Railway Bogie Real-Time Steering Angle Control for Curve Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Railway vehicles experience increased wheel and rail wear, noise pollution, and steering inaccuracies due to misalignment of wheels with the track, particularly in curves, which is exacerbated in low-floor vehicles with fewer wheels.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and control device determine a real-time steering angle for a railway bogie using sensor assemblies to measure lateral and vertical positions relative to the track, employing algorithms and neural networks to adjust the steering angle for optimal alignment, reducing wheel-rail contact and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If wheels are steered in curves to reduce wear, then wheel and rail wear is reduced, but in straight track sections the wheels adhere one-sided with the tread on the track, leading to enhanced wear and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the steering angle based on real-time detection of the bogie's position and orientation relative to the track. The steering angle is continuously adapted to match the actual curve geometry, allowing the system to benefit from curve steering in curved sections while maintaining neutral alignment in straight sections, thus avoiding one-sided adhesion wear and noise.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs sensors to continuously detect the bogie's lateral position and orientation relative to the track, feeding this information back to the control system. This feedback loop enables real-time adjustment of the steering angle to match actual track conditions, preventing both excessive wear in curves and one-sided adhesion in straight sections.
2Manufacturing precision
If the steering angle is adjusted to match track curves, then wheel-rail contact is optimized, but the system complexity increases due to real-time sensing and control requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical alignment mechanisms with an electronic control system that uses sensors to detect bogie position and orientation, then actuates steering joints to achieve optimal alignment. This substitution of mechanical systems with sensor-based electronic control enables precise alignment while managing overall system complexity through modular electronic components.
3Reliability
If real-time steering adjustment is implemented, then wheel-rail contact fatigue is reduced, but the cost of the control system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is designed to handle multiple functions: detecting bogie position, determining orientation relative to the track, calculating the appropriate steering angle, and actuating the steering joints. By integrating these functions into a unified real-time control system, the patent achieves reduced contact fatigue while managing cost through multi-functional integration rather than separate systems for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method for determining a real time steering angle (58) for a railway bogie (1) and to a control device (40) which is configured to perform the method, the method comprising: deter-mining by a sensor assembly at least one lateral real time sensor signal (38), which is characteristic for a lateral position of a tread of at least one wheel of the railway bogie (1) with respect to a railway track, determining, by means of a positioning algorithm (47), a real time position and/or orientation of the railway bogie (1) with respect to the railway track (31), using the received at least one lateral real time sensor signal (38) and determining the real time steering angle (58) for steering of the railway bogie (1), using the determined real time position and/or orientation of the railway bogie (1).