Furthering Improvements in Integrated Mobility Management (I2M), Noise and Vibration, and Energy in Shift2Rail

Project Information

FINE-2

Grant agreement ID: 881791

DOI

10.3030/881791

Project closed

EC signature date 19 December 2019

Start date 1 December 2019

End date 30 September 2023

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 3 635 174,57

Coordinated by

THALES TRANSPORT AND SECURITY LIMITED
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 4 - FINE-2 (Furthering Improvements in Integrated Mobility Management (I2M), Noise and Vibration, and Energy in Shift2Rail)

Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2023-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The FINE-2 project addressed three key research areas (described as 'Workstreams') in the railway ecosystem: one focused on saving energy, one on reducing inconvenient noise and vibration, and one looking at services that enhancing the business case for intermodal freight transport that involves rail as a part of the journey.

These are all essential to improving customer satisfaction and experience with rail services. By reducing energy can lower the cost of railways and (more importantly) the environmental impact by lowering carbon dioxide emissions. Reducing the noise and vibration emissions can improve passenger journeys and the experience of lineside neighbours. Increasing intermodal freight opportunities can improve the options available to logistics companies that want to use the railways.

The overall objectives of the project was the development of prototypes demonstrating new services for the freight customers, as well as tools to help experts understand the energy saving potential of changes to systems and sub-systems of the railway, alongside validated models that better calculate noise and vibration emissions for decision makers inside rail organisations. The successful delivery of these has been documented in the project deliverables.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The project has now been concluded. A large proportion of the outcomes of the work are visible in public deliverables.

The project consisted of three workstreams, each with specific objectives.

Workstream 1: Energy
The results of the WS included the assessment of the energy saving potential of hybrid SiC converters, using data from an urban situation. They’ve detailed the state-of-the-art HVAC technologies; and performed a simulation that validates the Thermal Carbody Model.
The testing protocol necessary to capture data for the optimisation of tunnel resistance has been prepared, and the energy saving potential of new technologies in Shift2Rail has been greater understood.
The Noise and Vibration workstream has completed the specification for reference cases, simulation requirements, tool validation targets and uncertainty assessment cases; completed the specification for test scenarios and requirements for the acoustic source separation methodologies; specified the requirements for the model of ground-based impacts; and collaborated with the two OC projects (TRANSIT and SILVARSTAR).

Workstream 2: Noise and Vibration
The N&V WS collaborated intensively with two Open Call projects, TRANSIT and SILVARSTAR to deliver a tool to support greater understanding of the N&V emissions of trains. Investigations included comparisons with proprietary technologies to understand their suitability and performance; the delivery of on-site testing in 4 different locations across the EU; and a large amount of scientific investigation into the behaviour of noise emissions in rail. The WS has contributed significantly to academic papers and research conferences.

Workstream 3: Integrated Mobility Workstream
The I2M WS has collaboratively designed a platform specific data model with X2Rail-4; completed the high-level designs of the prototypes of both the APIs for Conflict Management and Freight Management, and Dangerous Goods Management; adapted Thales’ IMPACT-2 prototype to enable (and potentially demonstrate in the future) communication with the OPTIMA integration layer; and built one examples of an Advanced Business Service, to TRL5.
The results of I2M have also generated papers submitted to conferences such as World Congress of Rail Research and the Transport Research Arena 2022.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Within the Energy Workstream, a key ambition was the advancement of EN50591, which the team did review and support (WP2 and WP4). The work within WP4 also demonstrated the energy reductions made available through Silicon Carbide (SiC) technology, highlighting the potential benefits to both the cost of HVAC systems. This was disseminated through several papers.

The Noise and Vibration Workstream exerted significant effort helping the aligned Open Call projects develop a well-performing tool to predict noise and vibration emissions. These validation exercises involved comparisons of simulation data across multiple companies (a first of its kind) as well as the management of onsite measurement campaigns. The workstream has been influencing standards and TSIs in relation to noise emissions, which in turn will ensure these are fit for purpose in the future.

The Integrated Mobility Management workstream successfully developed prototypes for new concepts in railways, including monitoring dangerous goods in transit, improving the estimated time of arrival of freight goods on track, and conflict resolution in currently unconnected railway systems. The eventual deployment of these solutions will significantly improve the attractiveness of rail to freight customers.

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