Rail vehicle car with aerodynamic stabilizing element

Abstract

Car for railway vehicle with aerodynamic stabilizing element The invention relates to a car (10) for railway vehicle, comprising: a body (14), said body comprising a first (20) and a second (21) lateral faces, each of said lateral faces extending in a horizontal longitudinal direction (X), corresponding to a direction of movement of the vehicle; and an aerodynamic element (18) for stabilizing against side winds. The aerodynamic stabilizing element comprises at least one fin (30) extending in the lower part of the body along the first lateral face, in the longitudinal direction. Figure for the abstract: Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Car for railway vehicle with aerodynamic stabilizing element

[0001] The present invention relates to a rail vehicle carriage, of the type comprising: a body, said body comprising a first and a second lateral face, each of said lateral faces extending in a horizontal longitudinal direction, corresponding to a direction of movement of the vehicle; and an aerodynamic element for stabilizing against side winds.

[0002] Rail vehicles, particularly at high speed, are sensitive to side winds. These cause, in particular, an imbalance of pressure on either side of the vehicle, associated with a rolling torque which tends to tip the vehicle to one side.

[0003] It is known, in particular from document GB1564970, to equip railway vehicles with lateral wind stabilization elements, in order to limit the rolling torque.

[0004] The present invention aims to improve existing devices. To this end, the invention relates to a rail vehicle carriage of the aforementioned type, in which the aerodynamic stabilizing element comprises at least a first fin extending in the lower part of the body along the first lateral face, in the longitudinal direction.

[0005] According to other advantageous aspects of the invention, the rail vehicle carriage comprises one or more of the following characteristics, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations:

[0006] - the body has a length in the longitudinal direction; and the first spoiler extends over at least 50%, preferably at least 80%, of said body length;

[0007] - the car comprises a plurality of vehicle movement wheels, said wheels being rotatable relative to the lower part of the body; the first fin is arranged below a maximum height of the wheels relative to the body, said maximum height being defined by an upper end of said wheels;

[0008] - the first fin forms a projection relative to a profile of the lower part of the body, said first fin comprising an upper face and a lower face, each of said faces forming an obtuse angle with the profile;

[0009] - the aerodynamic stabilizing element comprises a second fin extending in the lower part of the body along the second lateral face, in the longitudinal direction;

[0010] - the first and second fins are arranged in a substantially symmetrical manner. relative to a median plane of the body, said plane being arranged in the longitudinal direction.

[0011] The invention further relates to a railway vehicle comprising a car as described above.

[0012] The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the drawings in which:

[0013] [Fig-1] [Fig.l] is a schematic side view of a car for iron vehicle rovary according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0014] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a schematic detail view of a section of the car of the [Fig.l] ; and

[0015] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is a schematic representation of the pressure phenomena suffered by the car in figures 1 and 2.

[0016] Figures 1 to 3 schematically represent a car 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. The car 10 is part of a railway vehicle 12, said vehicle comprising for example several cars similar to the car 10, said cars being connected to each other.

[0017] The car 10 comprises: a body 14; wheels 16; and at least one aerodynamic stabilizing element 18.

[0018] We consider an orthonormal base (X, Y, Z) associated with the body 14. The Z direction represents the vertical. The X direction, or longitudinal direction, corresponds to a direction of movement of the car 10. Said direction of movement is considered to be horizontal. The Y direction, or transverse direction, corresponds to a horizontal direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the vehicle.

[0019] The body comprises a first 20 and a second 21 lateral faces, each of said lateral faces extending in the longitudinal direction X. In the remainder of the description, it is considered that the first 20 and second 21 lateral faces are substantially symmetrical with respect to a plane (X, Z) forming a median plane 22 of the car 10.

[0020] Each wheel 16 of the car is rotatable relative to the body 14, along an axis of rotation extending in the Y direction, or transverse direction. In a known manner, the car 10 comprises at least four wheels, arranged at the front and rear of the body 14 in a direction of movement of the car 10. The wheels 16 are for example connected to the body 14 by means of bogies 23.

[0021] The wheels 16 are arranged in the lower part of the body 14. A maximum height 24 along Z is considered, reached by an upper end 26 of said wheels. Preferably, a part of the body is considered as the lower part 28 of the body located below said maximum height 24.

[0022] The aerodynamic stabilizing element 18 is integral with the body 14, preferably with the lower part 28 of said body.

[0023] The aerodynamic element 18 comprises at least one first fin 30, extending along the first lateral face 20, in the longitudinal direction X. Preferably, said first fin 30 is located below the maximum height 24 of the wheels 16.

[0024] As visible in [Fig.2], the first fin 30 forms a projection along Y relative to a profile 32 of the lower part 28 of the body.

[0025] In the embodiment shown, the first fin 30 comprises an upper face 34 and a lower face 36, each of said faces forming obtuse angles with the profile 32. Such angles make it possible to limit the effect of the first fin 30 on the drag of movement of the car 10. The first fin 30 thus has a substantially trapezoidal section, the upper 34 and lower 36 faces being inclined relative to the horizontal.

[0026] In a variant not shown, the upper face and / or the lower face is horizontal. The first fin may in particular have a substantially rectangular section, the upper and lower faces being parallel.

[0027] The body 14 has a first length 40 along the longitudinal direction X. The first fin 30 extends over a second length 42 along X. Preferably, the second length 42 is equal to at least 50%, preferably at least 80%, of said first length 40.

[0028] Preferably, the aerodynamic element 18 further comprises a second fin 44, extending along X along the second lateral face 21. More preferably, said second fin 44 is located below the maximum height 24 of the wheels 16.

[0029] Preferably, the first 30 and second 44 fins are arranged and configured in a substantially symmetrical manner relative to the median plane 22 of the body 14.

[0030] A method of operating the car 10 and the vehicle 12 will now be described with reference to [Fig. 3]. It is considered that the vehicle 12 is moving in the X direction, for example on a railway track. In particular, it is considered that the vehicle 12 is moving at high speed, for example at a speed greater than 250 km / h.

[0031] Furthermore, it is considered that the vehicle 12 is subjected to a lateral wind 50, blowing in the transverse direction Y towards the first lateral face 20.

[0032] The wake of the vehicle 12 creates an overpressure 52 on the side of the first lateral face 20 and a first depression 54 on the side of the second lateral face 21.

[0033] Furthermore, a second depression, in the form of a vortex 56, forms at a certain distance from the vehicle 12 on the side of the second lateral face 21.

[0034] This results in an overturning moment 58, which tends to tip the vehicle 12 around an axis parallel to X.

[0035] An effect of the first fin 30 is to increase the overpressure 52 at the bottom of the body 14, so as to generate a force 60 directed downwards, which presses the vehicle 12 to the ground.

[0036] An effect of the second fin 44 is to modify a trajectory of the air passing under the body 14, by moving this trajectory away from the second lateral face 21. The vortex 56 is thus moved away along Y from the vehicle 12, which reduces its impact on the total depression on the side of the second lateral face 21.

[0037] The two cumulative effects of the first 30 and second 44 fins thus make it possible to reduce the overturning moment 58.

[0038] The length 42 of the fins 30, 44 makes it possible to maximize the force 60 while limiting the dimensions of said fins along Y, so as to limit the resulting drag.

[0039] The geometry of a car 10 according to the invention allows in particular a reduction of the overturning moment 58 of the order of 5%, compared to a similar geometry without fins 30, 44.

Claims

Claims

1. Car (10) for a railway vehicle (12), comprising: a body (14), said body comprising a first (20) and a second (21) lateral faces, each of said lateral faces extending in a horizontal longitudinal direction (X), corresponding to a direction of movement of the vehicle; and an aerodynamic element (18) for stabilizing against crosswinds, said aerodynamic stabilizing element comprising at least a first fin (30) extending in the lower part of the body along the first lateral face, in the longitudinal direction? the car being characterized in that the first fin (30) forms a projection relative to a profile (32) of the lower part (28) of the body, said first fin comprising an upper face (34) and a lower face (36), each of said faces forming an obtuse angle with the profile (32).

2. Car according to claim 1, in which: the body (14) has a length (40) in the longitudinal direction; and the first spoiler extends (42) over at least 50%, preferably over at least 80%, of said length of the body.

3. A car according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the car comprises a plurality of wheels (16) for moving the vehicle, said wheels being rotatable relative to the lower part (28) of the body; and the first spoiler (30) is arranged below a maximum height (24) of the wheels (16) relative to the body, said maximum height being defined by an upper end (26) of said wheels.

4. Car according to one of the preceding claims, in which the aerodynamic stabilizing element (18) comprises a second spoiler (44) extending in the lower part of the body along the second lateral face, in the longitudinal direction.

5. A car according to claim 4, wherein the first (30) and second (44) fins are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to a median plane (22) of the body, said plane being arranged in the longitudinal direction.

6. A railway vehicle (12) comprising a car (10) according to one of the preceding claims.

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