Rail temperature rise characteristics caused by linear eddy current brake of high-speed train

• Main Authors: Xiaoshan Lu, Yunfeng Li, Mengling Wu, Jianyong Zuo, Wei Hu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2014-12-01
• Series: Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering (English ed. Online)
• Subjects: high-speed train; linear eddy current brake; thermal load; rail temperature rise
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095756415302956

The rail temperature rises when the linear eddy current brake of high-speed train is working, which may lead to a change of rail physical characteristics or an effect on train operations. Therefore, a study concerning the characteristics of rail temperature rise caused by eddy current has its practical necessity. In the research, the working principle of a linear eddy current brake is introduced and its FEA model is established. According to the generation mechanism of eddy current, the theoretical formula of the internal energy which is produced by the eddy current is deduced and the thermal load on the rail is obtained. ANSYS is used to simulate the rail temperature changes under different conditions of thermal loads. The research result shows the main factors which contribute to the rising of rail temperature are the train speed, brake gap and exciting current. The rail temperature rises non-linearly with the increase of train speed. The rail temperature rise curve is more sensitive to the exciting current than the air gap. Moreover, the difference stimulated by temperature rising between rails of 60 kg/m and 75 kg/m is presented as well.