THYRISTOR CHOPPERS IN ELECTRIC TRACTION.

After summarizing the advantages of choppers compared with traditional electromechanical equipment, the authors on the base of standard diagrams set out the principles of the thyristor chopper and study the parameters governing its operation, i. e. chopping frequency, multi-phase operation with or without magnetic coupling. Apart from rheostatic braking, the choppers make possible regenerative braking and also composite braking, automatically and instantaneously distributing the energy among the resistors and the power supply system according to the absorption capacity of the latter. After considering electronic chopper control, the authors mention many customer references in both heavy and light traction.