ATO ecodriving design to minimise energy consumption in Metro de Bilbao

Abstract

Different strategies are being applied nowadays to minimize energy consumption in Bilbao Underground (Metro de Bilbao). For that purpose, ATO driving commands in Metro de Bilbao have been optimized in order to reduce the consumption of traffic operation, taking into account operational requirements that are observed or even more improved. These operational requirements are the running time, comfort of passengers and minimum speed along track curves (due to rolling stock and track maintenance requirements). First, new driving capabilities of the onboard ATO equipment have been proposed, for the execution of different speed regulation commands, which will allow finding new optimal solutions. Second, a design method of optimal speed commands has been applied. For that purpose a detailed analysis of running times and consumption along all the lines in Metro de Bilbao has been developed, based on a detailed simulation tool. This simulator has been tuned by means of on board measurements of speed, traction force, consumption, etc. A specific efficiency model has been implemented. The resulting simulator has been validated comparing the measured train motion and the simulated one. Once the accuracy of the simulator as been validated, simulations of the train motion have been executed for the different values of the ATO equipment: acceleration, deceleration as well as the proposed modification to apply different speed regulations. Finally, the optimal ATO speed commands have been designed and the associated expected energy savings are close to 8.