Rail Vehicle Substructure Recycling with Layered Excavation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rail vehicle solutions for track substructure renovation are inefficient and costly due to separate recycling of track bed and formation protection layers, leading to poor rehabilitation quality and excessive use of virgin materials.

Innovation Solution

A rail vehicle with a substructure clearing device divided into two units for sequential excavation and recycling, where the overburden from the first unit is reused as a base layer, and new material is applied in a continuous operation, with optional additives and processing to enhance the recycled material's properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the track bed and formation protection layer are recycled separately, then the recycling process is simple, but the rehabilitation quality deteriorates due to poor mixing and undefined strength properties

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverecycling process simplicityVSAvoidrehabilitation quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the recycling of track bed material and formation protection layer into a single integrated process. The mixing device simultaneously recycles both materials and mixes them together, creating a homogeneous recycled mixture that maintains defined strength properties while simplifying the overall process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The recycling device is designed as a multi-functional system that handles both track bed material and formation protection layer through the same recycling and mixing mechanism, eliminating the need for separate recycling processes and ensuring consistent quality control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If the substructure overburden is removed entirely, then the substructure quality is improved, but the operational cost increases due to expensive disposal and virgin material purchase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesubstructure qualityVSAvoidmaterial disposal cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of discarding the substructure overburden, the patent recovers and reuses it as the base layer for the new substructure. The mixing device incorporates the overburden material and mixes it with track bed material, creating a cost-effective recycled substructure that eliminates disposal costs while maintaining quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The system makes the recycled material serve dual purposes: the track bed material serves as both the surface layer and the binding agent for the recycled substructure base layer, eliminating the need for separate binding materials and reducing overall material costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If a single-layer substructure is used, then the construction process is simple, but the material utilization efficiency deteriorates due to inability to optimize layer-specific properties

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconstruction process complexityVSAvoidmaterial utilization efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The substructure is divided into two functional layers: a base layer made from recycled overburden material and a surface layer made from recycled track bed material. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized for its specific function while both layers are produced through the same integrated recycling process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different materials are assigned to different layers based on their properties: the recycled overburden forms the base layer providing structural support, while the recycled track bed material forms the surface layer providing load-bearing capacity. This local quality assignment maximizes material utilization efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 approach significantly reduces the need for new material and disposal costs while maintaining the strength and quality of the track substructure, achieving a more economical and efficient renovation process.

Implementation Method 1

the substructure recycling device has a mixer for introducing additives into the overburden

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMixing:

Implementation Method 2

The substructure recycling device preferably also has a device for crushing the overburden

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCrushing:

Implementation Method 3

a magnetic separator for removing metal from the overburden

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic separation: Magnetic Field

Implementation Method 4

a screen for separating fines from the overburden

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectScreening: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP2231927B1Rail vehicle for renovating the substructure of a track
Publication Date: 2012.04.18 SWIETELSKY BAU
  • EP2231927B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2231927B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2231927B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~4a

AI summary

The invention relates to a rail vehicle (1) for renovating the substructure of a track, comprising a track lifting device (9), a track bed clearing device (11), a substructure clearing device (12, 13), a substructure application device (15, 16) for applying a new substructure (3') and a track bed application device (17) for applying a new track bed (5' ). Said rail vehicle is characterised in that the substructure clearing device (12, 13) is sub-divided into at least a first clearing unit (12) for clearing a top layer (18) of the substructure (3) and a second clearing unit (13) that is arranged downstream and that is used to clear a lower layer (19) of the substructure (3), such that the substructure application device (15, 16) is sub-divided into at least a first application unit (15) for applying a first substructure layer (20) and a second application unit (16) that is arranged downstream for applying a second substructure layer (21) to the first layer, and that the substructure recycling device (22) feeds the cleared material (12') from the first clearing unit (12) to the first application unit (15), said cleared material being used as material (22') for the first substructure layer (20).