TIME-ENERGY EFFICIENT TRAIN CONTROL

Pavel Pokorny (Czech Republic)

Received September 19, 2009

Abstract

This paper deals with the description of the nature of optimal time-energy driving strategy for an electric-powered train as well as the calculation of switching times of optimal driving regimes for standard type of resistance function. We apply the Pontryagin principle and related tools of optimal control theory to develop the optimal driving strategy and to derive equations for computation of switching times and the corresponding speed profile in the case of time-energy efficient train control problem. We assume a partial reloading of electrical energy while braking as well. The emphasize is put on exact forms of solutions with a minimal use of numerical methods.

Keywords and phrases: time-energy efficient train control, optimal driving strategy, Pontryagin principle, critical parameter, nonlinear parametric optimization, switching times, resistance function, speed profile.