Optimisation of train speed to limit energy consumption

International audienceThe speed profile of a train plays an important role in energy consumption and resulting costs. The industrial objective of this work is thus to develop a method to reduce the energy consumed by a train over a journey by playing on the driver commands (traction and braking forces) while respecting punctuality constraints. A coupling between measured data and simulation is proposed to solve this optimization problem. First, a rigid body approach (Lagrangian formalism) is introduced to characterize the dynamics of each element of the train and their interactions with their environment. In particular, the aerodynamic (including the wind effect), traction, and braking forces are taken into account, and a special attention is paid to the vertical and lateral characteristics of the track as they play a key role on the train dynamics. Secondly, a model for energy consumption and recovery (thanks to dynamic braking) is introduced. Experimental measurements of a high-speed line are then used to estimate the parameters on which the two previous models are based and to validate their predictive capacities. The optimization problem under constraints is finally solved using an evolutionary algorithm where the constraints are implemented using an augmented Lagrangian formalism. The performance of the proposed method in terms of speed optimization and energy consumption reduction is compared to measurements associated with commercial trains