Using efficient technologies for improving fuel consumption could be an important alternative for a more energy-efficient railway transport. The fuel consumption optimization systems of the locomotives help saving fuel and protect the environment.
When it comes for cost-saving, besides the traction force and the efficiency degree, there are also other factors, such as the extent to which the engine capacity is used and fuel consumption, the latter expressing the value of an efficient exploitation. As a result, manufacturers have designed technologies and instruments that permit operators to identify the profile of emissions for each locomotive, so that the engine drivers would be able to work with the lowest energy-consumption possible.
An engine driver assistance programme records route indicators, such as travel time and fuel consumption, which are mostly dependent on external factors such as the interruption or obstruction of lines, curves, declivities, natural phenomena etc. Once this data is known, indicators can be calculated with high precision. “Using a driver’s assistance program, such as Vossloh Driver Assistance, which informs the engine driver about the traction requirements necessary for the respective route and provides data on the necessity to accelerate or decelerate, allows saving up to 12% more fuel”, declared Andreas Hopmann, Executive Manager, Vossloh Locomotives GmbH.
Another source of fuel consumption and component wear is the wheel slide. Every time the wheels of a locomotive start sliding, the whole locomotive is submitted to an increased pressure. The potential occurrence of sliding increases if it rains, snows, if there are leaves on the rails or other factors which reduce the adhesion force. Vossloh has developed a protection equipment called VSP (Vossloh Slip Protection), which prevents the wheel sliding by permanently monitoring their acceleration and controlling the driving couple to maintain the adhesion force stable. In case the wheel starts sliding, the traction force is reduced until the wheel returns to a state of adhering friction.
In many situations, 80% of the life expectancy of a shunting locomotive is consumed in expectancy periods when the diesel engine is started. Engineers motivate this practice by explaining that the regular stop of the engine requires many restarts which wear the starter. To restart the locomotive in the best possible conditions, the temperature of the engine has to drop under 600 C. For solving this problem, manufacturers have developed automated start-stop systems for the diesel engine, an example being the system created by Vossloh, VED – Vossloh Eco Drive, which permits the restart of the engine with no risk of wear. This system also stops the engine in long idleness periods and starts the pre-heater to maintain the engine at perfect temperature and ready to go.
Share on:
