Market - Knorr

Rail Vehicle Systems
Edition 18 | December 2007
The customer magazine of Knorr-Bremse
Rail Vehicle Systems
Foto: Siemens AG
Market
Certification of
compressors for Russia Research and Development
Rail safety – the EDT101
derailment detector
Product
Merak HVAC units for
greater passenger comfort
No. 18 | December 2007
Editorial
Contents
Editorial
Dr. Köhler
3
Market
Compressors put to test –
compressor certification for Russia
4
Interview with Vladimir Rutkas
7
Research & Development
Rail safety – the EDT101 derailment detector
8
Produkt
E-NEWS-0018-EN
This publication may be subject to alteration without prior notice. A printed copy of this document may not be the latest revision. Please contact your
local Knorr-Bremse representative or check our website www.knorr-bremse.com for the latest update. The figurative mark “K” and the trademarks
KNORR and KNORR-BREMSE are registered in the name of Knorr-Bremse AG. Copyright 2007 © Knorr-Bremse AG - All rights reserved. Including
industrial property rights applications. Knorr-Bremse AG retains any power of disposal, such as for copying and transferring.
Air conditioning expert – Merak HVAC units
for greater passenger comfort
12
All over the world, railways offer high levels of safety and economy compared with other forms of passenger
and freight transport. And everywhere, vehicle manufacturers and operators are working hard to strengthen
and improve the train’s position as the favoured mode of transport. As a leading supplier of safety and comfort systems for the rail industry, Knorr-Bremse is backing up these efforts with its first-class products. Not
only do we regularly go that “extra mile” for our customers, but we also pioneer new developments.
Dr. Albrecht Köhler
Board of Management,
Knorr-Bremse Systeme für
Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
Little wonder, then, that the name Knorr-Bremse is closely associated with major innovations in the rail sector. But sometimes small steps can also add up to important progress. One example is the EDT101 derailment
detector. This new, highly responsive system has made transportation of dangerous good just that little bit
safer. In the case of train air-conditioning systems, the focus is on passenger comfort. In this field Merak has
established a world-wide reputation as one of the leading manufacturers. The latest innovation from Merak
will shortly be ready for market launch – a system to remove germs from the air circulating in trains.
When it comes to the Russian rail market, then Knorr-Bremse really can claim to be Number One. Ahead
of all other compressor manufacturers the company has succeeded in gaining approval as a supplier to the
Russian rail sector.
This edition of the Rail Informer contains a host of interesting details about the EDT101 derailment detector,
Merak HVAC systems for high-speed trains – and also the latest news about our compressors for the Russian
rail market.
I hope you will enjoy reading it!
Dr. Albrecht Köhler
Imprint:
Information for Knorr-Bremse’ s worldwide customers and business partners
Publisher:
Knorr-Bremse Systeme für
Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
December 2007
Central Editorial Office:
Knorr-Bremse Systeme für
Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
Marketing
Karin Dirscherl
Moosacher Straße 80
80809 München
Germany
Tel. +49 89 3547-1731
Fax.+49 89 3547-2767
[email protected]
www.knorr-bremse.com
Conception, text and design by:
Knorr-Bremse Systeme
für Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH
lehmann strategisches marketing
GmbH
Printed by:
ALPHA-TEAMDRUCK GmbH
No. 15 | März 2007 | Certification of the entire current family of oil-free and screw compressors was the first step in connection with the equipping of eight
Siemens Velaro trains for the Russian high-speed sector. As part of this ambitious project Knorr-Bremse is to supply complete braking
systems, air supply systems with compressors and air driers, electronic and pneumatic control systems, bogie equipment including
brake callipers, discs and pads, and further components such as brake valves and display instruments. The company is also supplying
windscreen wiper systems. The traditional GOST standards for Russian rail transport were designed to take into account the country’s
typical infrastructure and harsh weather conditions and are therefore very different from the equivalent DIN and EN standards. But
certification has now confirmed that Knorr-Bremse’s products fully meet these requirements as well.
Compressors for Russia
Certification
Successfully
Completed
Joint development of new
certification standard
The Russian rail market offers huge growth potential – but at the
same time is protected from foreign manufacturers by the application of strict standards. This makes Knorr-Bremse’s recent success in
becoming one of the first EU suppliers with certification for the
Russian rail market all the more impressive.
Neryungri
Tynda
Skovorodino
Cold chamber replicates
Russian operating conditions
Compressors in Russia have to be designed to withstand
harsh weather conditions and ambient temperatures down
to -55 °C. To test the impact of such low temperatures,
Knorr-Bremse created a second cold chamber at its Munich
site in February 2007 that enables it to carry out preliminary
and extensive testing to GOST standards. Equipment, components and materials can be frozen and their functioning
at low-temperatures examined, with several compressors
undergoing long-time testing in parallel. Cold-starts can
be tested as well as operation over several hours at extreme
temperatures. To extract the heat generated by tests, the
new chamber has been designed to have a high cooling
performance of 40 kW. This means test series can be carried
out without the need for time-consuming cooling-down
phases.
Already in
operation:
the SL60+
compressor
TEP70 locomotives
equipped with the SK60+
compressor have been in
operation on the BaikalAmur line, which stretches
for more than 3,000
kilometers from Siberia
to the far east of Russia,
since March 2007. The first
inspection was successfully
completed on July 19,
2007, and a further one is
scheduled for the period
between late November
2007 and the end of
February 2008.
When Knorr-Bremse applied for certification of the two families
of compressor for the Russian Velaro the authority responsible
– the Russian Register Certification Association - did not yet
have any regulations that would apply the strict Russian quality criteria to these new technologies. An appropriate certification process therefore had to be developed in collaboration with
Knorr-Bremse. Working closely with the VNJKTJ testing institute
commissioned by the Russian authorities for the purpose, a certification standard was developed based on adaptation of current UIC requirements to Russian conditions.
Sovetskaya
Komsomolskon-Amur
Khabarovsk
Testing environment
for customized criteria
The new cold chamber at Knorr-Bremse’s Munich site offered
ideal conditions for developing the testing criteria for the two
New climate
chamber for
parallel testing
without coolingoff phases
types of compressor. Testing focussed in particular on the startup characteristics of the oil-free compressor. Traditional compressor technology solves the problem of cold starts in icy conditions and temperatures down to -55°C by pre-heating the oil, but
for the environmentally-friendly oil-free compressor a different
process was developed. To be able to carry out exhaustive testing of such modifications in realistic conditions, Knorr-Bremse
developed an elaborate testing environment using state-ofthe-art equipment that enabled a thorough examination to be
carried out of all the relevant parameters including operating
pressure, air volume, noise levels, warm-up time, wind speeds
and the extent and impact of structure-borne noise.
All requirements met
Both types of compressor were then thoroughly tested for these
and many other parameters in Munich under close observation
by the Russian Register. Having met all the requirements, the
compressors can now be delivered to schedule in 2008. The process of certifying the air tanks and AC motors is also running to
plan.
Taishet
No. 18 | December 2007
Advantages
of screw
compressor
Customized compressors
Self-supporting
flanged design
No installation frame
required
Large range of
operating temperatures
Low compressor
exhaust temperature
Optimized cooling
Extremely low oil
consumption
Various different drive
options (DC, AC, hydro, direct coupled or belt
driven)
Low vibration
Drastically reduced
vibration transfer
to vehicle
Low noise
SL60+ SCREW COMPRESSOR
SL Series screw compressors are compact,
self-supporting flanged units powered by DC,
AC or hydro motors. Designed specially for rail
vehicles, they operate at extremely low noise
and vibration levels. Flexible radiator configuration enable adaptation to various different
installation situations.
Interview
Informer: No-one could expect an innovative product like the oil-free compressor
to precisely match specifications that were
state-of-the-art more than half a century
ago!
Informer: Mr Rutkas, you recently succeeded in having
the VV120T oil-free compressor and SL60 screw compressor
- with their associated product families - certified for the
Russian market. Experts had said this would be an extremely
difficult task to bring off.
Rutkas: Exactly - and that was the challenge. We had to convince the relevant
authorities - the Russian Transport Ministry,
the Russian Register and also the VNJKTJ
testing institute - that the Russian regulations needed to be updated to incorporate more modern standards.
Rutkas: Let me start by saying that certification was a
team effort. My colleagues in Munich did excellent work
– without the support and commitment of the CoCAS
(Center of Competence Air Supply) we would never have
succeeded so quickly.
Informer: So what were the main challenges?
Rutkas: Over the past 100 years the Russian rail market
had almost completely shut itself off from the rest of the
world. The equipment currently used in the rail sector
was designed exclusively for Russian conditions, often to
Advantages
of oil-free compressor
VV120T OIL-FREE COMPRESSOR
The oil-free compressor is the first to operate
without the need for oil lubrication, thanks
to the use of a special coating and the intake
of cool air through the crankcase. There are
thus no maintenance costs for oil-change, oil
separator and condensate removal, and energy
consumption, weight and size are considerable
reduced.
No oil required
Very quiet, low
vibration
No regular oil changes
No condensate removal/
disposal
Longer-lived air drier
Reduced maintenance
costs
Low lifecycle costs
Unlimited
operation time
Reduced start-up power
Smaller motor
Reduced dimensions
Lower weight
Russia is just
as attractive to us
as Asia
technological specifications dating back to the 1970s. The
same goes for the official standards for rail products, components and systems. In other words, any rail manufacturer wishing to sell in the Russian market is confronted with
the need to meet the requirements from the last century.
Informer: Which ones in particular?
Rutkas: We incorporated the UIC standards into the GOST ones
when establishing those that were relevant for testing and
defining the test requirements themselves. For example, GOST
standards were used for climate-related requirements, whereas
the current UIC standards were applied in the case of safety, environmental impact and comfort.
Informer: In other words, you, the Register and the testing institute took the best of both worlds.
Rutkas: Exactly! And it helped that I had been able to build up
such a good relationship with the relevant people in Russia over
the last few years. These contacts will also provide a good basis
for future projects. We are now one of the first EU manufacturers
with certification for the Russian market. The next tests are now
in the pipeline - we still have a lot of work ahead of us.
Informer: Was it all worth the effort?
Rutkas: Absolutely: The Russian rail market is just as attractive
for us as Asia, for example. But things are only just taking off.
Over the next few years the Russian State Railways are planning
to spend more than EUR 5 billion on rail vehicles. As one of the
first suppliers to gain certification, we hope we will have a competitive edge when it comes to securing new orders.
Informer: Mr Rutkas, thank you very much for talking to us.
Vladimir Rutkas,
Director, KB Moscow
No. 18 | December 2007
Derailment detectors for freight trains
In Switzerland in 1994, a derailment that went unnoticed by the driver resulted in an accident that caused serious injury to three people
and damage worth many millions. For the Swiss Federal Railways
(today SBB Cargo AG) the situation was clear: if there was a safety
system that could help avoid such an accident in the future then it
had to be introduced as quickly as possible. This was what led to the
development of the EDT100 – the –predecessor of the EDT101 derailment detector - by Oerlikon-Knorr Eisenbahntechnik AG.
goods are caused by derailment. And in about 40 per cent of all
cases – those in which the train driver is not initially aware that a
derailed car is being dragged along – a detector would have prevented serious consequences resulting from roll-over.
How it functions
The EDT101 derailment detector can help minimize the damage caused by a
Development of this detector made Switzerland a pioneer in technology to prevent injury to persons and material losses worth many
millions following freight car derailments.
freight train derailing - which is why it is increasingly used for dangerous goods
Fine-tuning detector response
Effectively Minimizing
Accident Damage
transportation. In the past, false activation of the detector led to delays and
blocking of the line, but since modification of the tripping threshold this is no
longer a problem.
Advantages
The Oerlikon-Knorr derailment detector reacts to vertical acceleration. However, it must not be too sensitive – only strong acceleration
indicates a derailment, whereas weaker movement may be the
result of track damage or wheel flats. Oerlikon-Knorr and SBB AG
therefore carried out exhaustive derailment and crossing tests to
calculate the tripping threshold that would enable operational use
of the detector. The technology passed the tests and received UIC
homologation in January 2001. By May 2003 the SBB had fitted the
EDT100 to 623 tank cars used for transporting dangerous goods.
From the second half of 2003 onwards, however, there were a number of cases of false activation, particularly at high temperatures,
which resulted in lines being blocked. It was clear that the tripping
threshold needed to be re-examined. Following comprehensive
investigations and tests, a new threshold was set, and this has applied since August 2006 to a hundred ETD101 detectors installed
in 50 WASCOSA tank cars. To date not a single false activation has
occurred. The modified settings for the otherwise unchanged successor to the EDT100 were presented to the UIC at the end of 2006
and became compulsory in July 2007.
Effectively protects
people, vehicles and
infrastructure
Reduces damage
caused by derailment
Can be retrofitted
No false activations
since modification of
tripping threshold
Stand-alone system
Good cost-benefit ratio
UIC homologation
Following derailment, a freight
train must be halted immediately
A comprehensive risk analysis of dangerous goods transportation
carried out for Swiss Railways underlined the important role played by derailment detectors in preventing serious accidents. Some
80 per cent of accidents resulting in major spillage of dangerous
The Swiss Federal Transport Authority (Schweizer Bundesamt für
Verkehr) specifically recommends the use of derailment detectors
to improve safety, at least when transporting dangerous goods.
The EDT101 consists essentially of an emergency brake valve,
spring/mass valve and a display. No power supply is required. One
detector is installed at each end of the car on the buffer beam with
a connection to the main air supply of the train’s braking system
via a 1” pipe As soon as the spring/mass valve registers strong vertical acceleration such as occurs during derailment, it activates the
emergency brake valve, which opens the main pipe and triggers
rapid braking.
The EDT101 can be installed exclusively on cars whose derailment
would cause particular damage, but the more cars equipped
with the detector the greater the safety of the entire train, as the
EDT101 does not just react to derailment of the car on which it is
installed.
The only current option
Alternatives to the EDT101 are currently not available. A telematics system that would report a derailment to the train driver and
enable him to decide when to bring the train to a halt is currently
under discussion, but such a system will not be market-ready for
several years. In any case, leaving the decision up to the driver is
only an option for passenger trains – in the case of freight car derailment, immediate braking must take place in order to avoid an
accident.
Operational experience
Ever since the Oerlikon-Knorr derailment detector first went into
operation in 1996 it has proved its reliability and practicality on
many occasions. It has also been subject to continuous improvement.
No. 18 | December 2007
Pneumatic derailment
detector – how it works
1.
Installation of the EDT101
3.
Original components for installation
Derailment detector
DRIVE AND FILLING POSITION
Bracket with shut-off valve
Chambers filled with compressed air
at main pipe pressure
Vibrating mass affected by vertical
acceleration indicating derailment
Flange for air line
Schnellbremsstellung
Fahrt- und Füllstellung
4.
Installation
1
5
2
Träger mit Absperrhahn
3
4
2.
1.) Entgleisungsdetektor mit Anzeigevorrichtung, 2.) Pufferbalken, 3.) Hauptluftleitung,
4.) Abzweigleitung (von HL zum EDT), 5.) Absperrhahn
RAPID BRAKING POSITION
In case of derailment, spring/mass valve
activates emergency brake valve
History
Main air pipe is opened and emergency
braking triggered
1996: 1998: 1999: 2001: 2005: 2007: Display indicates which detector
has been activated
10
1.) Derailment detector with display
2.) Buffer beam
3.) Main air line
4.) Connection from main air line to EDT
5.) Shut-off valve
Year-long field testing with 18 four-axle Makies hopper cars aimed at optimizing tripping threshold.
The cars have been in operation ever since without incident.
First installation of a derailment detector in a newly-built WASCOSA oil tank car.
Retrofitting of derailment detectors to 25 ESSO tank cars. The cars have been operating internationally without incident ever since.
Year-long field testing on Hungarian and Romanian rail networks as part of UIC approval process.
Retrofitting of 43 car transporters operated by Rhätische Bahn for the Swiss Vereina Tunnel.
SBB AG starts to retrofit a total of 623 wagons with derailment detectors for international operation. The problem of false activations occurring from the second half of 2003 onwards is solved by modifying
the tripping threshold.
HSZ equips100 Hbiss sliding door cars with EDT.
375 phosphate cars equipped with EDT101 for Moroccan Railway Company ONCF.
11
No. 18 | December 2007
Air conditioning
Customized Systems
for Greater Passenger
Comfort
Air-conditioning systems for trains have to meet exacting requirements: the equipment has to be compact, light-weight, quiet-running and capable of operating at
ambient temperature ranging from –50°C to +50°C. It also has to withstand strong
Modern air-conditioning technology poses major challenges
for engineers and manufacturers alike, and Merak is one of the
most experienced European companies in the field. Drawing on
many decades of expertise, this Spanish subsidiary of KnorrBremse works closely with vehicle manufacturers to improve
and upgrade current solutions, developing innovative concepts
that set new standards of passenger comfort world-wide.
Optimum design for the rail sector
Air-conditioning units have to have an extremely robust design
in order to withstand the strong vibrations generated by rail
vehicle components such as compressors and motors. At the
same time, weight restrictions mean they have to be as light
as possible. Designers of new air-conditioning systems have to
carefully test every single component for weight and combined
robustness and achieve a balance between these two conflicting
demands.
A special suspension system developed by Merak that prevents
the transfer of noise and vibration from the air-conditioning to
the passenger area offers new scope for designing lightweight
air-conditioning units.
vibrations and jolting. And on high-speed trains the extreme air pressures involved
make further demands on the system. Merak air-conditioning units are designed to
meet all these requirements. And soon they will also be capable of filtering out airborne bacteria and germs.
The patented
suspension system
prevents
undesirable
noise and vibration
Another challenge for the development engineers is the limited
installation space available for air-conditioning units, which has
to be taken into account at the design and construction stage as
well as the train’s thermodynamic characteristics. And Merak’s
rigorous quality standards also require the unit to be as maintenance-friendly as possible.
Increased demands
in high-speed sector
High-speed trains make even higher demands on air-conditioning systems. When a train enters a tunnel at over 200 km/h
it is subject to massive pressure waves generated by the sudden
compression of large volumes of air. The waves continue through
the entire tunnel, moving in the opposite direction to the train
at velocities close to the speed of sound. The strength of this
turbulence varies according to the tunnel length, the size of
the entrance and exit, and the train’s speed and aerodynamic
design.
After carefully studying all these factors Merak has developed
air-conditioning systems that completely protect passengers
from their effects.
Top-class engineering
resources are the key to success
To meet the specific demands of the rail sector Merak has set
up extensive testing facilities that include a thermo-dynamic
chamber in which extreme temperatures and high winds can be
simulated. System performance in rain can also be tested under
realistic conditions.
This equipment is supplemented by electrical and electronic
tools for calculating and simulating air and temperature changes
under certain mechanical conditions. These make it possible to
simulate important system elements with great accuracy. For
example the layout of the pipes is calculated in advance to
ensure optimum air distribution in the train’s interior. Air flow
is calculated and analyzed using a computational fluid dynamics
program (CFD). Studies based on the Finite Element Method
(FEM) enable the engineers to balance the functionality, robustness and safety of the system’s design.
Models are used to make a detailed examination of the impact
of extremely high wind and vehicle speeds on the train’s aerodynamics. This enables the required parameters for ventilators and
heat-exchangers to be accurately planned while the system is
still at the development stage.
Merak has also developed state-of-the-art virtualization tools
to examine turbulence in tunnels at speeds of over 200 km/h.
Ventilation vents have to be designed in such a way that the
impact of pressure waves cannot penetrate the passenger areas.
To achieve this, Merak has developed a patented system that
immediately registers pressure variations and activates protective elements so rapidly that the turbulence is kept outside.
PMR: Einstieg für Personen mit eingeschränkter Mobilität
(Personnes à Mobilité Réduit)
12
13
Skilled, flexible service
Systems are not just products – Merak only regards a project as
completed when the system has been fully installed and is one
hundred percent functional. In all cases Knorr-Bremse’s triedand-tested project management system is used. And as part of
the Knorr-Bremse Group, Merak also has full access to an excellent international network of sales and service facilities that
means customers all over the world are served efficiently and
competently.
The next generation:
protection from bacteria and germs
The next generation of air-conditioning systems currently under
development promises to do more than just remove stale air
and replace it with a supply of fresh air at the right temperature.
Special filters will also ensure that the air is cleaned of potentially harmful bacteria and germs before it enters the train interior. Merak will be the first manufacturer world-wide to offer its
customers this significant additional benefit.
Air-conditioned comfort
in Polish long-distance trains
Air-conditioning systems from Merak have been installed in rail
vehicles all over the world. They are just as much in demand in
North and South America as in Europe, Asia and Africa. And with
effect from 2007, trains operated by Polish Railways are also to
be equipped with units manufactured by the Spanish company.
As part of a comprehensive upgrade scheduled to run until
2009, 90 long-distance carriages produced by vehicle manufacturers H. Cegielski - Fabryka Pojazdow Szynowych Spolka z o.o.,
NEWAG Spolka Akcyjna, PESA Bydgoszcz SA und Tabor Syzynowy
Opole S A. are to be fitted with compact Merak underfloor airconditioning units. As a specialist company with extensive experience in designing air-conditioning systems for long-distance
trains, Merak has a long list of satisfied customers. The highly
compact units it will be supplying to Polish Railways offer a cooling
performance of 35 kW and more than 40 kW of heat output. They
are equipped with an integrated air-distribution box between the
air-conditioning unit and the train’s ventilation ducting. Merak’s
maintenance concept was an additional factor in winning the
contract.
This first order for Merak systems from Polish Railways yet again
demonstrates the advantages of networking within the KnorrBremse Group. The initial contact came via Knorr-Bremse’s Polish
subsidiary, which was well acquainted with the customer’s
requirements as well as the systems on offer from Merak. They
were also supported by Knorr-Bremse Austria, which is responsible for developing sales and systems centers for Merak in central
Europe and providing technical and sales back-up.
1.
Air Conditioning System:
scope of supply for highspeed project (CRH3 Velaro)
Mixture plenum
Passenger area supply
air silencer
Passenger area HVAC unit with
emergency inverter
Overpressure protection
damper system
Passenger area supply
air duct work
Auxiliary fan heaters
Cab area HVAC unit
Exhaust air duct work
Cab area supply
air duct work
Exhaust air unit
Overpressure protection
pressure sensor
2. HVAC unit
3. 3D ducting works
Merak – a brief profile
Name: Merak
Founded: 1963 as Stone Ibérica, S.A.
In the Knorr-Bremse Group since: 1997 (50 %), 2005 (100 %)
Headquarters: Pinto/Madrid, Spain
Workforce: 472
Locations: Albany/USA
Shanghai/ China
Sales and System Center HVAC, Mödling/ Austria
Products: More than 200 different HVAC designs for new cars and upgrade projects on urban, local and mainline trains.
An additional range of electronic systems, including air-pressure gauges for high-speed trains, inverters for autonomous
power supply, IGBT electronic circuit breakers, monitoring systems and emergency inverters.
Experience: Over a period of 44 years Merak has supplied more than 40,000 state-of-the-art HVAC units to customers
in all climate zones world-wide.
14
4.
15
Computational Fluid
Dynamic (CFD) studies
of HVAC unit
Rail Vehicle Systems
MEET OUR EXPERT ON COST CUTTING
AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
The oil-free compressor is a Knorr-Bremse innovation from which everyone benefits. Doing without oil as a
lubricant leads to less maintenance work and thus far lower life cycle costs. And there’s no shaking the fact that
it runs with extremely low vibrations in tough everyday service, which is great for passengers. And with no oil
inside, no oil can leak out – which means a cleaner deal for operators and for the environment.