VL-80 electric locomotive: specifications, distribution and operation

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Practically each of us knows that a very large percentage of all cargo transportation in the world is carried out by railway transport. As for the post-Soviet space, in this territory the railway is practically the absolute, unconditional leader in terms of the amount of passenger and freight traffic transported through it. Therefore, in this article, we will take a closer look at one of the leading machines that pulls various cars, the name of which is the VL-80 electric locomotive.

General information

This railway power unit is the brainchild of the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant. It was at this enterprise that the VL-80 electric locomotive was designed and produced in all its existing modifications. At this industrial facility, only assembly work was carried out, and all the required components were supplied from other machine-building enterprises in the country. In total, 2746 units were produced, and the last car rolled off the assembly line in 1995.

Scope of application

Electric locomotive VL-80 is used to work with a variety of goods on domestic and foreign (Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan) main electrified single-phase current with a frequency of 50 Hzrailways.

All locomotive equipment is designed to work with a contact network with a voltage of 19-29 kV. the ambient temperature in this case can be in the range from -50 to +40 degrees Celsius with humidity up to 90% and an altitude at sea level not higher than 1200 meters.

Design features

The VL-80 locomotive left the manufacturer's gate as a pair of sections, although some models of an electric locomotive have three or even four sections, but we will talk about this a little later.

Considering the mechanical part of the VL80, we note that it is represented by two absolutely identical biaxial bogies, in which their frames are welded. Roller-type bearing supports are connected to the bogie frame using silent blocks (these are rubber-metal hinges). From the bogies to the body, the braking force and traction are transmitted through the pivots - the rods of the swivel joint. Electric motors providing movement of the locomotive are fixed by means of support-axial suspension. Type of motors - NB-418K6. Rotation is transmitted from the engine to the wheel pairs by means of a double-sided helical gear with a fairly rigid crown. Since the gear teeth in such a transmission have a certain inclination, there is no axial force in the engagement, which in turn significantly reduces the load on the drive and increases the service life of the parts.

Section equipment

Electric locomotive VL-80 is equipped with:

• Pantograph, which performs current collection withcontact network. It is located directly above the driver's cab.
• Main switch VOV-25M.
• Traction transformer with oil-type motor-pump.
• Pair of rectifiers.
• Main controller.
• Phase splitter to generate the third phase, which is involved in the power supply of asynchronous motors of other auxiliary units.
• Four fan motors that cool various equipment and pressurize the locomotive body. Two of these motors are sure to cool each traction motor.
• KT-6EL motor-compressor to generate the air required for the normal operation of the braking system, power units, blocking the high-voltage chamber, giving sound signals of various volumes, and functioning of the pneumatic drive of the glass cleaners.

Transformer

Equipped with a traction winding and auxiliary winding with 399V open circuit voltage (380V rated load) to power a variety of auxiliary control circuits. In cases of significant fluctuations in the voltage of the contact network, the voltage on the auxiliary motors is stabilized with the help of two taps that have their own voltage of 210 V and 630 V. They are switched manually on the transformer. On the main engines, voltage adjustment occurs quickly directly during the work of the driver.

Subtleties of control

The movement of an electric locomotive is due to a changevoltage supplied to each traction motor. On any of the existing modifications of the VL-80 (except for the VL-80R), the voltage on the TED is regulated by switching the transformer taps under load using the electrical main controller. In order to eliminate the possibility of a surge of current at the moment of position transition, a transient reactor is mounted between the transformer and the controller, which performs the damping of switching overloads using its own high inductance.

Since the elements pass through themselves simply colossal currents, in connection with this, their contacts are made of a special carbon-silver compound. In total, the electrical controller (ECG) contains about 12 kilograms of silver. The ECG is driven by a DC motor with a voltage of 50 V and a power of 500 W, when it is started, the lighting in the electric locomotive always noticeably dims and the voltage in the control circuits decreases.

The speed of the VL-80R electric locomotive, which does not have a main electric controller, is regulated in a different way. This locomotive also has regenerative braking, which ensures that the consumed electrical energy is returned to the grid.

Parameters

The VL-80 electric locomotive, the technical characteristics of which are listed below, is used as a passenger-and-freight locomotive. The main features of this machine are:

• Length - 32480 mm.
• Height (measured from the rail head to the runners of the lowered pantograph) - 5100mm.
• Hourly power - 6520 kW.
• Traction force - 4501 tf.
• Speed - 51.6 km/h.
• Power in continuous mode - 6160 kW.
• Tractive force during long-term operation - 40.9 tf.
• Traction force at the start of movement – 65 tf.

Models

NEVZ electric locomotives were produced in various designs and therefore their model range is quite wide. Let's consider them in more detail.

VL-80T

Its mechanical part consists of four sections and non-articulated carts placed under them. Each of the sections has CA-3 automatic couplers along its edges.

Trolleys are made of sheet timber, tubular-type end fittings and box-section sidewalls. All forces that act on the electric locomotive are transmitted through the cradle suspension. The control circuits contain circuit breakers that have replaced the previously installed fuses. The ventilation system has also been somewhat changed: passages along the corridor have become freer, the left prechambers have been reduced and raised to the roof. The electrical circuit of the electric locomotive has also undergone changes. In particular, a high-performance rheostatic brake, brake resistors, switches are installed. All this led to a noticeable re-arrangement of all available equipment.

The operating instructions for an electric locomotive state that at the time of approaching the train, its speed of movement should not be more than 3 km / h. This will completely eliminate the possibility of impact and will not damage the couplers.

VL-80S

Distinctivea feature of this electric locomotive is that the driver on it can drive three or more sections from one remote control. This became possible after the introduction of the multi-unit system.

The mechanical and electrical equipment of the locomotive is almost identical to the VL-80T, but there are differences:

• An alarm has appeared that shows the operation of additionally connected sections.
• Various inter-electric locomotive connections have been introduced.

Gradually, various changes were made to the freight train VL-80S to increase the level of reliability of the machine and reduce the cost of its production. For example, new ANE-225L4UHL2 asynchronous electric motors were installed instead of AE-92-4. Also in 1985, experimental TEDs were installed on several models. The increase in individual elements of the entire structure and the introduction of the latest units led to the fact that the total mass of the electric locomotive was increased, and a new nominal indicator was set - 192 tons.

Operation of this locomotive in winter conditions requires special measures such as:

• Replacing summer grease with winter grease.
• Fix existing leaks in manhole covers, floors and other areas of the body.
• Checking the condition of the battery.
• Inspection of motor-axial bearings and gear train.

VL-80R

This electric locomotive was developed taking into account past shortcomings and received the possibility of regenerative braking. It was also the very first electric locomotive to have thyristor AC regulation. In theseThe machines were equipped with KME-80 type controllers. TsVP64-14 fans were used to maintain the normal temperature of the operating equipment of the locomotive. An electric locomotive of this model was actively used as a railway transport on the railways of the Krasnoyarsk region, the East Siberian and Far Eastern highways. By the way, a remarkable fact: VL-80T - 1685 was involved in the filming process of the film "Magistral", which became a favorite among experienced railway workers.

The cabin of this locomotive is almost identical to the VL-80T, but there are two differences:

• In the upper right corner of the VL-80R there is a special display with eight lamps, each of which indicates the state of the section quick-acting switches.
• The driver's controller is made in the form of a steering wheel, not a lever.

VL-80K

Each of the sections of this electric locomotive up to No. 380 was equipped with two centrifugal fans of 40 kW each, which were used to cool the existing traction motors. The fans draw in air through louvers located on the right side of the body wall.

Starting from 380, the locomotive was equipped with two-wheeled centrifugal fans that drew air through side louvers.

VL-80CM

This type of electric locomotive began to be produced in 1991 and was produced for only four years.

Structurally, it did not differ too much from VL-80S. However, there were also some changes. So, the buffer lights and searchlights installed on the roof of the locomotive changed their configuration somewhat. In appearance, it was a bit like VL-85.

VL-80M

Electric locomotive, on which a special system was used to perform smooth adjustment of the voltage of traction motors using a VIP-4000M converter of a rectifier-inverter type. Improved NB-418KR engines were also installed.

The locomotive is equipped with a control system using microprocessor technology and diagnostics. It is she who provides both manual and automatic control of the electric locomotive, guarantees reliable protection against slipping and skidding, regulates the excitation current in the regenerative braking mode, controls the relay-contactor devices and diagnoses all the equipment of a multi-ton machine.

The locomotive control panel has become even more ergonomic and convenient. Air conditioners and new seats for the driver and his assistant began to be used.

Maintenance

Repair of electric locomotives VL is carried out in two ways:

1. Medium repair - carried out to bring the performance to the initial level, as well as to partially or completely restore the operability of the main parts and assemblies (inspection and repair of cables, pipelines, etc.).
2. Overhaul - restore the resource of absolutely all worn parts and parts. If necessary, a complete replacement of worn components is carried out. The machine, in fact, is disassembled down to every screw.

Before any of the above types of repairs, the electric locomotivecleaned of dirt and dust, disassembled into assemblies, which are subsequently subjected to a very thorough inspection in order to determine the degree of wear. At the time of washing electrical equipment, all wires and equipment are reliably isolated from the ingress of cleaning solutions into them.

Electric locomotives based on VL-80

The device of the VL-80 electric locomotive turned out to be so convenient and thoughtful that a number of other locomotives were produced on its basis. So, in 1999, four ED1 electric trains were built at the Demikhov Machine-Building Plant, which consisted of ten cars and the ED9T train itself, and from both ends of the train, the main motor cars were replaced by sections of the VL80s electric locomotive. ED 1 were delivered to the depot of the Far East Road and Khabarovsk-2. However, already in 2009, all these trains were completely disbanded.

In 2001, a project was created to form two system trains with increased comfort. For this purpose, the cars of the ED4DK electric train were used, which were placed between the sections of direct and alternating current.

At the end of 2001, DMZ created an electric train ED4DK-001, on one side of which there was a DC section VL-10-315, and on the other - VL-80T-1138. However, in the course of further work, it became clear that the joint operation of these two units is impossible for technical reasons. A vivid confirmation of this was the section VL-10-315 that burned to the ground.

Conclusion

The VL-80 freight train has received such wide recognition inof our lives that the creators of computer games even used it in one of their brainchildren - Railroad Tycoon 3. In addition, an absolutely reliable copy of the electric locomotive found its place in the game S. T. A. L. K. E. R.