Periodic Reporting for period 4 - PIVOT2 (Performance Improvement for Vehicles on Track 2)
Période du rapport: 2023-01-01 au 2023-06-30
The project PIVOT2 is the follow-up project of PIVOT and aims to provide technical demonstrators based on the results of the PIVOT project.
PIVOT2 combines the development of activities in several key Rolling Stock subsystems - car body, running gear, brakes, entrance systems, modular interiors and HVAC.
The overall ambition is to develop technologies that are lighter, more energy efficient, more comfortable for passengers and with a lower impact on the track, thereby reducing the life cycle cost not only of the vehicle itself, but of the entire railway system. Technologies that increase the operational reliability of trains, causing less travel disruptions, ensuring that passengers get to destination on time and delivering a better service are also objectives.
PIVOT2 combines the development of activities in several key Rolling Stock subsystems - car body, running gear, brakes, entrance systems, modular interiors and HVAC.
The overall ambition is to develop technologies that are lighter, more energy efficient, more comfortable for passengers and with a lower impact on the track, thereby reducing the life cycle cost not only of the vehicle itself, but of the entire railway system. Technologies that increase the operational reliability of trains, causing less travel disruptions, ensuring that passengers get to destination on time and delivering a better service are also objectives.
- Car body
The work covers the design, testing and the manufacturing of prototypes either as a complete car body with composite elements or as dedicated structural zones of rolling stock car bodies. Regarding the detailed design as well as the manufacturing of elementary parts the work is finished.
- Running gear
The development of smart running gear components is completed. They cover active suspension and damping elements as well as smart systems to improve wheelset guidance. The evaluation/validation of the developed smart running gear components could be finished in the reporting period. Other topics are the support of the development of a universal cost model (UCM 2.0) and the development of a health monitoring system for running gear and track to support the condition based maintenance of these systems.
WP 7 covered the development of innovative running gear components as a light-weight wheelset or innovative components as a single-axle running gear frame, primary springs and antenna beams made with composites. The work has been completed. Lab-testing and partly on-track testing were performed to validate the prototypes and generate conclusions.
- Brakes
The development of high SIL brake electronics as well as an innovative electro-mechanic braking system is completed. It has been installed on a train and validated in the field. Together with a simplified architecture for weighed emergency brake, a novel strategy for distribution of braking force along the train was implemented to optimize the brake’s performance in low adhesion conditions. The system has been proven in terms of performance and safety level during operational conditions.
The conceptual work for an innovative friction pairing has been finished; also, the topic of virtual validation and certification was successfully tackled. After showing strong emissions reduction in comparison to a commercial friction pair in laboratory environment, the friction pairing has been validated in service.
A newly developed electro-mechanical brake has been proven against the operational requirements demonstrating its capability to execute the traditional braking functions. Furthermore, a system description of the electro-mechanic braking system has been published which describes the braking functions on train level and includes the features of new electro-mechanic braking concepts and considers the integration aspects into the vehicle.
- Entrance systems
Innovative designs for door leaves were investigated and a leave design based on composite materials was finalized. One composite and one metallic door leaf were on display at Innotrans 2022.
With focus on autonomous rail vehicles various door functions were looked upon, especially an obstacle detection system was investigated.
- Modular interiors
Development activities regarding the interiors (passenger area) as well as the driver’s cab were finished in the second reporting period. These results served as foundation for the activities in WP 17, which realized the demonstrators for Innotrans 2022.
- HVAC
Two new HVAC systems have been developed whereas the field tests will be performed within the project PINTA-3. Requirements were specified and the existing prototypes checked against the specification. Performance simulations were executed, and the existing HVAC units were adopted to the new refrigerant CO2.
The work covers the design, testing and the manufacturing of prototypes either as a complete car body with composite elements or as dedicated structural zones of rolling stock car bodies. Regarding the detailed design as well as the manufacturing of elementary parts the work is finished.
- Running gear
The development of smart running gear components is completed. They cover active suspension and damping elements as well as smart systems to improve wheelset guidance. The evaluation/validation of the developed smart running gear components could be finished in the reporting period. Other topics are the support of the development of a universal cost model (UCM 2.0) and the development of a health monitoring system for running gear and track to support the condition based maintenance of these systems.
WP 7 covered the development of innovative running gear components as a light-weight wheelset or innovative components as a single-axle running gear frame, primary springs and antenna beams made with composites. The work has been completed. Lab-testing and partly on-track testing were performed to validate the prototypes and generate conclusions.
- Brakes
The development of high SIL brake electronics as well as an innovative electro-mechanic braking system is completed. It has been installed on a train and validated in the field. Together with a simplified architecture for weighed emergency brake, a novel strategy for distribution of braking force along the train was implemented to optimize the brake’s performance in low adhesion conditions. The system has been proven in terms of performance and safety level during operational conditions.
The conceptual work for an innovative friction pairing has been finished; also, the topic of virtual validation and certification was successfully tackled. After showing strong emissions reduction in comparison to a commercial friction pair in laboratory environment, the friction pairing has been validated in service.
A newly developed electro-mechanical brake has been proven against the operational requirements demonstrating its capability to execute the traditional braking functions. Furthermore, a system description of the electro-mechanic braking system has been published which describes the braking functions on train level and includes the features of new electro-mechanic braking concepts and considers the integration aspects into the vehicle.
- Entrance systems
Innovative designs for door leaves were investigated and a leave design based on composite materials was finalized. One composite and one metallic door leaf were on display at Innotrans 2022.
With focus on autonomous rail vehicles various door functions were looked upon, especially an obstacle detection system was investigated.
- Modular interiors
Development activities regarding the interiors (passenger area) as well as the driver’s cab were finished in the second reporting period. These results served as foundation for the activities in WP 17, which realized the demonstrators for Innotrans 2022.
- HVAC
Two new HVAC systems have been developed whereas the field tests will be performed within the project PINTA-3. Requirements were specified and the existing prototypes checked against the specification. Performance simulations were executed, and the existing HVAC units were adopted to the new refrigerant CO2.
- Car body shell
The work to be carried out in the car body shell design will ensure weight reductions, through new structures and concepts. The main objective is to develop the detail designs of key elements such as High Speed (HS) car body, headstock car body section and short couple element defined in PIVOT. These designs will be carried out assuring the fulfilment of the structural and non-structural requirements identified in the technical specifications and according to the assessment methodology. The design will be completed with a weight analysis that will be used to calculate the weight reduction. The HS car body will achieve a TRL of 6/7.
- Running gear
Within PIVOT high performance running gears were designed taking into account the analysis to select new materials for light weight running gear components, including calculations and manufacturing processes. Vibroacoustic characterization of these new materials was conducted to obtain guidelines for noise reduction and an analysis of the regulatory framework and certification requirements took place including analysis of virtual certification processes. In PIVOT2 technical demonstrators of these systems will be manufactured and tested against the criteria of reduced infrastructure / wheel wear and damage and providing higher reliability.
- Brakes
Within IP1 of Shift2Rail several projects (CONNECTA, PINTA, PINTA2, PIVOT) have dealt with the development of hardware and methodologies for future brake system solutions and these will be brought together in PIVOT2 for the design, implementation and testing of an overall brakes system that complies with the full scope of the call.
- Doors
Following the work carried out in PIVOT, PIVOT2 will be the continuation with the building, manufacturing and testing of the entrance systems designed in PIVOT. This system will include the developments from PIVOT including platform detection technologies, adaptive gap fillers, passenger information system, sensor technologies and door entry surveillance technologies. Innovative new composite materials will be used where necessary and passenger comfort and weight and energy efficient will be paramount.
- Modular interiors
The Modular Interiors is split into three main parts: one for the common view, another one for interiors design and the last one for driver’s cabin. This will use the state-of-art and knowledges from PIVOT and M4R to develop a preproject. And will be organised in two groups: one focused on interiors and the other one focused on driver cabin. The group “driver cabin” will follow the road map from PIVOT and realize the pre-feasibility studies for new concepts. The group “interiors” will define the concepts to develop and realize the pre-studies of these concepts.
- HVAC
Within this new area of HVAC, the aim of PIVOT2 is to design concepts providing;
~ Specification of HVACs with natural refrigerants;
~ Simulation results of the technical behaviour of HVACs with natural refrigerants;
~ Development of HVAC-prototypes with CO2 refrigerant.
The work to be carried out in the car body shell design will ensure weight reductions, through new structures and concepts. The main objective is to develop the detail designs of key elements such as High Speed (HS) car body, headstock car body section and short couple element defined in PIVOT. These designs will be carried out assuring the fulfilment of the structural and non-structural requirements identified in the technical specifications and according to the assessment methodology. The design will be completed with a weight analysis that will be used to calculate the weight reduction. The HS car body will achieve a TRL of 6/7.
- Running gear
Within PIVOT high performance running gears were designed taking into account the analysis to select new materials for light weight running gear components, including calculations and manufacturing processes. Vibroacoustic characterization of these new materials was conducted to obtain guidelines for noise reduction and an analysis of the regulatory framework and certification requirements took place including analysis of virtual certification processes. In PIVOT2 technical demonstrators of these systems will be manufactured and tested against the criteria of reduced infrastructure / wheel wear and damage and providing higher reliability.
- Brakes
Within IP1 of Shift2Rail several projects (CONNECTA, PINTA, PINTA2, PIVOT) have dealt with the development of hardware and methodologies for future brake system solutions and these will be brought together in PIVOT2 for the design, implementation and testing of an overall brakes system that complies with the full scope of the call.
- Doors
Following the work carried out in PIVOT, PIVOT2 will be the continuation with the building, manufacturing and testing of the entrance systems designed in PIVOT. This system will include the developments from PIVOT including platform detection technologies, adaptive gap fillers, passenger information system, sensor technologies and door entry surveillance technologies. Innovative new composite materials will be used where necessary and passenger comfort and weight and energy efficient will be paramount.
- Modular interiors
The Modular Interiors is split into three main parts: one for the common view, another one for interiors design and the last one for driver’s cabin. This will use the state-of-art and knowledges from PIVOT and M4R to develop a preproject. And will be organised in two groups: one focused on interiors and the other one focused on driver cabin. The group “driver cabin” will follow the road map from PIVOT and realize the pre-feasibility studies for new concepts. The group “interiors” will define the concepts to develop and realize the pre-studies of these concepts.
- HVAC
Within this new area of HVAC, the aim of PIVOT2 is to design concepts providing;
~ Specification of HVACs with natural refrigerants;
~ Simulation results of the technical behaviour of HVACs with natural refrigerants;
~ Development of HVAC-prototypes with CO2 refrigerant.