Control Strategies with Dynamic Threshold Adjustment for Supercapacitor Energy Storage System Considering the Train and Substation Characteristics in Urban Rail Transit

Abstract: Recuperation of braking energy offers great potential for reducing energy consumption in urban rail transit systems. The present paper develops a new control strategy with variable threshold for wayside energy storage systems (ESSs), which uses the supercapacitor as the energy storage device. First, the paper analyzes the braking curve of the train and the V-I characteristics of the substation. Then, the current-voltage dual-loop control method is used for ESSs. Next, in order to achieve the best energy-saving effect, the paper discusses the selection principle of the charge and discharge threshold. This paper proposes a control strategy for wayside supercapacitors integrated with dynamic threshold adjustment control on the basis of avoiding the onboard braking chopper’s operation. The proposed control strategy is very useful for obtaining good performance, while not wasting any energy in the braking resistor. Therefore, the control strategy has been verified through simulations, and experimental tests, have been implemented on the Batong Line of Beijing subway using the 200 kW wayside supercapacitor energy storage prototype. The experimental results show that the proposed control is capable of saving energy and considerably reducing energy consumption in the braking resistor during train braking.