NTL Record

Title Computer Simulation of an Electric Trolley Bus
Record ID 50132
Personal Name
Creator
Stickler, John J.
Source 68p. in various pagings
Corporate Creator John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)
Publisher United States. Urban Mass Transportation Administration
Publication Date 19791201
Language English
Abstract This report describes a computer model developed at the Transportation Systems Center (TSC) to simulate power/propulsion characteristics of an urban trolley bus. The work conducted in this area is sponsored by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration as part of a larger effort concerned with the demonstration and test evaluation of advanced bus propulsion concepts. The computer models developed by TSC provide a means of rapidly evaluating bus performance and of comparing simulated bus performance with results obtained from engineering tests. They also provide a means of developing comparative information of the performance characteristics and component sizing requirements of various bus propulsion systems. The results of the computer analyses will be incorporated into the Annual Technological Assessment Report for future reference and evaluation. This present report includes a description of the application of the trolley bus model to a typical urban bus drive cycle. The requested mission profile is given as input to the bus model while the actual mission profile determined by the limitation of the bus propulsion system appears as output. The output data file also lists the electrical drive characteristics, including component power losses, at successive intervals of drive time. The report describes the computer simulation of an electric trolley bus as it traverses an arbitrary mission profile of specified acceleration, roadway grade, and headwind. The models for the different bus components are examined and the impact of cam-control on trolley bus performance is reviewed. The simulation model is used to generate power-propulsion characteristics for a trolley bus operating over different urban drive cycles. Program listings, including a CALCOMP subroutine for graphic display, are presented in the Appendix.
Rosap ID dot:11529
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/11529
TRT Terms Buses; Computer programs; Electric power; Electric power conditioning; Electric vehicles; Electrical systems; Energy consumption; Motors; Performance; Propulsion; Simulation; Technology assessment; Traction; Travel patterns; Trolleybuses; Urban transportation; Validation; Vehicle design; Vehicle power plants
Classification NTL - PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION;
NTL - PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - Transit Planning and Policy
Geographical
Coverage
Massachusetts
Report Number DOT-TSC-UMTA-79-32, UMTA-MA-06-0093-80-1
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/50000/50100/50132/DOT-TSC-UMTA-79-32.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository