Aspects of Rail Vehicle Design

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Aspects of Rail Vehicle Design

• Robert Watson, 1st year of PhD

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Research aims

• To investigate aspects of rail vehicle mass.
• Heavier trains have undesirable consequences on
• Energy consumption Track degradation
• Methods of mass reduction will be investigated
• - Revised crashworthiness standards
• - Materials

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First Great Western study

• Imperials Train Energy Simulator modified to
  investigate energy-efficient driving styles for
  use on Paddington to Bristol TM HST routes.

Simulation initialization
Acceleration / velocity / displacement / journey
time
Simulation parameters functions
Driver module
Control decision
Energy demand
Engine state
Energy management
Energy
Engine
FUEL CONS.
Power
Inverter and motor
Traction / braking
Vehicle module
ENERGY AT WHEEL
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First Great Western study

• Two energy-efficient driving styles studied
• - Lowest section speeds between each station.
• - Furthest coasting points from the approaching
  station.
• Whilst keeping to the timetable.
• Coasting points
• - Proposed coasting points trialled in late June
  / early July.
• - Viability confirmed from pre-trials.
• - Simulations suggest fuel saving in region of
  10.

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Mass study Padd ? BTM
0.7 kg / tonne
HST
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Future work

• Trend of mass of UK rail vehicles
• - Where is the mass coming from?
• Methods of mass reduction
• - Revised crashworthiness standards?
• - Viable light weight materials.
• Energy saving from reduced mass forecast using
• - Existing diesel-electric train energy model,
• - Electric train energy model.
• Effect on track of reduced mass.