Rail Head Cooling Tank with Concave Bulkheads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooling tank designs for rail heads suffer from non-uniform cooling due to the natural divergence of cooling liquid jets, leading to irregular heat transfer and difficulty in meeting the requirements of European Standard EN 13674-1, especially in areas close to the core and corners, and are prone to the 'punctiform effect' due to the presence of holes, which reduces cooling efficiency and increases production costs.
Innovation Solution
A cooling tank with a single row of holes at its bottom and symmetrical longitudinal bulkheads with concave upper stretches that redirect cooling liquid jets vertically towards the rail head's middle face, then transversally to its lateral faces, ensuring uniform heat exchange and increased cooling efficiency by maintaining directional flow even at higher flow rates without altering the chemical composition of the cooling liquid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cooling liquid jets are directed vertically towards the rail head from holes on the tank bottom, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the jets naturally diverge and lose speed causing non-uniform heat transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a liquid redistributor as an intermediary component between the cooling liquid source and the rail head. This redistributor receives the cooling liquid and redistributes it uniformly across the rail head surface, preventing natural jet divergence and ensuring consistent cooling throughout the treatment area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the problematic jet divergence effect by removing the direct vertical jet configuration and replacing it with a redistributor system that controls liquid flow distribution, thereby eliminating the harmful natural spreading of jets while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
2Productivity
If the rail head is positioned close to the holes on the tank bottom, then cooling intensity is increased, but uniformity along the rail length is compromised due to the punctiform effect
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid redistributor acts as an intermediary that decouples the relationship between hole position and cooling intensity distribution. It receives cooling liquid and redistributes it uniformly across the entire rail head surface, eliminating the punctiform effect while maintaining high cooling intensity throughout.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple separate jets are used to treat different areas of the rail head, then complete immersion and uniform treatment are achieved, but the ability to perform differentiated thermal treatments is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid redistributor is designed as a universal component that can accommodate different rail head geometries and treatment requirements. By adjusting the redistributor configuration, the system can provide both uniform cooling across the entire surface and targeted cooling in specific areas, making it adaptable to various thermal treatment needs.
4Manufacturing precision
If the diameter of holes on the tank bottom is reduced to minimize the punctiform effect, then uniformity is improved, but practical operating constraints prevent excessively small diameters
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid redistributor serves as an intermediary that allows the use of practical hole sizes while achieving uniform cooling distribution. The redistributor takes the cooling liquid from holes of convenient diameter and redistributes it uniformly, eliminating the need for excessively small holes that would be difficult to manufacture and operate.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design achieves 50% increased cooling efficiency and uniformity along the rail's length, effectively meeting the hardness requirements of European Standard EN 13674-1 by ensuring consistent cooling of lateral faces and core areas, while allowing for adjustable bulkhead positions to accommodate different rail types and sizes.
Implementation Method 1
the cooling liquid flow generated by the single row of holes is directed vertically towards a middle face of the rail head and is divided by said middle face into two flows which are transversal with respect to the symmetry plane and are opposite to each other, and the concave shape of the upper stretches of the first longitudinal bulkheads then receives said two transversal flows and inverts the direction thereof
Implementation Method 2
Starting from a temperature higher than 600°C, rail heads are subjected to a quick cooling either by the use of spray nozzles, which inject a cooling liquid (water, air, or water mixed with air) onto the rail head, or by immersing the head into a cooling tank containing a cooling liquid
Implementation Method 3
the cooling liquid flow generated by the single row of holes is directed vertically towards a middle face of the rail head... ensuring uniform heat exchange
Data Source
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AI summary
A cooling tank (1) for the thermal treatment of a head (20) of a rail, comprising a container (1') defining a longitudinal symmetry plane (X) and adapted to be filled with a cooling liquid wherein the head (20) to be thermally treated can be at least partly immersed parallel to the symmetry plane (X), said container (1') having a bottom (8) with a single row of holes (23), arranged at said symmetry plane (X), for generating cooling fluid flows in said container (1'), wherein the container (1') is equipped with a pair of first longitudinal bulkheads (13, 14) arranged symmetrically with respect to the symmetry plane (X), wherein said first longitudinal bulkheads (13, 14) have a respective upper concave-shaped stretch (6, 7) with respect to the symmetry plane (X), and wherein the upper stretches (6, 7) are separated from each other by a distance greater than the width of the rail head (20), so as to define an area of the container (1') adapted to house the rail head (20) at least partly.