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Comprehensive Technology to Improve Energy Efficiency and Operation Safety of High-speed Freight Trains

Project description

Energy efficiency and safety for high-speed freight trains

To improve freight transport, trains have become longer and faster, increasing motion resistances (ECMR) such as wheel-rail contact and wind forces. This leads to higher energy consumption and greater derailment risks for high-speed freight trains (HSFTs). Efforts to reduce energy use and optimise operations often overlook the full impact of energy-related factors on safety. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the TEESFtrain project aims to optimise the structural parameters and control strategies of HSFTs to reduce energy consumption caused by ECMR and enhance operational safety. The project will develop an ECMR model for trains in windy conditions and optimise train configurations and cargo placement to improve energy efficiency and safety.

Objective

For increasing the amount of freight transported by railway, freight trains have become longer and faster in recent years. The rising speed brings large motion resistances, including wheel-rail contact forces, suspension forces, and wind forces. On one hand, larger motion resistances consume more energy, producing more carbon emissions. On the other hand, violent wheel-rail forces and wind forces lead to high risks of derailment and overturning for high-speed freight trains (HSFTs).

To save energy consumed by motion resistances (ECMR), some scholars reduced wind drag forces on HSFT by adjusting the train composition, and some scholars regarded HSFT as a mass point to optimize switching points of accelerating, cruising, coast, and braking based on empirical equations of ECMR. Previous studies did not evaluate the complete ECMR of the wind-vehicle-track coupled system precisely, not to mention juggling ECMR and operation safety of HSFT. Thus, this project adjusts motion resistances of HSFT by optimizing its structural parameters and control strategy to simultaneously decrease ECMR and improve operation safety, thereby reducing induced carbon emissions safely.

This project will establish the ECMR model for trains under wind actions. On this base, the train configuration and cargo loading position will be optimized for energy efficiency and operation safety. The operation condition of HSFT will be adjusted according to track conditions to reduce ECMR. Finally, a semi-active control strategy of suspension dampers will be proposed to decrease ECMR and carbody vibration.

This project can provide an effective tool to evaluate ECMR and take comprehensive measures to realize multi-objective optimization for energy efficiency and operation safety. If widely applied within the EU, the research outcomes can save €1.3 billion and decrease 0.3 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually. This project will greatly support the EU’s blueprint for climate neutrality by 2050.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01

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Coordinator

POLITECNICO DI MILANO
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 157 112,46
Address
PIAZZA LEONARDO DA VINCI 32
20133 Milano
Italy

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Region
Nord-Ovest Lombardia Milano
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

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