Important Achievement of Research Directorate during Last Five Years
|
SN
|
Financial Year
|
Broad Area of Achievement
|
Title of Achievement
|
Description of Achievement
|
Likely Benefits
|
Current Status of Implementation
|
|
1.
|
2007-08
|
Safety
|
Wheel Impact Load Detector
|
An automatic system for detection of defects in the wheels of railway vehicles was developed by RDSO along with IIT-Kanpur.
|
Data gathered from the users indicate that WILDs detect defects (reject-able and permissible) in wheels of vehicles in 48% of time when it generates a critical alarm
|
15 WILD systems have been installed at different places over Indian Railways. The experience gained from these systems is being used to further improve the overall efficiency, efficacy, understanding and utilization of WILDs
|
|
2.
|
2011-12
|
Safety
|
Ultraportable Track parameter monitoring System
|
Development of Ultraportable Track monitoring System done using MEMS based digital sensor and high refresh rate GPS chips for monitoring of track parameters
|
Easy/portable/ cost effective track monitoring systems. Additional Manpower for recording not required. Capable of automatic recording and tracing.
|
Under discussion with TM directorate.
|
Recent Achievements
1. Development of improved oscillation monitoring system:
The OMS equipment is extensively used by zonal railways to monitor the quality of track through ride index and vertical & lateral acceleration measured on vehicle floor. Since the OMS developed earlier has become obsolete, following two types of OMS equipment’s have been developed as an alternative source to old version of OMS (OMS-2000) for assessing the track condition to decide maintenance:
a) PC based OMS
b) Micro-controller based OMS
So Far total 60 systems have been deployed over IR. Specification of PC Based OMS has recently been modified and reissued (Effective since 12th March 2012) to provide additional functionality and Compatibility with Track Monitoring System (TMS).
2. Track Side Bogie Monitoring System:
The system developed uses a laser rangefinder to measure the angle-of-attack (AOA), and tracking position (TP) of every passing wheel from which the inter-axle misalignment (IAM) and tracking error (TE) of wheel sets is determined. Separate sub-systems included in the design provide the vertical and horizontal rail forces using strain gages. The system was trailed in field at Ajgain station of LKO-CNB section of N.Rly. The result of the trails is published in R-108 for further roadmap.
3. Sensors for Detecting Hot Box, Hot Wheels:
This project is another way side detection system for detecting hot box and hot / cold wheels to prevent unsafe condition of rolling stock i.e. hot wheels, axle boxes & hot wheel including brakes. Some derailments can be traced to either the failure of wheel bearings or brake binding. Both conditions may lead to overheating followed by seizure which in turn can cause wheel flats, track damage and derailment.
Hot Axle and Hot Wheel Detection (HAHW) systems are used globally for the purpose. These rely on remote measurement of temperatures of the bearing boxes and the wheels. These systems have to be capable of measuring the temperatures very fast (at 200 kmph the measurement of a minimum of 10 points has to be made within 0.004 second). The system was trailed in field at Manak Nagar & Ajgain station of LKO-CNB section of N.Rly & finalization of Specification as per ISO procedure is underway.
4. Completion of Technology Mission for Railway Safety (TMRS):
Technology Mission for Railway Safety was setup in collaboration with the Ministry of Railways (through RDSO), & Department of Science & Technology, (through IIT Kanpur) to comprehensively address safety-related issues in Indian Railways. Due to collaborative execution of these projects with premier academic and research institute like IIT Kanpur, lot of capability / capacity building has taken place in RDSO.
5. Publication of Research Report
A) Report R103 on the Measurement of X – Factor:
X Factor is a measure of the Yaw Resistance which is the resistance encountered by a bogie to move about the vertical axis relative to the vehicle body.
X-Factor measurements were successfully carried out for a BOXNHS wagon fitted with PU / MINOR side bearers, at the VCF lab of Research Directorate. The X-factor measured was in the range between 0.03 to 0.04 for PU side bearers and in the range of 0.02 to 0.03 with MINOR side bearers.
B) Report R106 on the Review of WILD Systems installed on Indian Railways:
Wheel Impact Load Detector systems were developed indigenously jointly by RDSO and IIT Kanpur in the year 2005. Over the years 15 sites were installed on the Indian Railways. A number of problems have been reported to RDSO regarding the working of WILD by the Zonal Railways. Research directorate along with Wagon Directorate has conducted detailed holistic review for the root cause of these problems and a report (Research Report R106) has been submitted to Railway Board.
C) Report R107 on the calibration and validation requirements of WILD on Indian Railways:
Study was made of the best practices for calibration and validation by benchmark WILD system on AAR and accordingly similar practices were recommended for Indian Railways. The required software changes have been implemented in all the fifteen WILD sites of Indian Railways.
D) Report R109 – a review and recommendation to use WILD as a preventive maintenance tool on Indian Railways:
This report is a follow-up review of R-106 and also presents recommendation to us WILD as a preventive maintenance tool on Indian Railways. Report has been submitted to Railway Board in October’2012.
