Steering control technology of LRV with electrical coupled wheelset

A new coupled wheelset was proposed by electrical coupled method to improve the self-steering behavior of independently rotating wheel. The improved electrical shaft system was applied in LRV(light railway vehicle) with motor independently driven wheels to construct the ECW(electrical coupled wheelset).An invisible electrical shaft replaced the conventional mechanical shaft between the motor-driven wheels. The coupled capacity and influencing factors of ECW were studied based on circuit analysis theory.It was ascertained that oriented mechanism of ECW was an active feedback control technology, and the rotating angular difference between left and right wheels was taken as feedback signal. The coupled capacity was adaptive by adjusting capacitance or resistance.It was better method for regulating capacitance than resistance as low power consumption.The numerical models of LRVs with ECW and EDCW(elasto-damper coupled wheelset) were established to simulate the steering behavior. Simulation result indicates that the maximum coupled torque of ECW is near to 1 kN·m, so the coupled ability is more powerful.LRVs with ECW and EDCW finally run along the center line of straight track after inputting a excitation, and their lateral displacements and attack angles are respectively less than 8 mm and 0.2° while vehicle runs on curve track, so they have good centering ability and curve negotiation.It's a low-power cost for electrical coupled system to produce coupled torque, and the maximum consumption power of motor is no more than 140 W when vehicle runs on the small radius curve track.