Purpose.The scientific work is intended to analyse the expansion of the load range and the implementation of regeneration braking (RB) of the direct current drive by using the supercondenser power storage units. Methodology.To solve the problem, we use the methods of the electric drive theory, impulse electronics and the method of calculation of transient electromagnetic processes in linear electric circuits in the presence of super-condensers therein.  Findings.The stiffness of the mechanical and electromechanical characteristics of a series motor is significantly increased, which makes it possible to use a DC drive under load, much smaller than 15…20% of the nominal one. Numerical calculations of the operation process of the supercondenser power storage unit were fulfilled with a sharp decrease in the load of a traction electric motor of a direct current electric locomotive. The possibility of RB of the direct current drive with the series motor is substantiated. The equations of the process of charging and discharging of super-condenser storage unit in RB mode are solved. The authors examined the effect of capacitance on the nature of maintaining the excitation current of an electric motor in the mode of small loads.Originality.The paper developed theoretical approaches for the transformation of soft (mechanical and electromechanical) characteristics into hard ones of DC series motors. For the first time a new, combined method of the series motor RB is proposed and substantiated. Further development obtained the methods for evaluating the storage unit parameters, taking into account the criteria for reliable parallel operation of super-condensers with an electric motor field. Practical value.The proposed and substantiated transformation of soft characteristics into stiff ones allows us to use general-purpose electric drives with series motors and at low loads, and in traction electric drives - to reduce the intensity of electric stockwheel slipping. Thedevelopedmethodofsolvingtransitionalequationsmakesitpossibletotakeintoaccounttherandomnatureofthevoltagechangeonthemotorinsuper-condenserdrivechargeanddischargemodes. The proposed combined method makes it possible to carry out RB at low speeds of the motor armature as well, and thus to increase energy efficiency of operation of electric drives of this type.

This paper deals with the problems of enhancement of registration and distribution of electric energy which can be obtained from DC electric locomotives by the regenerative braking. According to theoretical researches, it is possible to return approximately 8 - 12% of electric energy which is consumed for electric traction by using of a regenerative braking mode. However in recent years for electric traction networks of JSC “Ukrainian Railways”, this index doesn’t exceed 2.6%. So we consider that the regenerative braking is one of the most prospective ways for energy saving in electric railway transport. Results of the experimental researches which were executed on DC traction substations and VL11M6 electric locomotives are described in this paper. Instantaneous values of voltage and current in different modes have been obtained. The electric energy balance for experimental zone has been performed. Also the ways of distribution and consumption of energy of regenerative braking mode have been analyzed. On this basis of the executed investigations, recommendations about providing of supercapacitor energy storage system for Ukrainian railways are proposed.

Purpose. Development of a method for determining the main functional parameters of on-board supercapacitor recuperative energy storage based on the asymptotic theory of extreme statistics by Gumbel, taking into account stochastic nature of changes in recuperated voltage and current. Methodology. To achieve this purpose, methods, devices and computer systems for temporary registration of recuperated voltages and currents on operating electric locomotives, methods of the theory of random processes and methods of probabilistic and statistical processing of registrograms of voltages and currents were used. Findings. A computational and experimental method for estimating recuperative energy has been proposed and practically applied. A probabilistic method has been developed for determining the energy and electric capacity of on-board supercapacitor recuperative energy storage units. Numerical probabilistic and statistical calculations of the energy and electric capacity of on-board storage for the VL8 and VL11M6 electric locomotives during their operation in the sections of Prydniprovska railway have been carried out. It was found that the energy and electric capacity of on-board storage devices are distributed according to an exponential law with a clear prevalence of their minimum values and in compliance with direct proportionality between them. Originality. For the first time, an autonomous phase of recuperative braking mode of an electric rolling stock has been developed, which makes it possible to significantly reduce the mass and dimension of a supercapacitor storage. The asymptotic theory of extreme statistics by Gumbel was adapted to the method for calculating energy and electric capacity of an on-board storage device, which made it possible to take into account the influence of stochastic nature of changes in the recuperated voltage and current. The probabilistic influence regularities of the change nature in the recuperation energy on the capacity of on-board storage in the phase of recuperative braking have been established. Further development was obtained by a computational-experimental method for assessing the recuperative energy, based on monitoring and using the time dependences of voltage and current obtained in real modes of recuperative braking. For the first time in electric traction systems, it was proposed to carry out the transition from the recuperative braking mode to the recuperative regeneration mode. Practical value. The developed method and technique based on it make it possible to evaluate functional parameters of on-board storage device of all types of electric rolling stock, considering stochastic nature of recuperated voltages and currents. Numerical-graphic dependences of the energy intensity and capacity of the on-board storage are recommended for predicting and evaluating these parameters for various modes of recuperative braking. Since the task of designing an on-board storage unit (in terms of mass and dimensions) is ambiguous, therefore, in each specific case of the type of electric locomotive and recuperation modes, it must be solved individually, taking into account the probability of the corresponding capacitance values.