The efficient running and control of railway traffic, one of the largest means of transportation in the country is seriously hampered by irregular grid supply, often resulting in traffic congestion and great inconvenience to public and adversely affecting the operating cost.

SPV Array

The alternative method of supplementing grid supply by the use of Diesel Generator sets pose considerable logistic problems. It has a high maintenance cost, necessitating use of additional DG Sets as stand-by. Diesel oil has to be transported to the far flung location at prohibitive cost. Diesel oil is further prone to pilferage. Thus this alternative becomes extremely costly, apart from disadvantage of atmospheric pollution.

As a result of decade of research and field experience CEL now brings the source of power - SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SOURCE by harnessing the Solar Energy abundantly available and non polluting by nature.

CEL's SPV power system comprising of the Solar Photovoltaic arrays, storage batteries and control electronics now offers the best alternative power source for panel station of Indian Railways.

SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SOURCE

A typical SPV power source for Panel Stations for Railways consists of :

• A Solar Photovoltaic Array.
• A Battery Bank.
• An Electronic Control Unit and Panel.

OTHER APPLICATION OF SPV FOR INDIAN RAILWAYS

* SPV System for charging batteries to Power
  Signal lighting, Point machines.

* SPV System for Microwave repeater station

* SPV System for signal lighting

* Solar Powered Radio Warning System 
  (SOLAGARDTM)

SOLAR POWERED RAILWAY LEVEL CROSSING RADIO WARNING SYSTEM (SOLAGARD^TM)

CEL has developed this system, in association with Research, Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) for providing early warning of the approach of a train/locomotive at an unmanned level crossing, to the people and road traffic crossing the Railway line.

Far end System of the Solar Powered Railway Level
Crossing Radio warning System (SOLAGARD)

The Level Crossing Warning System (SOLAGARD^TM) is suitable for use on Single as well as on Double lines, for providing Audio & Visual Alarms at the Gate through VHF Radio Communication Link Activated by the approaching train when it is on approach at a preset distance range of 2 to 5 kms. from the gate. This system operates on its own captive power supply consisting of Solar Photovoltaic Modules and Low Maintenance type batteries of suitable ampere hour capacity.

A track device actuated solar powered VHF transmitter located about 3-4 kms. from the level crossing (i.e. Far End) sends a coded radio signal towards the level crossing when an approaching train crosses the Far End. The radio signal is received by a solar powered receiver located at the level crossing (Gate End) which after decoding the signal actuates an Audio-Visual Alarm for forewarning the traffic. The system is ideal for remote railway level crossings. The ruggedized system is under field trials.

FEATURES :

• It uses a VHF link to activate an Audio Visual Alarm by an approaching train.
• It uses Solar Photovoltaic Power source for charging the batteries.
• It uses specially designed solid state logic circuits with very low power consumption and high MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures).
• It uses specially designed electro-magnetic Track devices for the detection of approaching train.