July 2004 - Manufacturing of a Non-Icing-System
The icing of catenary wires in the area of track vehiclesduring the winter months is a serious problem because the icingat theoverhead line avoids the current collection by the vehicle.
Dueto car failures resulting from this problem the railway authoritieshaveto cope with enormous costs.
To still grant a faultless passenger traffic it wouldprovide itself to coat the overhead line with an anti-freezing compoundin advance to avoid any icing.
This preventative measure is possible by using the Non-Icing-Systemof STEMMANN-TECHNIK GmbH that is successfully used at the Bremer StrassenbahnAG.
Description of the Non-Icing-System
The Non-Icing-System consists of 2 components:
One part is the device which is assembled to a fix frameinside the rail vehicle.The other part is an additional roof mounted pantograph of whichthe contact strip is replaced by a greasing device.
The essential part of the greasing device is a felt rolldrenched in glycerine (pos. 1) protecting the overhead line againsticing by rolling motion during travelling.
The glycerine containedin the device therefore is led into the hollow felt rollvia a tube-hose-systemby means of compressedair, then is rolled-off, and afterwards it is absorbed againand is ledback tothe device inside the vehicle for later reuse after cleansingor fordisposal.
Arrangement of the components
Assembly of the Greasing Device
Summary
Field of Application and Operational Conditions:
- The use is effected on a track vehicle (preferably track glider)
- Ideal operation at temperatures between 0°C up to –15°C
- The operational speed is ~ 30km/h
- The system works independently via compressed air, i.e. only two air connections are necessary
- For the Non-Icing-System, two roof passages are necessary
- The use is effected as preventative measure
- The duration of effect upon experiences can be advised with 2 - 3 days
The advantages of the Non-Icing-System are obvious:
- Failures during passenger traffice (catenary wire, vehicles) are clearly reduced
- Damages to the vehicle electronics due to contact interruption because of iced catenary wire are avoided
- The carbon wear is reduced
- The travelling comfort of the passengers is granted as due to secure contact of the contact strips to the catenary wire the tractive unit is permanently supplied with current
- The occurring costs for the materials are very low (20L/100km)
In case you need further information please do not hesitateto contact us , and we would be glad to welcome you on the InnoTrans(Berlin) from 21.09. – 24.09.2004, exhibition hall 3.2, booth 112to present the Non-Icing-System to you.
