VL60

For the first time in the Soviet Union, the question of electrifying railways with alternating current was raised in the 1920s , when they were just starting to electrify the direction through the Suramsky Pass . The simplest calculations showed that in the future, direct current electric traction with a rated voltage of 3000 V would not allow a rational solution to the issue of increasing the carrying capacity of lines by increasing the weight of trains and their speed. So these calculations showed that when driving a train weighing 10,000 tons at a lift of 10 ‰ at a speed of 50 km / h, the traction current of electric locomotives will be more than 6000 A. This would require an increase in the cross-section of contact wires , as well as a more frequent arrangement of traction substations . In total, scientists compared about two hundred variants of combinations of current type and voltage values, after which it was decided that the best option is electrification with direct or alternating ( 50 Hz ) current with a voltage of 20,000 V. The first system at that time in the world was never tested anywhere (for more details, see Electric rolling stock for a voltage of 6000 V ) , and the second was studied very little, therefore, at the first All-Union Conference on Railway Electrification, it was decided to build a pilot site, electrified on alternating current ( 50 Hz ) with a voltage of 20 kV , and also to build an electric locomotive for testing, which would reveal the advantages and disadvantages of AC electric locomotives in normal operation ^[1] .

In October 1938, the Dynamo plant, with the support of the Kolomensky plant , completed the construction of the first AC electric locomotive in the Soviet Union, which was assigned the designation OP22 (single-phase, with mercury rectifier, axle load - 22 tf ). To simplify production, the mechanical part and the traction motors of this electric locomotive were borrowed from the electric locomotives Vladimir Lenin and Sergey Kirov . After conducting factory tests, the OP22 electric locomotive was sent to the VNIIZhT experimental ring , where on December 19, 1939 he made his first independent trip under voltage. Further tests of this electric locomotive showed that the electrification scheme with alternating current of high voltage (20 kV) and industrial frequency (50 Hz) is the best option. This eliminates the need for uneconomical rheostatic starting, the number of economic speeds increases, and the elimination of the galvanic connection between the contact network and traction motors allows better protection of the latter from various overvoltages, as well as reducing the insulation thickness, which in turn leads to an increase in their specific power. In addition, the circuit diagram of an electric locomotive ( transformer - rectifier - TED ) turned out to be so successful that subsequently the vast majority of Soviet AC electric locomotives began to be produced on it. Himself OR22 at the beginning of World War II was equipped ^[1] .

Again, they returned to AC electric locomotives in the USSR in the early 1950s in connection with the beginning of the fifth five-year plan , according to whose plans mass electrification of railways was envisaged. In 1952, the design of a new AC electric locomotive with tube rectifiers was started at the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant . In 1954, the plant produced according to the project the first 2 electric locomotives, which were assigned the designation NO (Novocherkassk single-phase). Subsequently, until 1957, the plant produced another 10 electric locomotives of this series. As in the case of OP22, the mechanical part and traction motors for this electric locomotive were borrowed from direct current electric locomotives (this time from VL22 ^m ). However, unlike OP22, there was no grid regulation on the BUT, and stepwise (33 positions) was applied. This simplified the device to a certain extent, but at the same time reduced traction starting characteristics. Electric locomotives arrived for operation on the Ozherelye - Pavelets line ( Moscow Railway ), which in 1955-1956. was electrified with alternating current voltage of 20 kV . The operation of electric locomotives BUT (in 1963 their designation was changed to VL61 ) was quite successful and also confirmed the full operability of tube rectifiers on electric locomotives. As a result, it was decided to electrify on alternating current immediately the whole direction of the Trans-Siberian Railway , namely: Mariinsk - Zima , 1222 km long . However, by that time, Soviet factories had already begun production of more powerful locomotives: VL8 electric locomotives and TE3 diesel locomotives. In addition, the decision adopted in 1956 at the XXth Congress of the CPSU on the mass transition to electric and diesel modes of traction meant an increase in train weights. Thus, electric locomotives BUT with their hourly power of 2400 kW could no longer ensure the carrying capacity of the railway sections, which led to the decision to start designing a new, more powerful AC electric locomotive ^{[2] [3]} .

In 1956, at the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant, the development of a draft design of a new six-axis AC electric locomotive was started. The work was carried out under the leadership of the chief designer of the plant - B.V.Suslov , who had previously led the design of electric locomotives BUT (see above) . As a result, the following parameters of the new electric locomotive were determined ^[4] :

• Current type - single-phase 50 Hz, 20 kV;
• Power - 4000 kW;
• Traction force of the hourly regime - 33,000 kgf at a speed of 45 km / h;
• Design speed - 110 km / h;
• Mass of electric locomotive - 138 tons;
• The diameter of the driving wheels is 1250 mm.

From BUT, the new electric locomotive borrowed a start-up circuit (counter-consonant inclusion of transformer windings, the use of dividing reactors, 33 starting positions) and a rectification circuit (two-half with zero output), only instead of separate contactors an ECG-60/20 group switch was installed - this greatly simplified control circuit. In addition, on the new electric locomotive, the rated voltage of the electric motors was also taken equal to 1,500 V , as in DC electric locomotives. And here the choice of designers is not entirely justified. The fact is that the most optimal voltage value for traction electric motors of electric locomotives is 750-1000 V , that is, 1.5-2 times lower than the selected one. In the books of V. A. Rakov, this is explained by the fact that when applying a voltage of 750 V, the weight of the equipment, and therefore the electric locomotive as a whole, will be significantly higher than with a higher voltage ^[4] . However, this contradicts the fact that just 2 years later, at the same plant, a new, more powerful NB-413 electric motor (used on H8O electric locomotives) for a voltage of 900 V was created . The option that a voltage of 1500 V was taken to eliminate unnecessary recalculations of power elements is also unacceptable ^{[note 1]} .

In January 1957, design engineering began . Since by that time the transition from the screw coupler to the automatic coupler was officially completed, the new electric locomotive was immediately designed without buffers . Thus, he became the first locomotive in the USSR on which the installation of buffers was not provided, while the automatic coupler was mounted on the body rather than on carts, which allowed to reduce their weight, as well as to exclude the inter-body connection, which in turn allowed the traction to be lowered into the free space transformer. Also, on the designed electric locomotive, swinging joints were used instead of pivot bearings to connect the bogies with the body (by the principle of operation they are similar to an inverted pendulum) ^[4] . In this regard, there is a widespread misconception that the designers borrowed individual components from electric locomotives Ф purchased by the Soviet Union from France . However, this error is quite easy to refute, since the T-01 electric locomotive (prototype electric locomotives F) was released only in 1959 . In addition, the TEP60 diesel locomotives and the first TEP70 locomotives had a similar construction of supports. Swinging pendulum supports of a similar design were used on an electric locomotive of the French railways of the BBB 6002 series developed in 1948 and are described in the Soviet technical literature during the design of VL60.

Experienced H6O Electric Locomotives

In December 1957 and February 1958 , NEVZ built the first two six-axle AC electric locomotives with a voltage of 20 kV - N6O-001 and N6O-002.

The design of the mechanical part of the H60 electric locomotives is significantly different from all electric locomotives previously built in the Soviet Union . The body of the H60 electric locomotive serves not only to accommodate the equipment and cabs of the driver , but also to transmit traction. Therefore, automatic couplings are installed on the body frame, and not on carts, as is done on electric locomotives VL8, VL23, VL61 and older. The VL60 electric locomotive is the first trunk locomotive designed without buffers. On the first two electric locomotives, a two-sided, hard helical gear was installed from the traction electric motors to the wheel pairs with different gear ratios, which made it possible to choose the optimal ratio for mass production.

On electric locomotives Н6О-001 and Н6О-002, traction motors NB-410 with a capacity of 695 kW and 610 kW were installed in hourly and continuous modes, respectively. The electric locomotive has two rectifier units, each of which has four liquid-cooled sealed ignitron valves . The power circuit diagram of traction electric motors on electric locomotives N6O-001 and N6O-002 is basically the same as on electric locomotives of the VL61 series.

According to the weighing data, the N6O-001 electric locomotive had a weight higher than previously planned - 141.3 tons. After replacing the carts with cast sidewalls with carts with sidewalls welded from sheet steel, the weight of the electric locomotive dropped to 139.6 tonnes. With a wheel diameter of 1250 mm and a gear including 1: 4.19 (Н6О-001) and 1: 3.74 (Н6О-002) electric locomotives implemented: in hourly mode - traction force 33100 kg and 29600 kg, speed 45.0 km / h and 50.4 km / h; in continuous operation - traction force of 27500 kg and 24600 kg and speed of 47.5 and 53.2 km / h, respectively. The design speed was reduced to 100 km / h.

In connection with the transfer of the Ozherelye - Pavelets section from a voltage of 20 kV to a voltage of 25 kV on the electric locomotives N6O-001 and N6O-002 in 1959, the primary windings of the transformers were replaced. Subsequently, electric locomotives were subjected to more serious alterations (new traction electric motors NB-412M, main controllers, etc.), which brought them closer to serial locomotives.

Serial Edition

The decision on electrification of the Mariinsk - Krasnoyarsk - Winter section on alternating current, adopted in October 1958, with a term of putting it into operation during 1959-1960. significantly accelerated the organization of the production of VL60 electric locomotives at the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant . Already in 1959, several dozen electric locomotives were produced. These electric locomotives were built by the plant from 1959 to 1965 and became the main type of freight locomotive on lines electrified with alternating current. At the same time, the plant continuously worked on improving the design of locomotives of this series.

Based on the operating results, the NB-410 traction motors were redesigned and received the name NB-412. Performed at a slightly lower rated voltage (1450 V versus 1600 V for the NB-410) they had the following parameters: clock power - 647 kW, continuous - 564 kW (versus 695 kW and 610 kW for the NB-410, respectively). The electric motor has become heavier. TED NB-412 installed on electric locomotives No. 003-033.

Later, in order to increase power, the engine was again modified and received the designation NB-412M. The new modification had the following parameters: clock power - 690 kW, continuous - 550 kW. Almost all electric locomotives from 1959-1965 were equipped with these engines.

In the future, attempts to improve traction electric motors (primarily to increase the voltage at the clamps) did not stop and led to the emergence of a new modification - NB-412K. At a rated voltage of 1600 V, this engine had the following parameters: clock power - 800 kW, continuous - 675 kW. The engine weight also dropped slightly. TED NB-412K began to be installed on electric locomotives with number 1810 since 1965 .

Also, during the construction process, the number of ignitrons was changed (from 8 on the first four electric locomotives to 12 on the next ones) and the scheme of their connection and installation. At the end of 1963, an improved ignitron model began to be produced, which was installed on the VL60 electric locomotives, starting with No. 1277.

In the process of serial production, many other changes were made in the design of the electric locomotive, one of the most significant - VL60 was unified according to the main controller with VL80, instead of ECG-60/20, in which all elements were made with arc suppression , ECG-8Zh was used, having only 4 arcing elements switching transient (dividing) reactors, and the remaining 30 arcing elements do not have, which greatly simplifies the controller. Despite the fact that VL60 has one and a half times more traction motors than VL80 (6 versus 4), it has one and a half times higher rated voltage and, correspondingly, one and a half times less current of each motor - as a result, the total secondary current the transformer for VL60 and VL80 is almost the same, which allowed the use of the same ECG.

Locomotives of the VL60 series were initially delivered to Krasnoyarskaya , and then to the North Caucasian , Northern (depot Bui, Vologda), Odessa-Chisinau , Gorkovskaya , Far East , Southeast roads and to the Ozherelye - Pavelets section of the Moscow road .

In the 1970s All VL60 electric locomotives were converted into VL60 ^K with the replacement of mercury rectifier units with semiconductor ones.

China

On the basis of the H60 electric locomotive, with the help of the USSR , the first Chinese main electric locomotive, named 6Y1 , was designed in China in 1958 . Until 1968, 7 such electric locomotives were built.

Since 1968, instead of mercury rectifiers ( ignitrons ), silicon diodes were used. From that moment, the electric locomotive was named SS1 ( Shaoshan 1 ) and began to be mass-produced until 1988 . In total, 819 SS1 series electric locomotives were built.

VL60P-001

At the end of 1961, the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant produced an electric locomotive VL60P-001, designed for passenger service.

This electric locomotive installed the NB-415 traction motors, the gear transmission (gear ratio) was changed, and an electro-pneumatic brake was installed. The rest of the electrical equipment is the same as on serial electric locomotives manufactured in 1961. At a voltage of 1450 V on the clamps, the NB-415 TED has the following parameters: clock power - 690 kW, continuous - 595 kW.

In the hourly mode, the traction force is 19,000 kg and the speed is 73.3 km / h; in the long-term mode, respectively, 16,900 kg and 75.4 km / h. The speed of the electric locomotive, corresponding to the maximum in the armature is 130 km / h (however, during operation, the maximum speed was limited to 100 km / h for more reliable operation of the engines).

Reducing the weight of the traction electric motor by 1.2 tons compared to the traction electric motors of the VL60 electric locomotive, the use of aluminum instead of copper, as well as the facilitation of individual structures, made it possible to reduce the weight of the electric locomotive from 138 to 129 tons.

The electric locomotive VL60P-001 served passenger trains on the North Caucasus Railway .

VL60 ^P

In order to increase the speed of passenger trains, which due to the lack of special passenger AC electric locomotives were serviced by freight electric locomotives, in the period 1962 - 1965 part of the electric locomotives of the VL60 series was produced with a gear ratio of gears of 30: 82 = 1: 2.733 and electro-pneumatic brakes. Electric locomotives received the designation VL60 ^P ( n passenger).

Electric locomotives VL60 ^P were produced with traction motors NB-412K. The hourly speed of electric locomotives of this series was 73.3 km / h, continuous - 77.1 km / h. The maximum speed was set equal to 110 km / h.

A total of 301 electric locomotives of this series were produced.

VL60 ^P

In 1962, two experimental electric locomotives of the VL60 series with regenerative braking and with ignitron rectifiers were produced. After successful trials in 1964 - 1966 . A series of similar electric locomotives with recovery in the amount of 85 locomotives was produced. The series received the designation VL60 ^R , electric locomotives operated on the North Caucasian , East Siberian and Far Eastern railways in sections with a mountain track profile. In the second half of the 1980s. All VL60 ^R electric locomotives were replaced by VL80 ^R and converted into VL60 ^K.

VL60 ^K

After the construction of pilot VL62 electric locomotives with belt rectifiers, Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant in late 1962 produced two VL60 ^K electric locomotives.

The electric locomotive VL60 ^K- 002 was tested on the experimental ring of ElNII. The electric locomotive VL60 ^K- 001, after leaving the factory, immediately arrived for operation on the North Caucasus Railway.

In 1963, NEVZ produced several more VL60 ^K electric locomotives with NB-412M traction motors, and in the second half of 1965, instead of VL60 electric locomotives , the plant began to produce VL60 ^K electric locomotives with silicon rectifiers and traction electric motors NB-412K. In terms of their traction characteristics, these electric locomotives differ slightly from the VL60 electric locomotives with the NB-412K traction electric motors and have the same nominal values ​​of traction force and speed for hourly and long-term operation.

In total, 501 electric locomotives of the VL60 ^K series were produced. The same name was received by all previously released VL60s, converted from semiconductor (silicon) rectifiers from ignitron rectifiers.

VL60 ^P _K (VL60 ^K _P )

Electric locomotives VL60 ^P , in which the ignitron rectifiers were replaced by silicon, as well as VL60 ^K , converted into a passenger one.

VL60 ^KU

11 electric locomotives were converted from VL60 ^K with the introduction of smooth voltage regulation at the terminals of traction electric motors and at the same time no-current switching with this regulation. The index "Y" stands for "governed."

VL60 ^K _P

During 1971 - 1973 A project was made to re-equip the VL60 ^K electric locomotive to work with regenerative braking. An experienced electric locomotive received the designation VL60 ^K _P −2370 and in August 1974 entered for testing on the experimental ring of the Central Research Institute of Railway Transport.

• Novosibirsk Electric Locomotive Repair Plant
• Ulan-Ude Locomotive Car Repair Plant
• Rostov Electric Locomotive Repair Plant
• Lviv Locomotive Repair Plant

Notes

Sources

Rakov V.A. Electric locomotives of the VL60 series and their varieties // Locomotives of Russian Railways 1956 - 1975. - M .: Transport, 1999. - P. 69 - 89. - ISBN 5-277-02012-8 .

• Summary table for electric locomotives of the VL60 series