WO2001094174A1 - Methods and apparatuses for detecting and signalling derailment conditions in a railway vehicle - Google Patents
Methods and apparatuses for detecting and signalling derailment conditions in a railway vehicle Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2001094174A1 WO2001094174A1 PCT/EP2001/006421 EP0106421W WO0194174A1 WO 2001094174 A1 WO2001094174 A1 WO 2001094174A1 EP 0106421 W EP0106421 W EP 0106421W WO 0194174 A1 WO0194174 A1 WO 0194174A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- wheels
- speed signals
- instant
- signals
- speed
- Prior art date
Links
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 9
- 230000011664 signaling Effects 0.000 title claims description 8
- 230000002950 deficient Effects 0.000 claims description 5
- 230000006378 damage Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000005096 rolling process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000004364 calculation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001788 irregular Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000035945 sensitivity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000009528 severe injury Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B61—RAILWAYS
- B61L—GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC
- B61L15/00—Indicators provided on the vehicle or train for signalling purposes
- B61L15/0081—On-board diagnosis or maintenance
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B61—RAILWAYS
- B61F—RAIL VEHICLE SUSPENSIONS, e.g. UNDERFRAMES, BOGIES OR ARRANGEMENTS OF WHEEL AXLES; RAIL VEHICLES FOR USE ON TRACKS OF DIFFERENT WIDTH; PREVENTING DERAILING OF RAIL VEHICLES; WHEEL GUARDS, OBSTRUCTION REMOVERS OR THE LIKE FOR RAIL VEHICLES
- B61F9/00—Rail vehicles characterised by means for preventing derailing, e.g. by use of guide wheels
- B61F9/005—Rail vehicles characterised by means for preventing derailing, e.g. by use of guide wheels by use of non-mechanical means, e.g. acoustic or electromagnetic devices
Definitions
- the present invention refers to methods and apparatuses for detecting and signalling derailment conditions in a railway vehicle .
- numeral 1 schematically designates the wheel of a railway vehicle travelling on a railtrack 2.
- the wheel 1 is equipped with a speed sensor 3 associated with an encoder 4 fast for rotation with the axle of the wheel, for example an impulse ring of the kind normally used for detecting rotational speed.
- the speed sensor 3 is mounted on a stationary support element 5, secured to or integral with an element supporting the wheel axle.
- the stationary support element 5 may be the axle box housing or an outer cover of the axle box, or the outer stationary race of the axle bearing, or a sealing shield mounted on the outer race.
- the speed sensor 3 is mounted to the stationary outer race of the bearing.
- speed sensor when the wheel 1 turns, it drives for rotation fast therewith the encoder 4, whereby the speed sensor 3 under the influence of the encoder provides a signal indicative of the rotational speed of the wheel, generally a signal with a frequency proportional to the angular speed of the wheel .
- all the wheels of the train are equipped with an encoder associated with a corresponding speed sensor.
- Each speed sensor is connected to an electronic processing unit, schematically designated EU, mounted on board of the train.
- the unit EU receives the speed signals W from the several speed sensors and processes the signals comparing the instant values of the received speed signals W for identifying and signalling a derailment condition.
- the wheels of the train rotate at practically equal speeds of rotation. It may happen that, owing to the conical shape of the rolling surfaces of the wheels or due to minimum differences in diameter between the wheels, some wheels rotate at a slightly higher speed.
- the processing unit EU is set so as to neglect differences in speed of rotation under a preset threshold, for example under 10%.
- the processing unit EU is set so as to automatically emit an alarm signal A when it detects that at least one of the monitored wheels rotates at a rotational speed which is substantially different from at least one of the other wheels of the train.
- the processing unit is set so as to emit the alarm signal when one of the speed signals differs by a given percentage from at least one of the other speed signals from the other wheels, or from the mean of the instant speed values of the signals coming from the other monitored wheels.
- the processing unit EU may be set so as to emit the alarm signal when it detects that between two wheels there is a difference in speed exceeding 10% or another percentage value considered as being indicative of a condition of potential derailment .
- the processing unit EU is set to calculate a mean of the n instant speed values, so as to obtain an instant mean value W m .
- the processing unit compares each single instant value with the mean value W m for automatically generating an alarm signal as soon as any one of the n speed signals of the monitored wheels has a value that reaches or exceeds a predetermined admissible difference with respect to the instant mean value W m .
- any suitable statistic algorithm may be used, for example calculating the exponential moving mean, the mean-square deviation, the mean value, etc. of the values of the speed signals from the n monitored wheels.
- the sensitivity of the alarm system will be inversely proportional to the percentage of difference in speed that is chosen as a limit between the normal operational condition and the defective operational condition. If the value of the admissible difference of speed is low, the alarm signal may be emitted also when any one of the wheels is in a condition of partial lock, for example due to an irregular operation of the brake associated with the wheel .
- the different wheels may slow down more or less quickly according to inevitable differences of setting between the brakes. It is therefore possible that during braking the processing unit detects substantial differences in speed among the different wheels, without this corresponding to an actual derailment condition. It is therefore preferable that the processing unit that emits the alarm signals (for example the same unit EU) , is set for receiving a braking signal B when the brakes are on and using this signal so as to automatically prevent the generation of an alarm signal when the train is braking.
- the processing unit that emits the alarm signals for example the same unit EU
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Biomedical Technology (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
- Electromagnetism (AREA)
- Electric Propulsion And Braking For Vehicles (AREA)
Abstract
A plurality of wheels of a railway vehicle is equipped with rotation sensors (3) of the wheels providing signals (W) indicative of the rotational speed of the wheels to an electronic processing unit (EU). The unit compares the instant values of the speed signals (W) and generates automatically an alarm signal (A): when the difference between the values of two speed signals coming from two different wheels reaches or exceeds a predetermined admissible difference; or when any one of the speed signals (W) has a value that reaches or exceeds a predetermined admissible difference with respect to an instant mean value (Wm) calculated on the basis of the various signals (W).
Description
Methods and apparatuses for detecting and signalling derailment conditions in a railway vehicle
The present invention refers to methods and apparatuses for detecting and signalling derailment conditions in a railway vehicle .
In many railroad accidents caused by derailment there occurs at first a partial derailment of an axle or a bogie, sometimes of a single wheel of a railway vehicle. In these cases, usually an axle is displaced in such manner that one of its wheels repeatedly hits the sleepers or the bolts fastening the rail to the sleepers, or the ballast. In other, less frequent cases, it is possible that both wheels of a same axle are lifted up or displaced such that they are not subjected to impacts. In either cases, it has been observed that the train may travel in such partial or incipient derailment conditions for many kilometres before a more severe damage or an incident occurs. During this period, neither the motorman nor other personnel on board of the train notice or are warned of the failure and are therefore not aware of the impending danger.
It is an object of the present invention to detect in time a.- derailment condition of at least one of the wheels of a railway vehicle and generate, in such an event, an alarm signal in real time, so as to be able to stop the train immediately to avoid more serious damage and intervene in good time on the damage that has occurred.
This and other object and advantages are attained, according to a first aspect of the present invention, by a method as defined in claim 1 and an apparatus as defined in claim 4.
According to another aspect of the invention, there are provided a method as defined in claim 2 and an apparatus as defined in claim 5.
The features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing detailed description of a few embodiments thereof, reference being made to the attached drawing, given by way of not-limiting example, which is a schematic view of a railway vehicle wheel to which there is associated an apparatus according to the invention.
With reference to the drawing, numeral 1 schematically designates the wheel of a railway vehicle travelling on a railtrack 2. The wheel 1 is equipped with a speed sensor 3 associated with an encoder 4 fast for rotation with the axle of the wheel, for example an impulse ring of the kind normally used for detecting rotational speed. The speed sensor 3 is mounted on a stationary support element 5, secured to or integral with an element supporting the wheel axle. For example, the stationary support element 5 may be the axle box housing or an outer cover of the axle box, or the outer stationary race of the axle bearing, or a sealing shield mounted on the outer race. Preferably, the speed sensor 3 is mounted to the stationary outer race of the bearing.
The constructional and operational features of speed sensor and their relevant encoders or impulse rings (which may be of any known kind) are not per se relevant for the understanding of the invention and will not therefore be described in detail herein. As known, when the wheel 1 turns, it drives for rotation fast therewith the encoder 4, whereby the speed sensor 3 under the influence of the encoder provides a signal indicative of the rotational speed of the wheel, generally a
signal with a frequency proportional to the angular speed of the wheel .
For an advantageous application of the invention, preferably all the wheels of the train are equipped with an encoder associated with a corresponding speed sensor.
Each speed sensor is connected to an electronic processing unit, schematically designated EU, mounted on board of the train. The unit EU receives the speed signals W from the several speed sensors and processes the signals comparing the instant values of the received speed signals W for identifying and signalling a derailment condition.
In normal operation conditions, the wheels of the train rotate at practically equal speeds of rotation. It may happen that, owing to the conical shape of the rolling surfaces of the wheels or due to minimum differences in diameter between the wheels, some wheels rotate at a slightly higher speed. The processing unit EU is set so as to neglect differences in speed of rotation under a preset threshold, for example under 10%.
When any or all of the wheels of an axle or a bogie is or are no longer on the rail, the speed of rotation of the derailed wheels varies considerably with respect to the speed of the wheels rolling on the rail. If, for example, one of the wheels hits. the ballast or the slippers, it undergoes sudden variations of speed owing to the impacts. If, instead, owing to a displacement of the axle, a wheel remains completely suspended without contacting the rail and without hitting any other element of the railway, its speed of rotation decreases down to zero.
According to the invention, the processing unit EU is set so as to automatically emit an alarm signal A when it detects that at least one of the monitored wheels rotates at a rotational speed which is substantially different from at least one of the other wheels of the train. This indicates that a derailment as occurred or that a wheel is locked and could therefore provoke a derailment. In particular, the processing unit is set so as to emit the alarm signal when one of the speed signals differs by a given percentage from at least one of the other speed signals from the other wheels, or from the mean of the instant speed values of the signals coming from the other monitored wheels. For example, the processing unit EU may be set so as to emit the alarm signal when it detects that between two wheels there is a difference in speed exceeding 10% or another percentage value considered as being indicative of a condition of potential derailment .
In case it is chosen to evaluate the occurrence of a derailment condition referring to the mean value of the instant speed signals coming from a number n of monitored wheels, the processing unit EU is set to calculate a mean of the n instant speed values, so as to obtain an instant mean value Wm. The processing unit compares each single instant value with the mean value Wm for automatically generating an alarm signal as soon as any one of the n speed signals of the monitored wheels has a value that reaches or exceeds a predetermined admissible difference with respect to the instant mean value Wm.
For the calculation of the instant mean value Wm any suitable statistic algorithm may be used, for example calculating the exponential moving mean, the mean-square deviation, the mean value, etc. of the values of the speed signals from the n monitored wheels.
Naturally, the sensitivity of the alarm system will be inversely proportional to the percentage of difference in speed that is chosen as a limit between the normal operational condition and the defective operational condition. If the value of the admissible difference of speed is low, the alarm signal may be emitted also when any one of the wheels is in a condition of partial lock, for example due to an irregular operation of the brake associated with the wheel .
It should be noted that also in normal operational conditions during braking, the different wheels may slow down more or less quickly according to inevitable differences of setting between the brakes. It is therefore possible that during braking the processing unit detects substantial differences in speed among the different wheels, without this corresponding to an actual derailment condition. It is therefore preferable that the processing unit that emits the alarm signals (for example the same unit EU) , is set for receiving a braking signal B when the brakes are on and using this signal so as to automatically prevent the generation of an alarm signal when the train is braking.
Claims
1. A method of detecting and signalling a condition of defective operation of the wheel of a railway vehicle, comprising the steps of: a) providing, for a plurality of wheels of the vehicle, a corresponding plurality of rotation sensor means (3) for the wheels, adapted to provide a plurality of signals (W) indicative of the rotational speed of the wheels; b) receiving the speed signals (W) by means of an electronic processing unit (EU) ; c) comparing the instant values of the speed signals (W) coming from the rotation sensors (3) of said plurality of wheels; d) automatically generating an alarm signal (A) when the differences between the values of two speed signals of two different wheels reaches or exceeds a predetermined admissible difference.
2. A method of detecting and signalling a condition of defective operation of a railway vehicle wheel, comprising the steps of: a) providing, for a plurality of wheels of the vehicle, a corresponding plurality of rotation sensor means (3) adapted to provide a corresponding plurality of signals (W) indicative of the rotational speed of the wheels; b) receiving the speed signals (W) by means of an electronic processing unit (EU) ; cl) calculating a mean of the instant values of the speed signals (W) coming from the rotation sensors (3) of said plurality of wheels, thereby obtaining an instant mean value (Wm) ; c2) comparing each single instant value of the speed signals (W) with the mean value (Wm) ; d) automatically provoking an alarm signal (A) when any one of the speed signal (W) 'has a value reaching or exceeding a predetermined admissible difference with respect to the instant mean value (Wm) .
3. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising the steps of:
- generating a braking signal (B) when the brakes of the train are activated;
- receiving the braking signal (B) by means of a control unit; and
- preventing, by means of said control unit and in response to the braking signal (B) , the generation of the alarm signal (A) when the brakes of the train are activated.
4. An apparatus for detecting and signalling a condition of defective operation of a railway vehicle wheel, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of rotation sensor means (3) associated with a respective plurality of wheels of the vehicle, for providing a plurality of signals (W) indicative of the speeds of rotation of the wheels; processing means (EU) for: receiving said speed signals (W) ; comparing the instant values of the speed signals; and provoking automatically an alarm signal (A) when the difference between, the values of two speed signals (W) reaches or exceeds a predetermined admissible difference.
5. An apparatus for detecting and signalling a condition of defective operation of a railway vehicle wheel, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of rotation sensor means (3) associated with a corresponding plurality of vehicle wheels, for providing a corresponding plurality of signals (W) indicative of the rotational speeds of tEe wheels; processing means (EU) for: receiving said speed signals (W) ; calculating a mean of the instant values of the speed signals (W) coming from the rotation sensors (3) of said plurality of wheels, thereby obtaining an instant mean value (Wm) ; comparing each single instant value of the speed signals (W) with the mean value (Wm) ; provoking automatically an alarm signal (A) when any one of the speed signals (W) has a value reaching or exceeding a predetermined admissible difference with respect to the instant medium value (Wm) .
6. The apparatus of claim 4 or 5, further comprising: means for generating a braking signal (B) when the brakes of the train are activated; means for supplying the braking signal (B) to a processing unit; and means for preventing, in response to the braking signal
(B) , the generation of the alarm signal (A) when the brakes of the train are activated.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| ITTO2000A000552 | 2000-06-09 | ||
| IT2000TO000552A IT1320416B1 (en) | 2000-06-09 | 2000-06-09 | METHODS AND EQUIPMENT TO DETECT AND REPORT DETAILING CONDITIONS IN A RAILWAY VEHICLE. |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| WO2001094174A1 true WO2001094174A1 (en) | 2001-12-13 |
Family
ID=11457805
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2001/006421 WO2001094174A1 (en) | 2000-06-09 | 2001-06-07 | Methods and apparatuses for detecting and signalling derailment conditions in a railway vehicle |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| IT (1) | IT1320416B1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2001094174A1 (en) |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES2288404A1 (en) * | 2006-04-06 | 2008-01-01 | Ferrocarriles De Via Estrecha Feve | Automatic braking system for train by derailment detection with inductive position detection device, has detecting media of angular position of bogie regarding to axis of vertical turn and horizontal cross-section for frame of wagon |
| WO2012140073A1 (en) * | 2011-04-12 | 2012-10-18 | Bombardier Transportation Gmbh | Rail vehicle having derailment monitoring |
| DE102016125196A1 (en) | 2016-12-21 | 2018-06-21 | Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH | Method for derailment detection based on wheel speed signals |
| EP3988422A1 (en) * | 2020-10-26 | 2022-04-27 | Bombardier Transportation GmbH | Method and device for detecting a derailed state of a railway vehicle and railway vehicle |
Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1071633A (en) * | 1963-02-22 | 1967-06-07 | Girling Ltd | Means for comparing electrical signals |
| US3751117A (en) * | 1970-11-18 | 1973-08-07 | Alsthom Cgee | Antiskid apparatus |
| GB1431079A (en) * | 1972-10-25 | 1976-04-07 | Oerlikon Buehrle Ag | Wheel slide controllers and vehicles incorporating them |
| DE19835041C1 (en) * | 1998-08-04 | 1999-08-05 | Werner Michael | Monitoring arrangement for wheel processes on high speed rail vehicles |
-
2000
- 2000-06-09 IT IT2000TO000552A patent/IT1320416B1/en active
-
2001
- 2001-06-07 WO PCT/EP2001/006421 patent/WO2001094174A1/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1071633A (en) * | 1963-02-22 | 1967-06-07 | Girling Ltd | Means for comparing electrical signals |
| US3751117A (en) * | 1970-11-18 | 1973-08-07 | Alsthom Cgee | Antiskid apparatus |
| GB1431079A (en) * | 1972-10-25 | 1976-04-07 | Oerlikon Buehrle Ag | Wheel slide controllers and vehicles incorporating them |
| DE19835041C1 (en) * | 1998-08-04 | 1999-08-05 | Werner Michael | Monitoring arrangement for wheel processes on high speed rail vehicles |
Cited By (9)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES2288404A1 (en) * | 2006-04-06 | 2008-01-01 | Ferrocarriles De Via Estrecha Feve | Automatic braking system for train by derailment detection with inductive position detection device, has detecting media of angular position of bogie regarding to axis of vertical turn and horizontal cross-section for frame of wagon |
| WO2012140073A1 (en) * | 2011-04-12 | 2012-10-18 | Bombardier Transportation Gmbh | Rail vehicle having derailment monitoring |
| DE102016125196A1 (en) | 2016-12-21 | 2018-06-21 | Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH | Method for derailment detection based on wheel speed signals |
| WO2018114474A2 (en) | 2016-12-21 | 2018-06-28 | Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH | Method for detection of derailment on the basis of wheel speed signals |
| WO2018114474A3 (en) * | 2016-12-21 | 2018-08-23 | Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH | Method and control unit for detection of derailment on the basis of wheel speed signals |
| CN110198882A (en) * | 2016-12-21 | 2019-09-03 | 克诺尔轨道车辆系统有限公司 | For the method by wheel rotation speed signals detection derailing |
| RU2722513C1 (en) * | 2016-12-21 | 2020-06-01 | Кнорр-Бремзе Зюстеме Фюр Шиненфарцойге Гмбх | Method for detecting derailing based on wheel rpm signals |
| US11472450B2 (en) | 2016-12-21 | 2022-10-18 | Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH | Method and control unit for detection of derailment on the basis of wheel speed signals |
| EP3988422A1 (en) * | 2020-10-26 | 2022-04-27 | Bombardier Transportation GmbH | Method and device for detecting a derailed state of a railway vehicle and railway vehicle |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| ITTO20000552A1 (en) | 2001-12-09 |
| ITTO20000552A0 (en) | 2000-06-09 |
| IT1320416B1 (en) | 2003-11-26 |
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