Rail Vehicle Wheel Tread Cleaning for Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for improving the adhesion coefficient between a rail vehicle wheel and rail, such as track conditioning and adhesion enhancers, do not adequately address delays in the onset of traction or braking force, especially when the wheel is not fully dry or is contaminated with lubricating fluid residues.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device coupled to the rail vehicle wheel, which uses compressed air outlets to dry and clean the wheel tread, potentially combined with a mechanical cleaning system and a track conditioning unit applying auxiliary media like sand or air, to enhance the adhesion coefficient.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If track conditioning units apply auxiliary media to the rail, then the adhesion coefficient between rail and wheel is improved, but delays in the onset of traction or braking force persist when the wheel is not fully dry or contaminated
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device is positioned to clean the wheel tread before the wheel contacts the rail, removing moisture and contaminants in advance. This preliminary cleaning action ensures that when the wheel finally contacts the rail, the adhesion coefficient is immediately optimized without delay, resolving the contradiction between improving adhesion reliability and eliminating time loss.
2Force
If auxiliary media such as sand or air is applied to the rail, then tractive and braking forces are enhanced, but the complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the cleaning function from the traditional track conditioning approach and applies it directly to the wheel rather than the rail. By cleaning the wheel tread before contact with the rail, the system achieves enhanced tractive and braking forces through a simpler mechanism that doesn't require complex auxiliary media application systems, thus resolving the contradiction between force enhancement and system complexity.
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 solution leads to an immediate increase in tractive and braking forces by ensuring the wheel is dry and clean, effectively utilizing the wheel's contour to remove moisture and dirt, and when used with a track conditioning unit, results in a rapid improvement in traction and braking performance.
Implementation Method 1
The cleaning device is arranged and designed in such a way that the moisture adhering to the wheel tread is removed by drying.
Implementation Method 2
The cleaning device has at least one compressed air outlet through which compressed air is directed onto the wheel or onto the wheel tread.
Implementation Method 3
The resulting friction heats up the wheel, which causes it to dry further.
Implementation Method 4
The heating device is designed to heat the compressed air, so that the heated compressed air discharged via the compressed air outlet additionally dries the wheel tread or the wheel.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to an arrangement for increasing the adhesion coefficient between a wheel of a rail vehicle and a rail on which the rail vehicle is moving. The arrangement includes a rail vehicle wheel, a cleaning device and a rail on which the vehicle is moving. The wheel of the rail vehicle is coupled to the cleaning device so that the cleaning device acts upon the wheel when needed. The cleaning device is designed and arranged such that moisture adhering to a wheel tread is at least reduced before the wheel tread comes in contact with the rail, thereby increasing an adhesion coefficient in the region of contact of the wheel tread with the wheel.