch joints, -8 for paralleling stations and -9 for
substations. The positions of the control and branch joint nodes in the run
sequence are then identified, and idle trains added as necessary to standardise the
subsequent computational procedure. Next, a three-dimensional array giving the
location, power and sequence code of the train nodes, branch joint nodes and
control nodes is established with the line and track number defining the
locations. The train positions are then determined relative to the static nodes and
the node numbering is completed. Finally, the circuit impedances, such as line
resistances, node-node conductances and feeding branch resistances are added to
the data file.
CONDUCTANCE MATRIX MANIPULATION

Conductance matrix equation

The nodal voltage equations can be expressed in matrix form as

[G][V] = [J] (1)

where [G] is the n*n nodal conductance matrix, [V] is the n* 1 vector of
unknown node voltages and [J] is the n* 1 vector of known source currents.
Figure 3 gives a practical example of a conductance matrix and current vector.
In the program, Gaussian elimination is used for the solution, which involves a
forward reduction operation followed by a back substitution. During forward
reduction, the [G] matrix is reduced to an upper triangular form with all diagonal
elements set to unity and all upper elements to zero. The column vector [J] is
added as an extra column to [G], making an augmented matrix. After
completion of the procedure, the solution for [V] is obtained directly, starting
with v% from the the n^ row and back substitution for v^ to v^

Compacting storage
Figure 3 shows that the majority of the elements in the [G] matrix are zero.
Physically, this is because each node is directly connected only to a few adjacent
nodes. Direct application of the standard Gaussian elimination technique in this
context would be inefficient. Hence a sparse matrix storage technique has been
developed, whereby only the nonzero elements are stored by an indexing
technique, no operations involving zero elements being performed.
The algorithm draws on observations of node regularity and exploits a novel
node numbering technique to compact the storage requirements. Figure 4 shows
the resulting compacted data structure. In this figure, the matrix [G] has been
divided into three separate matrices [A], [D] and [C] to store train, branch joint
and control node information respectively. Matrix [A] is assigned three columns
(0-2), with column 0 storing node self conductances and columns 1 and 2
storing mutual conductances. Matrix [D] is assigned four columns (0-3), with
column 0 storing node self conductances, columns 1 and 2 storing node mutual
conductances on the trunk line, and column 3 storing node mutual conductances
on the branch line. Matrix [C] is assigned five columns (0-4), with column 0
 Transactions on Modelling and Simulation vol 5, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-355X

546 Computational Methods and Experimental Measurements

1 4 .63 -3 33 (9) -1 .25 (21)

2 2. 07 -0 77 (21) - 1 .25 (3)
3 2. 55 - 1 25 (2) -1 .25 (19)
4 10 .05 -5 00 (19) -5 .00 (22)
5 2. 63 -1 67 (22) -0 .91 (23)
6 2. 25 -0 77 (23) -1 .43 (15)
7 2. 21 -1 25 (19) -0 .91 (24)
8 3. 16 -1. 11 (24) -2. 00 (18) [A] [IA]
9 5. 03 -3 33 (1) -1 .67 (21)
10 2. 19 -0 91 (21) -1 .25 (20)
11 7 .53 -2 50 (20) -5 00 (22)
12 5. 86 -3 33 (22) -2 .50 (13) [B]
13 3. 96 -2 50 (12) -1 .43 (23)
14 3. 96 -1 43 (23) -2 .50 (15)
15 3. 96 -2 50 (14) -1 .43 (6)
16 3. 70 -2 00 (20) -1 .67 (17)
17 3. 13 -1 67 (16) -1 .43 (24)
18 3. 14 -1 11 (24) -2 .00 (8)

[D] [ID]
19 7 .50 -1 .25(3) -5 00 (4) -1 .25 (7)
20 5 75 -1 25(10) -2 50 (11) -2 00 (16)

[C] [1C]
21 5. 59 -1 25 (1) -0.77 (2) -1 67 (9) -0.91 (10) 1000
22 15 .0 -5 00 (4) -1.67 (5) -5 00 (11) -3.33 (12) 0
23 5. 36 -0 91 (5) -0.77 (6) -1 43 (13) -1.43 (14) 1000
24 5. 56 -0 91 (7) -1.11 (8) -1 43 (17) -1.11 (18) 1000

Figure 4: Compact data structure for matrix manipulation

storing node self conductances and columns 1 to 4 storing node mutual

conductances.

To facilitate the following elimination operation, three matrices [IA], [ID]

and [1C] are added to the matrices [A], [D] and [C] respectively. This enables
identification of the column position of each element in the conductance matrices.
To manipulate the mutual conductances, the matrix [IA] is assigned two columns
(1-2), [ID] is assigned three columns (1 - 3) and [1C] is assigned four columns
(1 - 4), which are used to index the corresponding columns of [A], [D] and [C].
The vectors [V] and [J] remain unchanged since the node numbering is
unaltered.
Solution by forward elimination and back substitution
The simultaneous equations defined by the matrix are solved by a combination of
targeted and standard Gaussian elimination. First the train node equations are
simplified by targeted directed elimination. Each column number in the index
matrix [IA] is matched to a corresponding target row in matrix [A], [D] or [C].
The target rows are eliminated by searching the addresses contained in the index
matrix. New elements created during the elimination process require storage
space, and so are assigned the spaces vacated by the eliminated elements. Thus
 Transactions on Modelling and Simulation vol 5, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-355X

Computational Methods and Experimental Measurements 547

targeted directed elimination is in reality only a slightly modified version of

standard Gaussian elimination.
On completion of the above elimination procedure, the remainder of the
conductance matrix, corresponding to the branch joint and control node
connections, is still a symmetrical sparse matrix, but with more nonzero than
zero elements. The nonzero element values in the branch joint and control node
matrix are evaluated and their index addresses are changed. The standard
Gaussian elimination technique is then applied to solve this remaining system of
equations, and the full element storage scheme is used to fill the conductance
matrix.
Finally, back substitution is performed on the branch joint and control node
equations. Because of matrix sparsity in the train node conductances, relatively
few operations are required for the train node equations. The final results are
stored in vector [B] to economise on computer memory requirements.

RESULTS
A simulation model of a DC-fed light rail transit system with one branch of the
form shown in Figure 2 but with the data of Appendix 1 has been written in
FORTRAN and mounted on a 33 MHz PC with 16 MB DRAM. To test the
algorithm, constant power traction was assumed. The algorithm has been used
to solve the circuit for train voltages and currents, and the substation busbar
voltages and feeder currents. The output data is extracted by examining the node
information and converting the branch sequence of train voltages back to the
original run sequence. Figure 5 gives a record of all train voltages and currents
at one instant of time. The lowest train voltages are train 4 at 601.8 V and tram
11 at 601. IV. These trains are located in the centre of the section, far from the
three feeding substations.
The two branch joint voltages are 613.4 V and 610.3 V, which are low
compared with the substation voltage of 750 V owing to the location of the joint
near the centre of the trunk line. The substation busbar voltages and system
feeder currents are given in Table 1 for the three substations feeding the trunk
and branch lines. In addition to these variables, the program can also give
substation feeding branch currents and paralleling station busbar voltage.

Table 1: Substation busbar voltages and feeder currents

Substation Location Voltage Current

1 Trunk 730. 9 V 956.6 A
2 Trunk 725. 8 V 1209. 9A
3 Branch 731 .5 V 927. 2A

CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE SIMULATOR ENHANCEMENTS

The algorithm has advantages in the economy of computer storage and execution
time, and enables relatively large traction networks to be simulated on standard
486 PCs with reasonable program execution times. Future enhancements to the
program are under development and will refine existing models for
 Transactions on Modelling and Simulation vol 5, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-355X

548 Computational Methods and Experimental Measurements

ouu

700 •> •> 7\

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600 71 71 ' *
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500 /

/
400
/
300 /

200

100
/
n
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Train number

250

200

Z 150

100

50

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Train number

Figure 5: Simulation output: train voltages and currents at one time instant
(train power = 150kW)
 Transactions on Modelling and Simulation vol 5, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-355X

Computational Methods and Experimental Measurements 549

• the iteration technique for matching train power to traction network voltage
. the calculation of rail potential and earth currents, with a three-ladder model for
the traction line, and
. regenerative train operation with voltage-controlled substations.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Van Cai acknowledges the provision of a UK CVCP ORS award and wishes to
thank Balfour Beatty Power Construction Ltd, UK, for additional support.

REFERENCES
1. Mellitt B., Goodman C.J. and Arthurton R.I.M. 'Simulator for Studying
Operational and Power-supply Conditions in Rapid Transit Railways' IEE
Proceedings, Vol. 125, No. 4, pp. 298-303, April 1978.
2. Cornel H.CJ. and John V.I. 'QENS - An Enhanced Version of the Electric
Network Simulator Program' 1988 IEEE Industry Applications Society Annual
Meeting, Pittsburgh, 2-7 October 1988, Vol. 1, pp. 1052-1057, New York,
IEEE 1988.
3. Szelag A. 'Modelling and simulation of a DC Electric Traction System
Electric Vehicle Developments, Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 65-67, April 1988.
4. Ho C.-W., Ruehli A.E. and Brennan P.A. The Modified Nodal Approach to
Network Analysis' IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems, Vol. CAS-22,
No. 6, pp. 504-509, June 1975.
5. Berry R.D. 'An Optimal Ordering of Electronic Circuit Equations for a
Sparse Matrix Solution' IEEE Transactions on Circuit Theory, Vol. CT-18, No.
l,pp. 40-50, January 1971.
6. Idogawa I. 'A Method to Analyse a Large-scale Multiconductor Ladder-type
Circuit' Electrical Engineering in Japan , Vol. 94, No. 6, pp. 125-131,
November-December 1974.
7. Rambukwella N.B., Mellitt B., Goodman C.J. and Muniene Z.S. Traction
Equipment Modelling and the Power Network Solution for DC Supplied Rapid
Transit Power System Studies' International Conference on Electric Railway
Systems for a new Century, London, 22-25 September 1987, pp. 218-224,
London, IEE, 1987.

APPENDIX 1: INPUT DATA FILE

System data
Substation voltage: 750 V
Number of trains 18
Cell length: 100 m
Terminations: trunk 1: open circuit; trunk 2: open circuit; branch 1: open circuit.

Substation data
Number of substations: trunk line: 2; branch line: 1

Location Distance System Branch resistances (n)

resistance DL DR UL UR
Trunk 2.6km 0.020 0 0 0 0
Trunk 19.6km 0.02 a 0 0 0 0
Branch 9.0km 0.02 0 0 0 0 0
 Transactions on Modelling and Simulation vol 5, © 1993 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-355X

550 Computational Methods and Experimental Measurements

Train data
Down track (# 1) Up track (# 2)
Location Demanded power Location Demanded power
0.90 km (Trunk) 150 kW 0.70 km (Trunk) 150 kW
5.40 km (Trunk) 150 kW 7.40 km (Trunk) 150 kW
7.80 km (Trunk) 150 kW 12.5 km (Trunk) 150 kW
12.4 km (Trunk) 150 kW 15.6 km (Trunk) 150 kW
16.3 km (Trunk) 150 kW 17.3 km (Trunk) 150 kW
23.0 km (Trunk) 150 kW 21.9 km (Trunk) 150 kW
4.00 km (Branch) 150 kW 23.7 km (Trunk) 150 kW
10.8 km (Branch) 150 kW 2.50km (Branch) 150kW
5.20 km (Branch) 150kW
11.1 km (Branch) 150 kW
Paralleling station data
Number of paralleling stations on trunk line: 1
Number of paralleling stations on branch line: 0

Location Distance Switch status

End PL PR UL UR
Trunk 0 1
Trunk 25,.2 km 1
Branch 12 .5 km 1
Trunk 13 .9 km 1 1 1 1
Branch joint data
Number of branches: down track: 1; up track: 1
Location Branch Switch status
ID Left Right Branch
10.6 1 1 1 1
10.8 1 1 1 1

Overhead catenary data

Number of catenary types for each line: 3 on trunk, 2 on branch
Line End location Resistance
0 4.50km 0.0973 0
0 21.4km 0.0853 0
0 25.2km 0.0973 0
1 6.50km 0.0853 n
1 12.5km 0.0973 n

APPENDIX 2: TRACK AND CATENARY IMPEDANCES AND

ADMITTANCES
Contact wire: 0.1533 Q/km
Catenary wire: 0.102 a/km
Track resistance: 0.011 O/km
Track conductance to earth: 0.010 S/km