A limited investigation into regenerative braking and energy storage for mass transit systems. Final report March-October 1977. [Subways]

Technical Report · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:6146762

Eisenhaure, D; O'Dea, S

This study examines the technical and economic aspects of a regenerative braking/flywheel energy storage subway system. In order to define the analytical models accurately, it was necessary to gather data on the trains, rail network, schedules, and ancillary equipment. Data on projected costs of flywheels, motors, rails, and other equipment were also gathered for use in the economic analysis. During this data gathering phase, it was decided that the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Red Line would be the source of the most representative and complete data. The problem was to determine what, if any, combination of energy storage devices and high conductivity rails would yield a subway system with a lower life cycle cost. The primary goal of the study was to compare the system costs of wayside storage with those of on-board storage. Using data provided by MBTA, power levels vs. time and rail losses were calculated and used to determine the sizing and location of energy storage units. From the amounts of energy storage required, the costs of the flywheels and i/o equipment were calculated. Utilizing these modules for load leveling was also considered. However, since the energy storage required for load leveling is much greater than that required for regenerative braking, a separate study is needed to examine this in detail.

• Research Organization: Draper (Charles Stark) Lab., Inc., Cambridge, MA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6146762
• Report Number(s): PB-284611
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
250500* -- Energy Storage-- Flywheels
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320303 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Equipment & Processes
FLYWHEELS
MASS TRANSIT SYSTEMS
REGENERATIVE BRAKING
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS