Technologies        
  Hauptmenu
 
    Introduction
    Database
    -  Technologies
  -  Projects
    Calendar
    Discussions
    Contact & Links
    Imprint & Disclaimer
    Sitemap
 
 


     
 
Content
 
back to list go back to technology list      previous previous technology  next technology  next

   Lubrication of wheels and tracks  evaluated  
Lubrication of wheels and tracks by means of on-board devices or special lubricating vehicles aims at reducing wear of rolling stock and infrastructure. Reduced running resistance is a side effect. Lubrication is especially effective in curves.
Technology field: Aerodynamics and friction
close main section General information
  close sub-section Description
   

Mechanical friction at the wheel-rail interaction includes:

  • Friction on both tangent and curved tracks due to rolling friction on the horizontal interface between wheel and rail.
  • Curve resistance is the additional resistance in curves due to increased lateral friction forces in curves.

The sum of the two effects usually accounts for about 5 to 10% of a train’s energy consumption in passenger trains and up to 30% very heavy freight trains.

Rail and wheel lubrication aims at reducing lateral friction between rail and wheel. This is especially effective in curves but can also be applied on tangent tracks.

Rail lubrication is realised by special lubricating vehicles. Wheel lubrication can be achieved either by on-board or by stationary lubricators.

close main section General criteria
  close sub-section Status of development: in use
    (no details available)
  Time horizon for broad application: now
    (no details available)
  Expected technological development: basically exploited
    (no details available)
    Motivation:
    Reduction of wear on tracks and wheels
  Benefits (other than environmental): medium
   

Reduced wear

According to Russian railways, by lubrication wheel-side wear can be reduced by over 50%.

  Barriers: low
    (no details available)
    Success factors:
    (no details available)
  Applicability for railway segments: high
    Type of traction:  electric - DC, electric - AC, diesel
    Type of transportation:  passenger - main lines, passenger - high speed, passenger - regional lines, passenger - suburban lines, freight
    (no details available)
    Grade of diffusion into railway markets:
  Diffusion into relevant segment of fleet: (no data)
  Share of newly purchased stock: not applicable
    (no details available)
  Market potential (railways): not applicable
    (no details available)
    Example:
   

Example

Lubrication efforts in Russian railways

In the early 1990s, Russian railways started a study on wheel and track lubrication. The motivation was the observation of very high wheel and rail side wear. Tools for locomotives and special lubricating vehicles were developed and stationary lubricators were modernised. An optimisation of the lubricant recipe was studied.

After the project, the Russian railways had about 200 special lubrication vehicles and more than 3000 stationary rail lubricators as well as about 3500 on-board wheel lubricators installed on locomotives. The programme reduced wheel and rail wear substantially. Today’s average wheel-side wear in locomotives is 0,2 mm per 10.000 km.

Energy efficiency is seen as a side effect of lubrication efforts. According to the All-Russian Railway Research Institute (VNIIZhT), the resistance due to friction was reduced by about 30% in curves with radius less than 500 m and about 10% on tangent tracks.

close main section Environmental criteria
  close sub-section Impacts on energy efficiency:
  Energy efficiency potential for single vehicle: < 2%
  Energy efficiency potential throughout fleet: < 1%
    According to the All-Russian Railway Research Institute (VNIIZhT), effective lubrication can reduce friction by 10 - 30% depending on curve radius. Given that mechanical friction usually accounts for less than 10% of total energy demand of trains, lubrication will usually increase energy efficiency by less than 2 %. The effect is somewhat higher on tracks with a high share of curved sections as well as in heavy freight operation. In view of current lubrication practice in many railways, the future fleet-wide efficiency potential of wheel and track lubrication does not exceed 1%.
  Other environmental impacts: ambivalent
    To a certain degree, the environmental impact of lubrication in railways is ambivalent. On the one hand, wear is reduced and thus product life is increased. On the other hand, the extensive use of lubricants along the tracks has certain toxic impacts on the environment.
close main section Economic criteria
  close sub-section Vehicle - fix costs: (no data)
    (no details available)
  Vehicle - running costs: (no data)
    (no details available)
  Infrastructure - fix costs: (no data)
    (no details available)
  Infrastructure - running costs: (no data)
    (no details available)
  Scale effects: low
    (no details available)
  Amortisation: (no data)
    (no details available)
no data available Application outside railway sector (this technology is railway specific)
close main section Overall rating
  close sub-section Overall potential: interesting
  Time horizon: mid-term
    Lubrication is an effective means to reduce wearing rates of wheels and tracks. Energy efficiency effects are generally small but can be relevant especially on lines with many curves and in heavy freight transport.
References / Links:  Mouginstein, Pokrovskij 2000
Attachments:
Related projects:
Contact persons:
 date created: 2002-10-09
 
 
© UIC - International Union of Railways 2003
 
Aktionmenu
 
 Your contribution
   add technology
 Views of this page
   show overview
   show evaluation
   show details
 Print options
   print data sheet
   print screen
 Help
   Evaluation briefing
   Technology list
    French - German