better electric trains start with cutting overheads - electrical energy storage systems
I believe that the electrified railway system in the suburbs of Auckland can build a better, faster and safer system.
Priority upgrading of suburban rail services to use power equipment is not only commendable but necessary.
However, in today's technological advances and applications, the latest systems must be considered.
It needs to study which electric trains can operate without continuous electrical contact throughout the journey, rather than currently providing advice on continuous wires from Papakura to Swanson
In other words, is the wire necessary?
Of course, in the future, it will be easy to extend the power train service to Pukekohe and Helensville, and if this happens, the cost will be reduced.
But the better option is probably the electric unit that drives the electric motor through the in-vehicle super capacitor.
Is super capacitor technology competent for this task?
Overseas indications over the past two years suggest this may be the case.
First, the definition of the capacitor.
It's just a way to store electrical energy or through non-
Chemical means because it stores the charge on two conductor plates separated by the insulating material.
Older drivers will know they are curlers.
They were actually before they invented the battery.
The development of new materials has brought them to the level now known as super capacitors.
They have disadvantages, but their main advantage is fast and safe charging time.
Newer batteries provide better unit volume storage capacity than the best batteries (lithium-ion batteries).
They are proposed for electric vehicles, which can run more than 800 km between charges when charging.
Fast charging will require high
The voltage system from the grounding unit to the on-board capacitor.
The on-board motor that drives the wheels will be the same, but the additional item is the capacitor, which allows the train to not charge between several stations.
This will depend on the distance between the stations and the location of the charging system installed at each station with wires nearby.
Once the train stops, during the stop, it is automatically in contact with the on-board capacitor of the ground unit.
Many recent trips on the Auckland train (
Thank you super-Gold Card)
, I found no stop shorter than 30 seconds.
Busy stations have at least a minute, and at Britomart and Papakura the station has a maximum of a few minutes --
There is enough time to charge the capacitor.
Eliminating overhead lines will mean significant improvements in safety while not forgetting the damage caused by wind and lightning.
The charging system will be underground as a vandal.
As much as possible, it is proved that contact becomes "active" only when the train stops ".
This approach is introducing a charging system for a garage electric vehicle.
Forget to plug in the power at night to charge the electric car where it happens overseas, so it will automatically charge the vehicle when developing the fixture.
The concept is not new.
The new government should be careful to fund the wire system, which is part of their deal, and the Oakland district council should also do so on the purchase of trains.
Train units with capacitors on board may cost more.
But the overall cost savings will be huge.
Although there may be delays in evaluating new technologies, the whole thing may also be put into operation earlier.
The author is not an expert in electrical.
It is therefore necessary to further comment and study by the appropriate person, which I hope will be unbiased.
The bottom line should be the best train system in Auckland.
* Auckland's David Kramer is a retired Air New Zealand pilot, former technical director of the Airline Pilots Association and a qualified meteorologist.