Traction equipment is cooled by ventilation to prevent over-heating. The energy needed for ventilation can be substantially reduced by demand-controlled operation, i.e. by controlling ventilation power according to actual cooling demand of the motor (or other traction equipment). The technology can be integrated in old stock as a refitting measure in some cases.
Technology field:Optimisation of traction technologies
General information
General criteria
Status of development: in use
At SBB and ÖBB retrofit programs have been realised successfully.
Noise reduction of starting locomotives in stations
Benefits (other than environmental): medium
Noise reduction
When leaving a station, coolers make a high contribution to train noise.
This can be substantially reduced by demand-controlled operation.
Wear
Less wear on bearings and collectors of ventilation motors and less dirt
contamination of ventilation system.
Barriers: medium
Psychological
Energy needed for auxiliaries is often seen as negligible and not worth
optimising.
Success factors:
Make detailed assessment of the number of locomotives eligible for this
measure along with a cost/benefit analysis.
Measure should ideally be integrated into general retrofit measures to
minimise standstill time of locomotives.
ÖBB offers other railway operators support to find individual retrofit
solutions for existing stock and install a pilot device.
Applicability for railway segments: low
Type of traction: electric - DC, electric - AC
Type of transportation: passenger - main lines, passenger - regional lines, passenger - suburban lines, freight
In general, demand operation of motor ventilation is especially effective for stock used in services with a high degree of low-load operation, where full ventilation is not needed. For example, effect of demand operated ventilation is rather small in high speed traffic and very high for freight trains operating frequently at partial load (e.g. in mountainous regions).
Furthermore, retrofit only makes sense for stock with sufficient residual life to pay back measure.
ÖBB claims that control device is applicable to a variety of locomotives fitted with two-speed ventilation in Austria and in other countries.
Grade of diffusion into railway markets:
Diffusion into relevant segment of fleet: < 5%
Share of newly purchased stock: not applicable
Retrofit measure!
SBB plans to retrofit all 273 locomotives of type Re 4/4 II and all 21
locomotives of type Re 4/4 III by 2008/09. ÖBB plans to retrofit locomotive
series 1142 and 1044.
Market potential (railways): low
(no details available)
Example:
(no details available)
Environmental criteria
Impacts on energy efficiency:
Energy efficiency potential for single vehicle: 2 - 5%
Energy efficiency potential throughout fleet: < 1%
Other environmental impacts: neutral
Economic criteria
Vehicle - fix costs: low
Vehicle - running costs: significant reduction
Infrastructure - fix costs: none
Infrastructure - running costs: unchanged
Scale effects: low
Amortisation: < 1 year
Application outside railway sector (this technology is railway specific)