Rolling across Europe's vanishing frontiers
Article Abstract:
Adaptability to different electrical systems, precision control and high power are important in the new locomotive technology being employed in Europe as borders become less important and the environment and energy consumption become more important. If speeds are less that 250 km/h, the locomotive is being used, although the multisystem electric locomotive has been used for some situations for some time. Multisystem train equipment that can do more than 300 km/h is in use for high-speed routes. There is a boom in demand for locomotives that do up to 220 km/h, and often multisystem capabilities are required. The 3-phase, asynchronous system and induction motor with no slip rings, a set-up with various advantages and much adaptability, is the most popular technology. Thirty-two-bit microprocessor systems are used for monitoring and control, and only advances in the semiconductor industry have made application of three-phase current possible. Deutsche Bahn, which has options on 500 locomotives and already has bought 420, is testing the experimental 128001 locomotive from ADrantz. It is being equipped with insulated-gate bipolar transistor current converters for more reliability and lower losses.
Publication Name: IEEE Spectrum
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0018-9235
Year: 1999
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How US lead in power equipment ended
Article Abstract:
The decline in the US electric power equipment industry began in the late 1950s and culminated in the 1980s because its market, largely the electric utilities, favored competition from other developed countries. The power equipment manufacturers began experiencing declining income and erratic profits following price fixing scandals in the late 1950s and growing price consciousness by the US electric utilities. This resulted in increased profit pressures on equipment vendors and lowered expenditures on research and development. Foreign power equipment vendors entered the US market, but US manufacturers found markets in foreign developed countries closed to outside vendors. The subsequent impacts of the 1973 oil embargo began a continuing decline in demand for electric power equipment. US vendors began exiting the market.
Publication Name: IEEE Spectrum
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0018-9235
Year: 1991
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The greening of GE
Article Abstract:
The relationship of GE wind company with the worldwide energy companies like Vestas, Enercon, Gamesa Enolica, etc and the statistics of their increasing energy sales for the year 2004 is presented. The details of the GE's wind turbines, photovoltaic panels of their solar house and their features are discussed.
Publication Name: IEEE Spectrum
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0018-9235
Year: 2005
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