Abstract

This paper proposes the ability to install Photovoltaic (PV) panels onto train rooftops to generate electric power. The system mainly consists of PV modules, a DC-DC converter with a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) method, and a three-phase inverter feeding a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) as traction motors, besides other components. This article has managed to overcome a common problem for this application, the partial shading condition (PSC) of PV systems. Particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is used to overcome this problem. The accuracy of the suggested algorithm was confirmed utilizing MATLAB SIMULINK. A financial feasibility study of the practical application was also presented, yielding a payback period of 10.5 years and savings exceeding 837,000 Egyptian pounds over the system's lifetime. According to the simulation results, the PMSM functioned well across a range of speed scenarios. The P & O can effectively track MPP of PV modules in conditions of uniform irradiance. However, during PSC, MPPT is switched to the PSO technique, which performs better than the P & O approach in tracking global MPP while maintaining an efficient PMSM operation.

Key words: Electrified Railways; Photovoltaic; Partial Shading; Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor; MPPT