In 1978, the London Underground branch train launched the first production train with lightweight aluminum honeycomb composite doors in the UK. As the latest example, the Antarctic team’s solar car is almost made of lightweight composite panels.
In order to meet the increasing passenger demand, including general toilets, CET water tanks, power outlets, air conditioners, more tables, tilting mechanisms, improved collision structures and collision zones, and changes in seating rules, these all make the train heavier . For example, compared with the 1970 Mk3 locomotive, the 2000 Bombardier Voyager train is 40% heavier.
In order to ensure that the weight of the train cannot continue to increase. Body shells, outer doors, bogies, HVAC, couplers, cabs, inner linings, inner doors and passenger interiors (including seats) are key areas for the use of composite materials to reduce weight.
Bombardier’s new AVENTRA platform used to replace Electrostar has a mass of 30-35 tons, which is a reduction of 17% to 28% compared with the previous 42-ton design. In addition, the new platform consumes 50% less power than the 319 equivalent platform and helps to shorten travel time. The weight of the latest Siemens DesiroCity platform is 25% lighter than the average weight of the existing fleet in the UK, and the use of regenerative braking and energy-saving lighting has reduced energy consumption by 50%.
Composite seats, composite doors using fiber composite materials, bracket backrests, ceiling panels, front and end of the cab, body side panels, and floors with enhanced functions, including floor coverings, heating, heat/sound insulation, and Easier cleaning options are other areas where railway vehicles can achieve further cost-effective weight reduction.
Alternative lightweight composite materials to meet the needs of the railway industry in the next few years include phenolic SMC (sheet molding compound), modified epoxy glass prepreg that meets the latest EN 45545 fire protection standard, carbon fiber/phenolic prepreg, and flame-retardant foam core , And the latest thermoplastic materials with good FST performance. Compared with monolithic composite materials, there are several lightweight core materials that can provide rigidity and reduce the weight of the entire panel.
Although natural fibers and bio-resin reinforced materials are in the emerging stage, according to preliminary tests, they can solve the FST requirements for railway applications.
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Post time: Sep-07-2021