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General information
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Description
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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. |
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General criteria
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Status of development: in use |
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(no details available) |
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Time horizon for broad application: now |
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(no details available) |
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Expected technological development: basically exploited |
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(no details available) |
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Motivation:
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Reduction of wear on tracks and wheels |
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Benefits (other than environmental): medium |
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Reduced wear
According to Russian railways, by lubrication wheel-side wear can be reduced
by over 50%. |
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Barriers: low |
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(no details available) |
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Success factors:
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(no details available) |
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Applicability for railway segments: high |
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Type of traction: electric - DC, electric - AC, diesel
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Type of transportation: passenger - main lines, passenger - high speed, passenger - regional lines, passenger - suburban lines, freight
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(no details available) |
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Grade of diffusion into railway markets:
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Diffusion into relevant segment of fleet: (no data) |
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Share of newly purchased stock: not applicable |
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(no details available) |
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Market potential (railways): not applicable |
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(no details available) |
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Example:
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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. |
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Environmental criteria
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Impacts on energy efficiency:
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Energy efficiency potential for single vehicle: < 2% |
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Energy efficiency potential throughout fleet: < 1% |
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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%. |
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Other environmental impacts: ambivalent |
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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. |
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Economic criteria
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Vehicle - fix costs: (no data) |
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(no details available) |
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Vehicle - running costs: (no data) |
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(no details available) |
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Infrastructure - fix costs: (no data) |
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(no details available) |
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Infrastructure - running costs: (no data) |
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(no details available) |
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Scale effects: low |
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(no details available) |
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Amortisation: (no data) |
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(no details available) |
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Application outside railway sector (this technology is railway specific)
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Overall rating
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Overall potential: interesting |
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Time horizon: mid-term |
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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. |
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date created: 2002-10-09
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