TRAINELEC - Electric Traction Converters

TRAINELEC, set up in 2002, is dedicated to the design and production of electric traction converters for the rail industry, from metro and light rail vehicles to high-speed trains.

We supply turnkey solutions to deliver the whole traction chain: pantographs, circuit breakers, surge arresters, transformers, traction converters, inductance filters, brake resistance and traction motors. Both standardised products and equipment customised according to clients' individual requirements can be delivered.

AC and DC traction equipment

TRAINELEC offers traction equipment solutions for the following supply voltages: 750VDC, 1,500VDC, 3,000VDC and 25kVAC.

Rail cooling systems

Depending on the application within the rail industry, a variety of different cooling systems may be offered, including natural air, forced air or liquid cooling systems.

Electronics and traction control algorithms

To maximise performance and to minimise energy consumption TRAINELEC has developed its own electronics and traction control algorithms. Some of the features include:

• Digital and analogue I/O
• MVB (TCN), CAN, RS485
• Ethernet RS232
• VME backplane
• Event-log recorder
• EN 50155

Energy storage systems

TRAINELEC can also integrate energy storage systems into its solutions. Additional advantages from this include improved energy management and lower energy consumption. Our energy storage systems are perfect for tramways without catenary, for example those in historical city centres.

Traction equipment monitoring and maintenance systems

In order to secure an optimal performance during the lifecycle of its traction equipment, TRAINELEC has developed a monitoring and maintenance system providing vital information such as:

• Historical records
• Real-time information
• Automatic failure diagnosis
• Preventive maintenance alerts

Electric traction converter projects

For the 1,500VDC Barcelona Metro, we supplied electric traction converters with the following characteristics:

• Rated power: 600kW
• Efficiency: >0.98%
• Weight: 500kg
• Four motors in parallel
• Power core based on 3.3kV IGBT
• Cooling: radiator based on heat pipe (natural cooling)

The 750VDC Vitoria-Gasteiz tramway in Spain also has two TRAINLEC double electric traction converters. The converters have rated power of 2 x 150kW, efficiency of >0.98%, and a weight of 400kg. There are up to four motors in parallel, with a power core based on 1.7kV IGBT. They feature a forced air cooling system.

The Bilbao Metro, Spain, is a 1,500VDC system featuring four TRAINELEC double traction converters with:

• Rated power of 2 x 600kW
• Efficiency of >0.98%
• Weight of 900kg
• Two motors in parallel
• Power core based on 3.3kV IGBT
• Natural cooling system of a radiator based on a heat pipe

Our traction converters for the 3,000VDC Renfe CIVIA system in Spain have a rated power of 1,200kW, efficiency of >0.98% and a weight of 1,100kg (not including inductors). There are up to two motors in parallel, with a power core based on 6.5kV IGBT. They feature an indirect cooling system based on water and glycol.

Electric traction converters R&D

One of the main strategies of TRAINELEC is the development of its own technology. TRAINELEC has a team of young, dynamic and competent specialists, and our engineers are specialised in important areas including automatics, power electronics, electro-mechanical design, microelectronics and software.

TRAINELEC also has a modern laboratory for research and development of new solutions and for design testing.