71Sp e e d y p r o t e c t io n

ST E P H A N H O F F A R T H – T h e m a rk e t fo r h ig h - s p e e d ra il is ra p id ly e x p a n d in g .

A c c o rd in g to th e In te rn a tio n a l U n io n o f R a ilw a y s (U IC ), th e w o rld ’s

h ig h - s p e e d n e tw o rk is e x p e c te d to g ro w fro m c u rre n tly 13 ,0 0 0 k m to w e ll

a b o v e 3 0 ,0 0 0 k m w ith in th e n e x t 10 y e a rs 1 – a n d w ith it th e d e m a n d fo r

tra in s a n d th e ir c o m p o n e n ts . E q u ip m e n t m o u n te d o n th e o u ts id e o f s u c h

ro llin g s to c k m u s t b e d e s ig n e d to w ith s ta n d fa s te r a ir fl o w . T h is is

e s p e c ia lly tru e fo r s u rg e a rre s te rs , w h ic h a re g e n e ra lly in s ta lle d o n th e

tra in ro o f, im m e d ia te ly a d ja c e n t to th e p a n to g ra p h , a s th e y m u s t p ro te c t

a ll d o w n s tre a m e le c tric a l e q u ip m e n t a g a in s t in c o m in g o v e rv o lta g e s .

D e s p ite th e fa c t th a t s u rg e a rre s te rs p e rfo rm v e ry w e ll in th e h ig h - s p e e d

tra in m a rk e t, c o n c e rn re g a rd in g th is fu n c tio n h a s in c re a s e d . T h e re fo re a

m o re d iffe re n tia te d c o n s id e ra tio n o f th is a p p lic a tio n is n e c e s s a ry .

S p e e d y p ro te c tio nA B B s u rg e a rre s te rs fo r ra il a p p lic a tio n s a t fo rm u la -o n e s p e e d a n d b e y o n d

72 A B B re v ie w 2|11

O v e rv o lta g e s in e le c tric a l ra il-

w a y n e tw o rk s re s u lt fro m

th e e ffe c ts o f lig h tn in g

s trik e s a n d s w itc h in g a c -

tio n s a n d c a n n o t b e a v o id e d . T h e y

e n d a n g e r th e e le c tric a l e q u ip m e n t

b e c a u s e , d u e to e c o n o m ic a l c o n s id e r-

a tio n s , th e v o lta g e w ith s ta n d c a p a b ility

o f in s u la tio n c a n n o t b e d e s ig n e d fo r

a ll p o s s ib le c a s e s . A n e c o n o m ic a l a n d

re lia b le s e rv ic e th e re fo re c a lls fo r a c o m -

p re h e n s iv e p ro te c tio n o f th e e le c tric a l

e q u ip m e n t a g a in s t u n a c c e p ta b le o v e r-

v o lta g e s .

T h e g re a te s t th re a t c o m e s fro m lig h tn in g

s trik e s . A p p ro p ria te p ro te c tio n is u s e d

to re d u c e th e o v e rv o lta g e re s u ltin g

fro m s u c h a s trik e to a s a fe le v e l. M e ta l-

o x id e s u rg e a rre s te rs w ith o u t s p a rk

g a p s p ro v id e o u ts ta n d in g p ro te c tio n in

th is s itu a tio n .

In g e n e ra l, th e d e m a n d s o n th e a rre s te rs

fo r ro llin g s to c k a p p lic a tio n s d e p e n d

o n th e o p e ra tio n a l c o n d itio n s a n d th e

ty p e o f th e e le c tric a l e q u ip m e n t to b e

p ro te c te d . In m o d e r n e le c tric a l tra in s th e

h ig h v o lta g e o f th e p a n to g ra p h is b ro u g h t

in s id e th e lo c o m o tiv e b y m e a n s o f a

b u s h in g o r a c a b le . F o r m a x im u m o v e r-

v o lta g e p ro te c tio n , A B B re c o m m e n d s a

c o -o rd in a te d c o n c e p t c o n s is tin g o f tw o

d iffe re n t ty p e s o f a rre s te rs 2:

1 A p re m iu m a rre s te r w ith a lin e

d is c h a rg e c la s s o f 3 o r 4 in s ta lle d o n

th e ro o f c lo s e to th e c u rre n t c o lle c to r.

2 A s ta n d a rd a rre s te r w ith a s lig h tly

h ig h e r c o n tin u o u s o p e ra tin g v o lta g e

m o u n te d in s id e th e lo c o m o tiv e in fro n t

o f th e m a in p o w e r b re a k e r.

In o rd e r to m e e t th e re q u ire m e n ts o f re li-

a b ility , a v a ila b ility , m a in ta in a b ility a n d

s a fe ty (R A M S ) th e s u rg e a rre s te rs h a v e

to fu lfil th e in te r n a tio n a l s ta n d a rd

IE C 6 0 0 9 9 -4 “ M e ta l-o x id e s u rg e a rre s t-

e rs w ith o u t g a p s fo r a .c . s y s te m s .”

F u rth e rm o re b o th ty p e s o f a rre s te rs h a v e

to w ith s ta n d th e m e c h a n ic a l lo a d s

c a u s e d b y th e tra in o p e ra tio n . T h e s e

d e m a n d s a re c o v e re d b y IE C 6 137 3

“ R a ilw a y a p p lic a tio n s – R o llin g s to c k

e q u ip m e n t – S h o c k a n d v ib ra tio n te s ts .”

In a d d itio n , th e s u rg e a rre s te r m o u n te d

o n th e ro o f s h o u ld b e a b le to w ith s ta n d

th e c o rre s p o n d in g o p e ra tin g c o n d itio n s

s u c h a s w e a th e r

in flu e n c e s a n d m e -

c h a n ic a l s tre s s d u e

to th e a irs tre a m .

IE C 6 0 0 9 9 -4 d e -

fin e s th e re q u ire -

m e n ts fo r c o n v e n -

tio n a l a p p lic a tio n s

(fo r e x a m p le p ro -

te c tio n o f d is trib u -

tio n tra n s fo rm e rs )

b u t w in d s p e e d s

a b o v e 34 m /s (122 k m /h ) a re c o n s id e re d

a b n o rm a l s e rv ic e c o n d itio n s a n d a re

th e re fo re n o t c o v e re d .

D e s p ite th is la c k o f s ta n d a rd iz a tio n a n d

th e re la te d a b s e n c e o f a n a p p ro p ria te

q u a lific a tio n p ro c e d u re , s u rg e a rre s te rs

h a v e b e e n u s e d s u c c e s s fu lly fo r m a n y

y e a rs o n h ig h -s p e e d ra ilw a y s . N e v e rth e -

le s s , o p e ra to rs a n d p o te n tia l c u s to m e rs

a re in c re a s in g ly e x p re s s in g in te re s t c o n -

c e r n in g th e im p a c t o f h e a d w in d . T h e re -

fo re A B B d e c id e d to v e rify th e a irflo w

p e rfo rm a n c e o f th e a rre s te rs it s u p p lie s

fo r in s ta lla tio n o n th e ro o f o f ro llin g s to c k .

Ve r ific a t io n o f a ir flo w p e r fo r m a n c e

It w a s d e c id e d to c a rry o u t th e te s ts in a

w in d tu n n e l o f th e G e rm a n A e ro s p a c e

C e n te r, D L R 3. In th e c o u rs e o f th e e n s u -

in g te s ts , A C s u rg e a rre s te rs o f ty p e s

P O L IM -H ..N a n d P O L IM -S ..N a n d D C

s u rg e a rre s te r o f ty p e P O L IM -H ..N D

F o o t n o t e s

1 In te r n a tio n a l U n io n o f R a ilw a y s U IC , H ig h s p e e d

ra il – F a s t tra c k to s u s ta in a b le m o b ility ,

N o v e m b e r 20 10 , IS B N 9 7 8 -2-7 46 1-18 8 7 -4

2 A B B S w itz e rla n d L td – H ig h V o lta g e P ro d u c ts ,

A p p lic a tio n g u id e lin e s fo r o v e rv o lta g e p ro te c tio n

– D im e n s io n in g , te s tin g a n d a p p lic a tio n o f

m e ta l-o x id e s u rg e a rre s te rs in ra ilw a y fa c ilitie s ,

P T H A / S A 30 20 E N _ 0 1.0 9 .0 7

3 G e rm a n A e ro s p a c e C e n te r D L R (D e u ts c h e s

Z e n tru m fu e r L u ft- u n d R a u m fa h rt), w w w .d lr.d e

w e re e x p o s e d to w in d s p e e d s u p to

10 0 m / s (36 0 k m / h ) 1.

T h e te s t s e q u e n c e w a s d iv id e d in to fiv e

p a rts . S p e e d s s ta rte d a t a m o d e ra te

20 m / s a n d in c re a s e d in s te p s o f 20 m / s

u p to 10 0 m / s . T h e y th u s re fle c t a w id e

ra n g e o f o p e ra tin g c o n d itio n s ra n g in g

fro m s lo w fre ig h t tra in s to h ig h -s p e e d

tra in s . T o a c h ie v e re a lis tic te s t c o n d i-

tio n s , a ll a rre s te rs w e re e q u ip p e d w ith

th e a c c e s s o rie s ty p ic a l to ra ilw a y a p p li-

c a tio n s . F u rth e rm o re th e d e v ic e s u n d e r

te s t w e re m o u n te d o n a lo a d c e ll

e q u ip p e d w it a s tra in g a u g e to p e rm it th e

q u a n tific a tio n o f th e b e n d in g s tre s s a t

d iffe re n t w in d s p e e d s . T h e b e h a v io u r o f

th e a rre s te rs w a s re c o rd e d b y m e a n s o f

a h ig h s p e e d c a m e ra d u rin g th e v e rific a -

tio n .

R e s u lt s

N o n e o f th e te s te d s a m p le s s h o w e d

d a m a g e o r la s tin g d e fle c tio n fro m th e

w in d e x p o s u re . T h e m e a s u re d fo rc e s

d u rin g th e te s ts w e re w e ll b e lo w th e

m a x im u m s p e c ifie d c o n tin u o u s b e n d in g

m o m e n ts o f th e c o rre s p o n d in g a rre s te r

d e s ig n s . T h e s h e d s o f th e s ilic o n e h o u s -

in g s d id n o t d is p la y o s c illa tio n s u n d e r

th e m a x im u m a p p lie d w in d s p e e d o f

T h e g re a te s t th re a t c o m e s fro m lig h tn in g s trik e s . A p p ro p ria te p ro te c tio n is u s e d to re d u c e th e o v e r-v o lta g e re s u ltin g fro m s u c h a s trik e to a s a fe le v e l.

T it le illu s t r a t io n

R o o f-m o u n te d e q u ip m e n t is e x p o s e d to c o n s id e r-

a b le a e ro d y n a m ic fo rc e s . T h e title p h o to g ra p h

s h o w s A V E tra in s o f S p a n is h o p e ra to r R E N F E ,

c a p a b le o f tra v e llin g a t 350 k m / h .

73Sp e e d y p r o t e c t io n

o n th e ir p ro d u c ts , fo r e x a m p le b y m a s k -

in g ro o f-m o u n te d e q u ip m e n t.

S u c h m o d ific a tio n s a re p rim a rily a im e d

a t c u ttin g th e e n e rg y c o n s u m p tio n o f th e

v e h ic le , b u t d o a ls o re d u c e th e w in d lo a d

o n th e a rre s te rs b y re d u c in g th e ir e x p o -

s u re to th e a irflo w .

In th is re s p e c t A B B w ill p e rm a n e n tly a s -

s e s s its ra ilw a y a rre s te r p o rtfo lio in o rd e r

to m e e t th e fu tu re d e m a n d s .

A B B ra ilw a y s u rg e a rre s te rs a re c e rtifie d a c c o rd in g

to th e In te r n a tio n a l R a ilw a y In d u s try S ta n d a rd IR IS

R e v is io n 0 2 5

F o r m o re in fo rm a tio n o n A B B a n d ra ilw a y s , p le a s e

s e e ABB Review 2/20 10 , “ R a ilw a y s a n d tra n s p o rta -

tio n ” o r v is it w w w .a b b .c o m / ra ilw a y .

Ste p h a n H o ffa r t h

A B B S w itz e rla n d L td , H ig h V o lta g e P ro d u c ts

W e ttin g e n , S w itz e rla n d

s te p h a n .h o ffa rth @ c h .a b b .c o m

F o o t n o t e s

4 In te r n a tio n a l tra d e fa ir fo r tra n s p o rt te c h n o lo g y

In n o tra n s 20 10 , w w w .in n o tra n s .c o m

5 In te r n a tio n a l R a ilw a y In d u s try S ta n d a rd IR IS

R e v is io n 0 2, w w w .iris -ra il.o rg

10 0 m / s . T h e d a n g e r o f a s ig n ific a n t re -

d u c tio n o f th e c re e p a g e d is ta n c e c a u s e d

b y d e fo rm a tio n o f th e a rre s te r h o u s in g

c a n th e re fo re b e ru le d o u t.

R e a d y fo r s p e e d

T h e s e te s ts c le a rly s h o w th a t A B B s u rg e

a rre s te rs o f ty p e P O L IM -H ..N , P O L IM -

H ..N D a n d P O L IM -S ..N a re w e ll s u ite d

fo r a p p lic a tio n s o n h ig h s p e e d tra in s .

T h e s e a rre s te rs a re n o t o n ly a n id e a l

o p tio n fo r th e o v e rv o lta g e p ro te c tio n o f

fix e d in s ta lla tio n s b u t a ls o a p p ro p ria te

fo r a ll k in d o f ro llin g s to c k a p p lic a tio n s

u p to a m a x im u m s p e e d o f 10 0 m / s o r

36 0 k m / h .

L o o k in g fu rth e r, it s h o u ld b e ta k e n in to

c o n s id e ra tio n th a t th e h ig h s p e e d ra il in -

d u s try is in te n s ify in g its fo c u s o n e n e rg y

e ffic ie n c y . A t th e la s t in te r n a tio n a l tra d e

fa ir fo r tra n s p o rt te c h n o lo g y , In n o tra n s 4,

s e v e ra l m a n u fa c tu re rs o f h ig h s p e e d

tra in s s h o w e d o p tim iz e d a e ro d y n a m ic s

2 Silic o n e h o u s in g o f s u r g e a r r e s t e r t y p e

P O L IM - H 3 3 d u r in g t h e t e s t w it h 10 0 m / s

(3 6 0 k m / h ) a ir flo w

1 T e s t s e t u p o f s u r g e a r r e s t e r t y p e P O L IM - H

3 3 N in o n e o f t h e w in d t u n n e ls o f t h e

G e r m a n A e r o s p a c e C e n t e r D L R

A rre s te rs h a v e to w ith s ta n d th e m e c h a n ic a l lo a d s c a u s e d b y th e tra in o p e ra -tio n , in c lu d in g F o rm u la 1 s p e e d h e a d w in d s .