Observer Based Slip Measurement Technique of DC Motor Mounted on Railway Wheel-set

Abstract

The paper proposes the technique of detection and estimation of slip by using parameters of motor such as torque and current for a locomotive system. The motor is used for controlling wheel-set motion mounted on each axle of the rail. As the track condition changes (due to decrease in adhesion/friction), the parameter of motor considerably varies resulting slip occurrence. By utilizing inertial mounted sensors (such as tachometer) in order to measure the velocity of the train, slip can be detected. Furthermore, the estimation of motor parameters is carried out using Kalman filter, which minimizes the usage of additional sensors. In this regard, the proposed method offers a cost effective, accurate and robust solution for the slip issue in order to avoid accidents in locomotive systems. The technique is validated using simulation results in this paper.