With the increasing reliance of railways on electricity, traction power supply management has become a mission-critical system for every railway infrastructure operator. Additional requirements for operators and systems arise from the sector’s classification as part of the national critical infrastructure. At the same time, global efforts to advance climate and environmental protection are further increasing the importance of rail transport as an environmentally friendly mode of transportation.
PSI software solutions offer you...
in managing traction power networks
thanks to optimal redundancy management
in the event of an outage
Challenges
The complex systems within railway infrastructure are creating increasingly greater challenges for operators of traction power networks. At the same time, the growing importance of rail transport is giving rise to specific requirements for software solutions.
Susceptibility to failure
The exposed environment and mechanical stress caused by the power demand of electric locomotives result in a high susceptibility to failure. Additionally, an increasing number of complex processes will need to be controlled by the same number of users in the near future. Therefore, the frequency of errors that can occur when controlling these complex networks must be reduced.
Availability
Faster train service requires a reliable 24/7 power supply, as well as careful planning of all measures that could result in outages or asset unavailability.
Integration and scalability
Traction power management systems must communicate with the infrastructure operator’s other IT systems in order to provide information on actual and planned statuses, as well as to receive information on the current situation outside the scope of energy management functionality. In addition, new tasks and technologies must be capable of being integrated into existing systems.
Security
Like all critical infrastructure systems, traction power grids are potential targets of cyberattacks. The question is not whether such attacks will occur, but when.
Our Solution
For over 20 years, PSI has been providing rail traction power management solutions used by rail operators across Europe. The core components of the control systems can be expanded with additional applications for switch management and maintenance. Optimization tools and network transaction management are also available.
Railway Power Management and Control
The PSI system serves as a central system for monitoring and controlling the traction power network. It manages the power supply for railways, roads, and subway tunnels. The core system provides versatile functionality and can be enhanced with additional products:
- The data models are structured and can be deployed in a multi-tenant environment, allowing the control center to combine various processes. Upon request, the data models can be integrated into a single, cohesive data model.
- The systems support operation in a highly redundant environment, helping to prevent significant loss of control while reducing operating costs and ensuring high availability.
- Existing functionalities are continuously updated and expanded in collaboration with customers, which is particularly important for railway infrastructure with its specific requirements. The modular software design provides the basis for future functional enhancements.
- The PSIcontrol user interface supports geospatial displays where process information and other data can be overlaid on imported vector or raster graphics and displayed interactively via an OpenStreetMap server.
Operator Support and Error Reduction
The systems are designed to provide users with optimal support in managing complex networks, thereby reducing the number of errors. The user interface was specifically developed for the management of complex electrical processes and can display one million live objects in less than one second. The software also supports complex switching operations:
- The switching preview displays the effects of each operation in a dedicated display in online mode before execution is initiated from the simulation.
- Automatic switching programs suggest the required switching operations for a predefined target switching state, including restoration from one or more sources.
Emergency management and system restoration
Action plans guide users through the necessary steps to quickly pinpoint the source of the problem and resolve the issue in the event of a failure. In the event of a blackout, PSIcontrol provides largely automated support for restoring an outage within minutes.
Integration of Infrastructure Monitoring
Beyond the power supply itself, PSI systems can also monitor and control various technical subsystems. Examples include:
- Ventilation, fire alarms, and escalators in train stations
- Weather stations
- Railway crossings
- Tunnel installations with cameras, ventilation, water pumps, loudspeakers, and sprinkler systems
- Integration of third-party video systems for improved monitoring and response
Advantages
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High availability and redundancy
The systems support operation in a highly redundant environment, thereby preventing a complete loss of control. They ensure a secure power supply at all times, improve tracking after disruptions in rail operations, and enable the rapid resolution of malfunctions. The systems are designed to achieve avail-ability levels of at least 99.98% while coordinating maintenance activities in a way that prevents downtime.
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Improved operational efficiency and operator support
The system helps users reduce the frequency of errors when monitoring and controlling complex networks. Using the Trainer&Student module, new employees or new operating procedures can be trained realistically in a simulation environment.
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Comprehensive system integration and flexibility
PSI’s network control systems replace multiple separate SCADA systems with a single, comprehensive system. The monitoring of additional technical subsystems - such as ventilation, fire alarm, and escalators - as well as third-party video systems can be integrated. The software solution also features multi-tenancy, enabling different users with independent data to use the same software system, and a multi-network function for processing multiple data models.
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Futureproofing and Scalability
With PSI’s traction power management system, you benefit from a future-proof solution for managing traction power networks, with its modular software design serving as the foundation for future functional ex-pansions of the system. New tasks and technologies can be integrated into the existing base system - expandability and adaptability are crucial for the optimal management of traction power networks.
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Cost Reduction
Standardizing traction power control systems helps operators significantly reduce their maintenance costs compared to custom-developed systems.
Conclusion
PSI’s software solutions provide operators of traction power networks with a highly available, secure power supply that minimizes downtime. Improved operational efficiency and optimal user support enable a significant reduction in operating, administrative, and maintenance costs. Furthermore, the systems are characterized by comprehensive integration options, flexibility, and modular scalability, making them future-proof and adaptable to new technologies and requirements. The optimal management of traction power networks is a crucial component of safe and efficient rail transport.
Products used
PSIcontrol
Safe and secure, efficient, dynamic and flexible grid control for utilities, industry and railways.
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Modular
PSIcontrol's scope of functions adapt to the requirements of a project. This includes interfacing with other systems.
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Flexibility
PSIcontrol grows with your requirements – both functionally as well as in data model size.
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Distributed
A single PSIcontrol system may be installed at different locations. All installations form the single control system instance.
PSIprins
The network control system for municipal utilities, distribution grid and infrastructure operators and industrial companies
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Combined energies grid management
PSIprins enables you to act rather than to react: it manages power and gas as well as district heating (in fact, all pipe-bound energies) across all sectors in a combined system.
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Cost optimized operation
PSIprins and its modules & services are highly standardized. The entire range of services is flexible, support multi-tenancy and is future-proof.
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Scalability
PSIprins' high scalability provides the tools required by grid operators to optimize networks independent of their size: from single commodity to complex segment-spanning operations.
PSIqualicision AI
With the decision support and optimization software, business processes can be planned efficiently and controlled in an optimized manner by means of qualitative evaluation of e.g., profitability and sustainability key performance indicators (KPIs).
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Optimized decision making
Optimization and decision-making for selection and classification tasks.
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Web and cloud-enabled
Installation and access via PSI Marketplace and PSI cloud at the touch of a button.
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Independency
Process data analyses and forecasts across all contexts and industries.
Questions and Answers
Can the traction power management system be integrated with other IT systems and operational areas?
PSI systems are not isolated solutions; rather, they can communicate with the infrastructure operator’s IT systems to, among other things, provide and receive information. In addition, the systems enable data exchange with other operators. PSIcontrol uses standardized connectivity protocols that enable secure integration with third-party providers.
How does PSI ensure that it systems can be adapted to future technologies and changing requirements?
Extensibility and adaptability are crucial for traction power control systems. PSI’s modular software design forms the foundation for future functional enhancements. Existing functionalities are expanded in close collaboration with users. As part of ongoing customer projects, PSI maintains constant communication with its customers to identify new requirements and further develop and enhance deployed PSI systems accordingly.
