Design, Analysis and Optimization Of Railway Train Nose

Abstract

Railway train aerodynamic problems are closely associated with the flows occurring around train. Much effort to speed up the train system has been concentrated on the improvement of electric motor power rather than understanding the flow around the train. This has led to larger energy losses and efficiency reduction of the train system. The need for study of aerodynamics around train arises as the flows around train are more disturbed due to turbulence of the increased speed of the train, and consequently the flow energies are converted to aerodynamic drag, noise and vibrations. One of the solutions to find out these turbulence and pressures generated is Wind tunnel experiments, which are very costly and time consuming. More over this technique requires very high skilled personnel and that’s why the need for an alternative method to solve aerodynamic problem arised. With the speed-up of train, many engineering problems which have been neglected at low train speeds are being raised with regard to aerodynamic noise and vibrations, impulse forces occurring as two trains intersect each other, impulse wave at the exit of tunnel, ear discomfort of passengers inside train, turbulence created around the train body, etc.. These are major limitation factors to the speed-up of train system. Most of these problems could be simulated equivalent to wind tunnel experiments in softwares. This paper gives the Optimization of design for the nose shape which will solve some of the aerodynamic problems which will elevate the efficiency of High Speed Trains without improving its engine capacities. CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) analysis is done on various shapes of train nose with ANSYS 10.0. FRP is used to manufacture train nose as it is light weight and high strength material. Optimum thickness of this material to sustain pressures generated due to High speed movement of train through tunnel and in open conditions is also studied and simulated in HYPERMESH OPTISTRUCT.