Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FP4 - Rail4EARTH (Europe’s Rail Flagship Project 4 - Sustainable and green rail systems)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-12-01 bis 2023-12-31
This Project is fully addressing the HORIZON-ER-JU-2022-FA4-01 call for project.
It’s scope of work is covering the Sustainable and green rail systems including rolling stocks, infrastructures, stations
and all of their related sub-systems.
The objectives are to significantly progress on several families of Key Performance Indicators on different fields :
technical ,environmental, economical, standardisation.
The decarbonisation of Diesel trains, noise and vibration reduction, energy savings, circular economy, resource
consumption, resilience to climate change and pandemic attack, attractiveness of passenger trains are at the heart of the
proposed project.
The Project will perfectly identify the precise needs of operators including implicitly the European public policies of sustainable transports, including Climate Neutral Europe for 2050. It will provide the needed scientific and technical solutions via the development and demonstrations (up to TRL7) of new solutions increasing drastically the environmental performances of the railway holistic system. These new solutions will be proposed while verifying that they have viable economic models ensuring a rapid commercialization for the benefit of European citizens.
The project will quantify its 5 Project KPIs progress once a year.
It’s scope of work is covering the Sustainable and green rail systems including rolling stocks, infrastructures, stations
and all of their related sub-systems.
The objectives are to significantly progress on several families of Key Performance Indicators on different fields :
technical ,environmental, economical, standardisation.
The decarbonisation of Diesel trains, noise and vibration reduction, energy savings, circular economy, resource
consumption, resilience to climate change and pandemic attack, attractiveness of passenger trains are at the heart of the
proposed project.
The Project will perfectly identify the precise needs of operators including implicitly the European public policies of sustainable transports, including Climate Neutral Europe for 2050. It will provide the needed scientific and technical solutions via the development and demonstrations (up to TRL7) of new solutions increasing drastically the environmental performances of the railway holistic system. These new solutions will be proposed while verifying that they have viable economic models ensuring a rapid commercialization for the benefit of European citizens.
The project will quantify its 5 Project KPIs progress once a year.
The work and main achievement realized in calendar year 2023 per sub-project are:
Sub-Project 1: Alternative (to Diesel) energy solutions for the rolling stock
• The general requirements for the future BEMU (Batteries powered regional trains) are finalized.
• ESS requirements are defined as the requirements for the external power supply.
• The components design is achieved.
• The batteries technology cells is chosen.
• The Regional lines use cases are known and their profiles provided.
• Energy simulation methodologies are developed.
• Two use cases are detailed for power semiconductor devices and battery cells. The first results of the pre-tests on the moisture absorption mechanism are evaluated.
• First solutions to improve the efficiency of the locomotive H2 fuel cell “power plant” are identified, the H2 refueling interfaces is agreed.
Sub-Project 2: Energy in rail infrastructure and stations
• Analyzes of hydrogen safety and refueling station supply market are done.
• 50 Hz AC traction substations: use cases defined, first version of the Railway Interline Power Flow Converter requirements done.
• Energy storage solution for AC railway grid: feasibility of different energy storage systems (ESSs), power converter topologies compared; development of new control strategy to integrate ESSs.
• Optimization tools for AC & DC railway grid: requirements reviewed, DC model validated.
• Energy hubs in specific traction conditions:
o several simulations, Battery Energy Storage System draft requirements, batteries system container design by an architect.
o locations for demonstrator confirmed, use cases scope of the energy hub, analysis to assess the validity of the designed models during normal operation; description of the local energy management.
o energy hub: definition of different models based on the integration of ESS and Renewable Energy Sources (RES), improvements of the line model, potential interest analysis of the ESSs and photovoltaic RES in the identified substations.
• Modular low-emission station: Building Information Model (BIM) use cases identification, 3D models of architectural concepts, preparation of static analysis / dimensioning in various constructions.
• Railway station digital twin: definition of use cases, BIM data requirements, validation plan description.
Sub-Project 3: Sustainability and resilience of the rail system
• Pre-standardization of alternative (to diesel) drives trains traction components.
• Infrastructure and BEMU trains energy management: simulations with partial electrification scenarios to evaluate the performances of BEMU trains.
• Adaptation to climate change: bibliography analysis, climate and trains performances (including punctuality) data consolidation by operators.
• Noise & Vibration :
o France high-speed lines use case study : annoyance responses gathered at neighbor homes .
o Low noise & vibration Infrastructure: evaluation of the the “alternative ballast” aggregate neoBallast on the vibration emission of the railway tracks.
Sub-Project 4: Rolling stock on board electro-mechanical components and sub-systems
• Air-less trains:
o Air-less brake (EMB): analysis of interoperability standards and EU norms. Two air-less actuator types are tested at static and dynamic test bench.
o Electromechanical pantograph (e-panto): obstacles to the markets introduction of have been identified. The e-panto concept has been validated.
o Airless suspension : First technology concepts have been evaluated.
• Motors and gearboxes: first studies to optimize high performance bogies and new material were made. First conclusions about architecture of bogies. A permanent magnet synchronous motor was simulated
• Bogie : active steering simulation prepared.
• HVAC: the possible alternative (to fluorinated gases refrigerants) cooling technologies are listed.
• Train aerodynamic : a generic reference numerical model (generic train) has been designed. The preparation of wind tunnel tests with generic model are finished.
Sub-Project 5: Healthier and safer trains and stations
• Trains :
o The aerosol particle spreading inside the passenger zone of the train was investigated for different ventilation concepts.
o A survey of the existing standards was done for the best evaluation criteria for novel air purification technology selection.
o Different existing air purification technologies were collected.
o The first test protocols for laboratory level tests were proposed.
• Underground stations
o 3 scenarios are defined to measure the efficiency of the air treatment devices. First experiments in an Underground station is realized
Sub-Project 6: Trains Attractiveness ( via passenger train Interiors components)
• State of the art of modularity, introducing the notions of modularity in production, modularity in design, and modularity of use.
• Barriers to the generalization of modularity approach identified, opportunities and challenges for modularity identified.
• First developments of interiors design to support:
o The facilitation to adapt rolling stock with refurbishment and regular evolving.
o The facilitation to reduce the environmental impact via circular economy.
o Study on the possibilities of biomimicry for circular and modular train interiors design evaluated
Sub-Project 1: Alternative (to Diesel) energy solutions for the rolling stock
• The general requirements for the future BEMU (Batteries powered regional trains) are finalized.
• ESS requirements are defined as the requirements for the external power supply.
• The components design is achieved.
• The batteries technology cells is chosen.
• The Regional lines use cases are known and their profiles provided.
• Energy simulation methodologies are developed.
• Two use cases are detailed for power semiconductor devices and battery cells. The first results of the pre-tests on the moisture absorption mechanism are evaluated.
• First solutions to improve the efficiency of the locomotive H2 fuel cell “power plant” are identified, the H2 refueling interfaces is agreed.
Sub-Project 2: Energy in rail infrastructure and stations
• Analyzes of hydrogen safety and refueling station supply market are done.
• 50 Hz AC traction substations: use cases defined, first version of the Railway Interline Power Flow Converter requirements done.
• Energy storage solution for AC railway grid: feasibility of different energy storage systems (ESSs), power converter topologies compared; development of new control strategy to integrate ESSs.
• Optimization tools for AC & DC railway grid: requirements reviewed, DC model validated.
• Energy hubs in specific traction conditions:
o several simulations, Battery Energy Storage System draft requirements, batteries system container design by an architect.
o locations for demonstrator confirmed, use cases scope of the energy hub, analysis to assess the validity of the designed models during normal operation; description of the local energy management.
o energy hub: definition of different models based on the integration of ESS and Renewable Energy Sources (RES), improvements of the line model, potential interest analysis of the ESSs and photovoltaic RES in the identified substations.
• Modular low-emission station: Building Information Model (BIM) use cases identification, 3D models of architectural concepts, preparation of static analysis / dimensioning in various constructions.
• Railway station digital twin: definition of use cases, BIM data requirements, validation plan description.
Sub-Project 3: Sustainability and resilience of the rail system
• Pre-standardization of alternative (to diesel) drives trains traction components.
• Infrastructure and BEMU trains energy management: simulations with partial electrification scenarios to evaluate the performances of BEMU trains.
• Adaptation to climate change: bibliography analysis, climate and trains performances (including punctuality) data consolidation by operators.
• Noise & Vibration :
o France high-speed lines use case study : annoyance responses gathered at neighbor homes .
o Low noise & vibration Infrastructure: evaluation of the the “alternative ballast” aggregate neoBallast on the vibration emission of the railway tracks.
Sub-Project 4: Rolling stock on board electro-mechanical components and sub-systems
• Air-less trains:
o Air-less brake (EMB): analysis of interoperability standards and EU norms. Two air-less actuator types are tested at static and dynamic test bench.
o Electromechanical pantograph (e-panto): obstacles to the markets introduction of have been identified. The e-panto concept has been validated.
o Airless suspension : First technology concepts have been evaluated.
• Motors and gearboxes: first studies to optimize high performance bogies and new material were made. First conclusions about architecture of bogies. A permanent magnet synchronous motor was simulated
• Bogie : active steering simulation prepared.
• HVAC: the possible alternative (to fluorinated gases refrigerants) cooling technologies are listed.
• Train aerodynamic : a generic reference numerical model (generic train) has been designed. The preparation of wind tunnel tests with generic model are finished.
Sub-Project 5: Healthier and safer trains and stations
• Trains :
o The aerosol particle spreading inside the passenger zone of the train was investigated for different ventilation concepts.
o A survey of the existing standards was done for the best evaluation criteria for novel air purification technology selection.
o Different existing air purification technologies were collected.
o The first test protocols for laboratory level tests were proposed.
• Underground stations
o 3 scenarios are defined to measure the efficiency of the air treatment devices. First experiments in an Underground station is realized
Sub-Project 6: Trains Attractiveness ( via passenger train Interiors components)
• State of the art of modularity, introducing the notions of modularity in production, modularity in design, and modularity of use.
• Barriers to the generalization of modularity approach identified, opportunities and challenges for modularity identified.
• First developments of interiors design to support:
o The facilitation to adapt rolling stock with refurbishment and regular evolving.
o The facilitation to reduce the environmental impact via circular economy.
o Study on the possibilities of biomimicry for circular and modular train interiors design evaluated
The Project is preparing 38 -high TRLs- demonstrations, expected to be completed at the end of 2026. These demonstrations are realized by major European industrials, both from the train/infrastructure industry and from the on board components industrials (brakes, HVAC,etc.). As these demonstrations are supported by major European railways operators the new solutions will fully answer the evolving request of railways in the sustainability domain. Moreover, the partners are in parallel pushing for norms and TSI evolution, when needed, to prepare a favorable environment to introduce these new solutions on commercial market.
A matrix of the 38 demonstrations TRL progress is updated once a year.
A matrix of the 38 demonstrations TRL progress is updated once a year.