Electric Locomotives Working
- Electric Locomotives are completely powered by electricity.
- Faster than other types.
- Electricity is supplied through overhead cables that carry A.C. Current.
- Cables are connected to power station that produce the required electricity.
- Pantograph is the first stage of operation of locomotives.
- Pantograph consists of collector bars that collect the electricity.
- Then comes the bus bar that consists of surge arrestor and vacuum circuit breaker
- These devices protects the locomotive from short circuit and overload current.
- From the circuit breaker current goes into the transformers that set up the required voltage.
- AC is converted to DC through a rectifier.
- DC is converted to 3 phase AC by auxiliary invertors.
- This current is used to regulate a traction motor connected to the wheels
Cooling fans operated by auxiliary inverters are present in the cabin to cool down the transformers and traction motors. A battery is also present for power supply in emergency.
