Snow melting system

Abstract

To provide a snow-melting system capable of quickly melting snow without causing a large increase in cost when it is desired to selectively use snow-melting devices of different heat-releasing systems according to the difference of places such as a point part and a point back part.SOLUTION: In a snow-melting system at a junction of a railway track equipped with a first snow-melting device (20) installed on a point part of a railway track to release heat and melt snow around the rail, a second snow-melting device (10) installed on a track near the point part to release heat and melt snow between the rails, and a control device capable of controlling snow-melting by a first snow-melting device and a second snow-melting device, the first snow-melting device and the second snow-melting device each have a configuration of melting snow using steam, and the first and second snow-melting devices have been configured to be supplied with steam from a common steam generator (31), and condensate removal devices (34A, 34B) have been installed on the steam discharge side of the first snow-melting device and the steam discharge side of the second snow-melting device, respectively.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a snow melting system using steam, and relates to a technique that is effective when used in a snow melting system near a branch point of a railway line, for example. [Background technology]

[0002] A railway turnout is a complex structure consisting of a point section, a lead section, a crossing section, and a guide rail. Since the point section is a movable part, it can freeze in snowy and cold regions, making it impossible to switch. Therefore, in order to prevent the freezing of the point sections of turnouts, various types of snow melting devices have been developed and put into practical use.

[0003] Conventionally, snow melting devices installed on railway tracks include hot air types that blow hot air onto the rails, hot water jet types that spray warm water, and mat types that are laid in a line on the track, and generally the types with higher snow melting performance tend to be large-scale and expensive.The mat type includes hot water pipe types that circulate warm water and electric snow melting mats with built-in heaters (electric heating wires, etc.), which are effective for melting snow on the track between the rails. An invention relating to a hot water pipe type snow melting mat for railway tracks is described, for example, in Patent Document 1. Meanwhile, an invention relating to an electric rail heater has been proposed as a snow melting device that is attached to the side of the rail to melt snow around the rail (for example, Patent Document 2). Rail heaters are effective in preventing switches from not switching due to snowfall.

[0004] Incidentally, depending on the location of the turnout, such as the turnout tip, the point tip, the point, or the point back section, the snow to be melted, such as snow brought in from trains, fallen snow, or accumulated snow, has different conditions and amounts of snow, such as shape, density, and moisture content. Therefore, different types of snow melting devices are sometimes installed depending on the location. For example, the invention of an electric snow melting mat described in Patent Document 1 is effective for melting snow brought in from trains and fallen snow, and is effective when installed at the point back section, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2002-88730 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2001-311101 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Of the various snow melting methods mentioned above, hot air snow melting devices have the problem that continuous blowing of hot air generated by a burner around the rails can cause the sleepers to catch fire, which could disrupt railway operations. In addition, conventional hot water pipe snow melting mats are controlled by snowfall sensors and outside air temperature sensors in addition to object detection (remaining snow), and the antifreeze continues to be heated and circulated even when there is no snow on the mat, resulting in large energy losses. In addition, if a hole is made in the mat, the antifreeze leaks and the device stops. As described in Patent Document 1, adjacent running water pipes arranged in a serpentine shape are connected to each other, so when tamping the ballast track, which is one of the track maintenance tasks, is performed, the snow melting mat must be removed before the work begins and reinstalled after the work is completed, which requires a lot of labor and increases costs.

[0007] Furthermore, in conventional snow melting systems for railway track switches, the condition and amount of snow to be melted, such as snow brought in from trains, snow that has fallen, and accumulated snow, differs depending on the location, such as the point section and the point back section, so different types of snow melting devices are sometimes installed depending on the location. Specifically, a hot water pipe type snow melting mat is laid at the point back section where there is a relatively large amount of snow, and an electric heater, which is effective in preventing the switch from not switching, is attached to the side of the rail at the point section, and snow melting devices of different types are sometimes installed in combination. However, a snow melting system that combines different types of snow melting devices has the problem of increasing costs.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a snow melting system that can melt snow quickly without incurring a significant increase in cost when it is desired to use snow melting devices with different heat release methods depending on the location, such as the point section or the point back section. Another object of the present invention is to provide a snow melting system that, when using steam as a heat source for melting snow, can avoid a situation in which steam accumulates around the track and train crew mistake it for a fire. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, A snow melting system at a junction of a railway track includes a first snow melting device that is provided at a point of the railway track and melts snow by releasing heat around the rails, a second snow melting device that is provided on the track near the point and melts snow between the rails by releasing heat, and a control device that can control snow melting by the first snow melting device and snow melting by the second snow melting device, The first snow melting device and the second snow melting device have a configuration in which snow is melted using steam, The first snow melting device and the second snow melting device are configured to be supplied with steam from a common steam generator, A condensed water removal device is provided on the steam discharge side of the first snow melting device and the steam discharge side of the second snow melting device.、 The first snow melting device is provided with a half-split pipe joined to the side of the rail and closed at both ends, and a pair of nozzles respectively provided at both ends of the pipe, and the steam flowing in from one nozzle flows through a space formed by the pipe and the side of the rail and is discharged from the other nozzle, The second snow melting device is configured to have a mat shape with multiple hoses arranged in parallel, and the steam that is introduced into the mat flows in a serpentine manner inside the multiple hoses. did.

[0010] According to the above configuration, since steam from a common steam generator is supplied to the first snow melting device installed at the point and the second snow melting device installed near the point, snow can be melted quickly without a significant increase in cost when snow melting devices with different heat release methods are used depending on the location, such as the point or the point back area. In addition, since a condensed water removal device is provided on the steam discharge side of the first snow melting device and the steam discharge side of the second snow melting device, the steam that passes through each snow melting device is condensed into water by the condensed water removal device (steam trap) and discharged, so that it is possible to avoid a situation where steam accumulates around the track and is mistaken for a fire by train crew members.

[0011] In addition, According to this configuration, at the point, the first snow melting device directly heats the rails to melt the snow around the rails, and near the point, the second snow melting device heats the area between the rails in a planar manner to melt the snow on the track, thereby enabling snow melting to be performed in an appropriate manner for each of the areas near the point, such as the point and the area behind the point.

[0012] Furthermore, preferably, the first snow melting device is arranged such that the pipe having the pair of nozzles and a half-shaped pipe without nozzles and both ends closed are arranged facing each other on both side surfaces of the rail web, and communicating holes are formed in the portions of the rail web corresponding to both ends of the pipes. With this configuration, steam flows through the pipes arranged on the outer surface of the rail and the pipes arranged on the inner surface of the rail, heating the rail from both sides, so that snow around the rail at the points can be melted quickly.

[0013] Also, preferably, the second snow melting device is The plurality of hoses have a length that spans a plurality of sleepers, There is a gap between the hoses In this state, the plurality of rails are disposed between the pair of rails so as to be parallel to the rails. Hose is a sleeper Other thanIn Ballast between the rails Touching the top surface of Placement Make sure it is. According to this configuration, there is a gap between the hoses, and the hoses are in the track. Ballast between the rails Because it is installed so that it touches the top surface, when tamping the ballast track where the second snow melting device is installed, the beater of the tie tamper (tamping device) can be inserted into the gap between the hoses. This eliminates the need to remove the mat before work begins and then reinstall it after work is completed, as is the case with electric snow melting mats.

[0014] Also, preferably, the pair of nozzles are arranged so that the nozzle on the steam discharge side is located lower than the nozzle on the steam inlet side. According to this configuration, since the nozzle on the steam discharge side is located at a lower position, water that condenses inside the half-split pipe that constitutes the first snow melting device can be quickly discharged. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a snow melting system that can melt snow quickly without incurring a significant increase in cost when it is desired to use different types of snow melting devices depending on the location, such as the point section, the point back section, etc. Also, according to the snow melting system of the present invention, when steam is used as the heat source for melting snow, it is possible to obtain an effect of preventing a situation in which steam fills the area around the track and is mistaken for a fire by train crew members. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a snow melting system according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a first example of a steam type snow melting mat constituting a snow melting system of an embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a second embodiment of the steam type snow melting mat. [Figure 4]FIG. 2 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of a steam rail heater that constitutes the snow melting system of the embodiment. [Diagram 5] 1(A) and 1(B) are a front view and a cross-sectional side view showing a specific example of a rectangular steam half-pipe that constitutes a rail heater. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are a side view and a front view showing a specific example of a fastener that constitutes a rail heater. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the snow melting system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows an outline of the system configuration of an embodiment of the snow melting system according to the present invention. Fig. 1 also shows a point P of a turnout and the surrounding area. In FIG. 1, R1 and R2 are base rails, R3 and R4 are tongue rails that guide trains to branch tracks, and the tongue rails R3 and R4 are switched by a point machine (not shown) to approach or move away from the base rails R1 and R2.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 1, in the snow melting system of this embodiment, a steam-type snow melting mat 10 is provided between the basic rails R1, R2 on the train's approach or exit side of the point P as a measure against snow brought in, and rail heaters 20 are provided on the basic rails R1, R2 of the point P, and a common steam boiler 30 is provided on the side of the track to generate steam to be supplied to the snow melting mat 10 and the rail heater 20. The steam boiler 30 is connected to an end of a pipe 32A that supplies steam to the snow melting mat 10 and ends of pipes 32B, 32C that supply steam to the rail heater 20, and electromagnetic valves 31A, 31B, 31C are provided at the beginnings of the pipes 32A, 32B, 32C, respectively.

[0019] The snow melting mat 10 is formed by arranging the steam hose in a serpentine manner, so that it is approximately 80 cm wide and several meters to several tens of meters long. The starting end of the steam hose is connected to the end of a pipe 32A that supplies steam from a steam boiler 30, and the end of the steam hose is connected to a steam trap 34A via a discharge pipe 33A. Although not shown, a plate for maintaining the distance between the hose is inserted between the snow melting mat 10 and the top surface of the sleeper. This plate has multiple bands or clips at equal intervals in the width direction of the rail, and the hose is secured to the plate by these bands or clips, maintaining the hose at a specified distance and preventing lateral slippage. Note that the plates do not have to be installed on every sleeper, but may be installed every few sleepers.

[0020] Also, a steam-type rail heater 20 is attached to the side surface of the basic rail R1 at the point section P. The rail heater 20 is composed of a channel material with a U-shaped cross section and both ends are closed, and steam can be supplied to the cavity formed when it is joined to the side surface of the rail, and an end of a pipe 32B that supplies steam from a steam boiler 30 is connected to one end of the rail heater 20, a discharge pipe 33B is connected to the terminal end of the steam hose, and a steam trap 34B is connected to the end of the discharge pipe 33B.

[0021] 1, a similar channel material is attached to the opposite side of the rail R1 so as to face each other, and communication holes are formed in the portions of the rail web portion corresponding to both ends of the channel material. A similar rail heater 20 is also attached to the other basic rail R2 at the point P, and receives steam from the steam supply pipe 32C. Depending on the length of the point P, multiple rail heaters 20 may be provided along the rail extension direction.

[0022] As described above, in the snow melting system of this embodiment, the steam boiler 30 is used as a common heat source for the heat source of the snow melting devices at the train entrance and exit sides of the point unit P and for the heat source of the snow melting measures at the point unit P, so energy efficiency can be improved and costs can be reduced compared to conventional systems that use different heat sources. Also, in conventional hot water pipe snow melting mats, the hose that circulates the antifreeze liquid may be damaged in some way to create a hole, causing the amount of antifreeze to decrease and resulting in operation being stopped, but the snow melting mat 10 of this embodiment is configured to flow steam inside the hose, so there is an advantage that even if a small amount of steam leaks from a loose hose connection such as a coupler, there is no risk of the equipment itself being stopped.

[0023] Furthermore, because each snow melting device is equipped with a steam trap 34A and 34B, even if steam is used as the heat source, the low-temperature steam discharged from the snow melting mat 10 and rail heater 20 is not released into the atmosphere, but is condensed into water by the steam trap and discharged, preventing a situation in which steam accumulates around the track and train crew mistake it for a fire. Note that if no condensate is discharged from the steam trap, a structure without the steam trap can be adopted.

[0024] FIG. 2 shows a first example of a snow melting mat 10 constituting the snow melting system of this embodiment. 2, the snow melting mat 10 of this embodiment is composed of an inlet head pipe 11 extending in the rail width direction, an outlet head pipe 12 arranged parallel to the inlet head pipe 11, and a steam hose 13 arranged between the head pipes 11 and 12 in a serpentine manner in a direction perpendicular to these. A steam supply pipe 32A is connected to the inlet head pipe 11, and a discharge pipe 33A is connected to the outlet head pipe 12.

[0025] The steam hose 13 is not particularly limited, but is preferably a tubular hose having a three-layer structure of heat-resistant synthetic rubber-hard steel wire reinforcing layer-heat-resistant and weather-resistant synthetic rubber in that order from the inside, an inner diameter of 9.5 mm to 50.8 mm, a thickness of 15.3 mm to 19.3 mm, and capable of withstanding a pressure of 8.0 MPa. The steam hose 13 is made up of four hose units 13A, 13B, 13C, and 13D, each of which is made up of three hoses and arranged to make 1.5 round trips between the head pipes 11 and 12.

[0026] The three hoses of each of the hose units 13A to 13D are connected at their folded back portions by metal elbow joints 14. One end of each of the hose units 13A to 13D is connected to the inlet head pipe 11, and the other end is connected to the outlet head pipe 12. By configuring the snow melting mat 10 with hose units divided into four in this way, it is possible to prevent the difference between the inlet temperature and the outlet temperature from becoming large when steam is supplied into each hose, and to achieve a relatively uniform snow melting effect throughout the entire mat.

[0027] Furthermore, while conventional electric snow melting mats are generally formed in a sheet shape, the snow melting mat 10 of this embodiment has gaps of several centimeters between each hose. This prevents water generated by snow melting due to the heat of the steam flowing through the hose from seeping into the ballast of the track through the gaps between the hoses and accumulating on the track surface. In addition, when tamping the ballast track, the beater of a tie tamper (tamping device) can be inserted into the gaps between the hoses, which has the advantage that there is no need to remove the mat before work begins and reinstall it after work is completed, as with electric snow melting mats.

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a second example of the snow melting mat 10 constituting the snow melting system of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 3, the snow melting mat 10 of this embodiment is composed of a pair of entrance head pipes 11A, 11B extending in the rail width direction, exit head pipes 12A, 12B arranged parallel to the entrance head pipes 11A, 11B, six steam hoses 13A arranged parallel to each other in a direction perpendicular to the head pipes 11A-12A between the head pipes, and six steam hoses 13B arranged similarly between the head pipes 11B-12B. A steam supply pipe 32A (see Fig. 1) is connected to the entrance head pipes 11A, 11B, and steam traps 34A1, 34A2 are connected to the exit head pipes 12A, 12B.

[0029] The head pipes 11A, 11B and the steam hose 13A, and the head pipes 12A, 12B and the steam hose 13A are connected by pipe joints (couplers) 15, respectively. In addition, under the steam hoses 13A and 13B, a number of fixing plates 16 are installed so as to be lined up at a predetermined interval in the direction in which the rails extend, and the steam hoses 13A, 13B are fixed onto the fixing plates 16 by Ω-shaped clamps (saddle bands) 17. This keeps the intervals between the steam hoses 13A, 13B constant, and prevents the snow melting effect from becoming uneven due to the hoses being misaligned.

[0030] 4 to 6 show a specific example of the rail heater 20 constituting the snow melting system of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, the rail heater 20 of this embodiment is composed of a long and narrow rectangular steam half-pipe 21 (hereinafter referred to as steam pipe) that is joined to the side surface of the rail R and forms a passage for steam, and a plurality of fasteners 22 (three in Fig. 3) for attaching the steam pipe 21 to the side surface of the rail R. Note that a short pipe may be used as the steam pipe 21 to avoid interference with obstacles such as metal fittings for fixing sleepers on the side surface of the rail. In that case, the number of fasteners 22 may be one.

[0031] As shown in Fig. 5(B), the steam pipe 21 is formed of a metal channel material with a U-shaped cross section, and the steam flowing into the steam pipe 21 comes into direct contact with the side surface of the rail R to heat the rail, and the steam also raises the temperature of the channel material, heating the rail by thermal conduction. It is desirable that the height H of the steam pipe 21 from the side surface of the rail is set to a size that does not protrude beyond the side surface of the rail head. In particular, when attached to the inner surface of the rail, it is necessary that the height H of the steam pipe 21 does not protrude beyond the side surface of the rail head.

[0032] Although not shown, a copper plate or the like with good thermal conductivity may be interposed between the joint end face of the steam pipe 21 and the side face of the rail R to transmit heat while preventing steam leakage. By inserting the copper plate, the steam is not directly sprayed onto the rail, and the effect of the steam is only "heat", and problems such as deformation and deterioration of the rail can be avoided by continuing to spray the steam onto the side face of the rail. Furthermore, a heat insulating layer may be applied to the outer surface of the channel material to suppress the amount of heat escaping to the outside.

[0033] The end faces of both ends of the steam pipe 21 are closed with rectangular plates, and nozzles 21A and 21B each having a male thread formed on the outer periphery are fixed to the sides of both ends of the steam pipe 21, as shown in FIG. 5(A). Of the above-mentioned nozzles 21A and 21B, the nozzle 21A is the steam inlet side, and an end of a pipe 32B that supplies steam from a steam boiler 30 is screwed and connected to the nozzle 21B, and an end of a discharge pipe 33B is screwed and connected to the nozzle 21B, which is the steam discharge side. The discharge side nozzle 21B is provided at a lower position than the inlet side nozzle 21A, and is configured so that water converted from steam in the steam pipe 21 can quickly flow out from the discharge pipe 33B. The appropriate length of the steam pipe 21 is 0.2 to 3 meters, depending on the temperature of the steam, and is approximately 1.8 meters when the temperature of the steam is 100°C. The discharge side nozzle 21B may be at the same height as the inlet side nozzle 21A.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 6, the fastener 22 is composed of a holder 22A having ribs on the upper and lower edges and joined to the outer surface of the steam pipe 21, a pair of parallel locking pieces 22B fixed to the outer surface of the holder 22A, a locking pin 22C horizontally disposed between the pair of locking pieces 22B, a pressure plate 22D whose upper end is locked to the locking pin 22C and whose lower end is engaged with the bottom flange of the rail R, and a fixing member 22E with a J-shaped cross section that fixes the lower end of the pressure plate 22D so that it does not come off the rail. The pressing plate 22D is made of spring steel or the like, and is configured to press the holder 22A toward the rail side by the restoring force, thereby firmly pressing and fixing the steam pipe 21 to the side surface of the rail. The fixing member 22E is fixed by a hook on the bottom surface of the rail R so that it does not come off.

[0035] Although not shown, a steam pipe made of a similar channel material is joined to the opposite side (inner side) of the rail so as to face the steam pipe 21 on the outer side of the rail and attached with fasteners 22, and communication holes for passing steam may be formed in the portions of the rail web corresponding to the front and rear ends of the steam pipe. In this case, the steam pipe on the opposite side does not require a cap or the cap is sealed with a cap, and steam flowing in from cap 21A of steam pipe 21 joined to the outer side of the rail flows into the steam pipe joined to the inner side from the communication hole formed in the rail, flows through the internal space, flows into the steam pipe 21 side from the other communication hole, and is discharged from cap 21B. The length of the steam pipe on the inner side may be shorter than the steam pipe 21 on the outer side of the rail.

[0036] Next, a method for controlling the snow melting mat 10 and the rail heater 20 in the snow melting system of this embodiment will be described. The equipment room in which the steam boiler 30 is installed contains the boiler 30, solenoid valves 31A, 31B, 31C, and a control device (not shown) that controls the solenoid valves. In addition, although not shown, temperature sensors, thermo cameras, or video cameras capable of detecting snow accumulation are installed near the installation location of the snow melting mat 10 and near the installation location of the rail heater 20, and the control device determines the presence or absence of snow accumulation based on the signals from the above sensors or cameras, and if snow accumulation is present, it is configured to control the steam boiler 30 and solenoid valves 31A, 31B, 31C, etc. to supply steam to the snow melting mat 10 and the rail heater 20 to melt the snow.

[0037] In addition, a train detection sensor such as an ultrasonic sensor can be installed at a predetermined distance before the branch point, and when the train detection sensor detects a train, the control device can control the electromagnetic valves 31A, 31B, 31C... to supply steam to the snow melting mat 10 and the rail heater 20 to melt the snow, and after a preset time has elapsed, the electromagnetic valves 31A, 31B, 31C... can be closed to interrupt the supply of steam.

[0038] Although the present invention has been described above based on the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the invention. For example, a mountain-shaped rod-shaped member with a triangular cross section may be placed on the hose constituting the snow melting mat in the above embodiment in the same direction as the hose. In this way, when the lower part of the snow melts and a cavity is formed, the upper layer of snow can be cut and dropped by the mountain-shaped rod-shaped member, and it is possible to avoid a decrease in snow melting efficiency due to the formation of a cavity. In addition, a bimetal plate may be placed under the hose that makes up the snow melting mat 10 to prevent the plate from repeatedly deforming due to the heat of the snow melting mat, causing the snow to collapse and creating cavities, thereby avoiding a decrease in snow melting efficiency. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 10 Steam-type snow melting mat 11 Head pipe inlet side 12 Head pipe outlet side 13A~13D Hose unit 13 Steam Hose 14 Elbow joint 20 Rail Heater 21 Square steam half-pipe (steam pipe) 21A, 21B Cap 22 Fasteners 30 Steam Boiler 31A, 31B, 31C Solenoid valve 32A, 32B, 32C Steam supply pipes 33A, 33B Steam exhaust pipe 34A, 34B Steam trap (condensate removal device)

Claims

1. A snow melting system at a junction of a railway track, comprising: a first snow melting device that is provided at a point of the railway track and melts snow by emitting heat around the rails; a second snow melting device that is provided on the track near the point and melts snow between the rails by emitting heat; and a control device that can control snow melting by the first snow melting device and snow melting by the second snow melting device, The first snow melting device and the second snow melting device have a configuration in which snow is melted using steam, The first snow melting device and the second snow melting device are configured to be supplied with steam from a common steam generator, A condensed water removal device is provided on the steam discharge side of the first snow melting device and the steam discharge side of the second snow melting device, The first snow melting device is provided with a half-split pipe joined to the side of the rail and closed at both ends, and a pair of nozzles respectively provided at both ends of the pipe, and the steam flowing in from one nozzle flows through a space formed by the pipe and the side of the rail and is discharged from the other nozzle, A snow melting system characterized in that the second snow melting device is in the form of a mat with multiple hoses arranged in parallel, and the steam that flows in is configured to flow in a serpentine manner within the multiple hoses.

2. The snow melting system described in claim 1, characterized in that the first snow melting device comprises a pipe having a pair of nozzles and a half-shaped pipe without nozzles and both ends of which are closed, which are arranged facing each other on both side surfaces of the rail web, and communication holes are formed in the portions of the rail web corresponding to both ends of the pipes.

3. The second snow melting device is characterized in that the multiple hoses have a length that spans multiple sleepers, and are arranged between a pair of rails so as to be parallel to the rails with gaps between the hoses, and the multiple hoses are placed so as to be in contact with the upper surface of the ballast between the rails in places other than the sleepers.

4. 4. The snow melting system according to claim 1, wherein the pair of nozzles are arranged such that the nozzle on the steam discharge side is located lower than the nozzle on the steam inlet side.

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