Investigation of Aerodynamics for Third Rail on Regenerative Braking Energy

Electric locomotives can reduce traffic congestion and carbon footprints, especially those with regenerative braking energy (RBE) recovery. However, the amount of regenerated energy is affected by the aerodynamics of the running train. This paper aims to investigate the effects of the aerodynamics of running trains on RBE. A railway power supply and distribution networks for MRT Line 2 in Malaysia are modeled using ETAP - eTraX software. The rolling stocks parameters are obtained from the manufacturer's datasheet. The running resistance of the train in the open-air and tunnel are derived and modeled based on the developer's parameters. The results show that the energy consumptions of the train moved in the tunnel is 2.15 times higher than that of open-air for the case with RBE. Besides, the RBE obtained from the train moved in the open-air is 2.5 times higher than that of the train moved in the tunnel.