Noise Reduction in the Wheel/Rail-System by Application of Rail Head Treatment Products

1. Noise Reduction in the Wheel/Rail-System by Application of Rail Head Treatment Products Tramway-Seminar Tours, France, 18.-19. November 2002 Updated version of the paper presented on behalf of the 4th Rail Vehicle Conference, Dresden, Germany, 18.-20. October 2000 Dipl.-Ing. Harald Willrich FUCHS LUBRITECH GmbH, D-67685 Weilerbach Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 1

2. Noise Reduction in the Wheel/Rail-System by Application of Rail Head Treatment Products • Application • Consumption quantities • Results • Conclusions Content: • Problem • Reasons • Solution • Products Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 2

3. Problem: • „Wheel Squeal“ when travelling through curves • Disturbing noises with high frequencies • Molestion of people living near the track • high costs for noise preventing measures • additionally: wear on wheels and rails • Keyword: corrugation • costs for maintenance of vehicles and track Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 3

4. Reason: • different distances for inner and outer wheel when travelling through narrow curves, which cannot be egalized by the different rolling radii • distorsion of the axles • differential longitudinal creep forces • Stick-slip-Effects, normally on the low rail • also lateral creep forces Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 4

5. Solution: • steered wheel sets: better adaptation of the bogie axles to the curve radius • disadvantage: high costs, reduces only wheel flange wear • Single wheel suspension: nearly no longitudinal creep forces, but higher lateral creep forces Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 5

6. Solution: • Noises are produced in the Wheel/rail contact area • Countermeasures have to be set exactly there • Rail Head Treatment with appropriate products • Braking and Traction forces have to be maintained • Transmission of electric signals must not be influenced Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 6

7. Products: TRAM-SILENCE TRAM-SILENCE 00 Base oil: native synthetic Thickener: Ca-soap inorganic Solids: Metal powder, Graphite Properties: - biodegradable - very adhesive - extremly pressure resistant - wide temperature range - easy to apply - constant friction coefficient - wear reducing - good corrosion protection - water resistant Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 7

8. Sprayability of TRAM-SILENCE 00: Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 8

9. +20°C 0°C -10°C -20°C -15°C Sprayability of TRAM-SILENCE 00: System: Beka Fluilub System: Rebs Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 9

10. Friction coefficients: Tannert-test: no Stick-slip, constant level of friction after running-in friction value 0,085 resp. 0,143 Almen-Wieland-test: Scuffing load > 18 kN friction value 0,144 resp. 0,140 SRV-test: constant friction level friction level 0,124 resp. 0,138 Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 10

11. Friction coefficients: Tannert-test TRAM-SILENCE TRAM-SILENCE 00 Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 11

12. Consumption quantities: • As much as necessary, as few as possible • manual application: „depending on local conditions“, Spots of lubricant in a distance of 1-2 m, beginning 10-20 m before the curve starts Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 12

13. Consumption quantities: • Track-side systems: Qunatity is normally determined by the lubricator, appr. 1 g per cycle, split on several outlets, controlling by activation of the lubricator • On-board systems: depending on local conditions quantities between 10 and 100 mg per meter of track Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 13

14. Consumption quantities • Depending on local conditions, for examples curve radius, condition of wheel and rail, weather etc. • Braking behaviour, traction and train detection must not be influenced • No risk for individual traffic crossing the track Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 14

15. Results When applied properly, all requirements are fulfilled: • Braking distance is not increased • Traction is maintained • Signalling is not affected • No influence on isolating joints • Wheel squeal is dramatically reduced • wear is reduced • Individual traffic is not endangered Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 15

16. Results Excerpt from an test report of Dutch Railway NS about TRAM-SILENCE: “In the quantities tested in this examination (0,04 g/m und 0,1 g/m) the product is safe. Braking behaviour is not worse than on wet rails and detection behaviour is ok. The noise reducing effect could be proved. With the used WOERNER-lubricator the product could be applied reproducable.” Amsterdam 1998 Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 16

17. Results Excerpt from an test report of Hamburger Hochbahn AG (Metro Hamburg) about TRAM-SILENCE: “When using TRAM-SILENCE as a top-of-the-rail wetting agent and observing certain boundary conditions, the braking distances do not exceed the limit values according to BOStrab (German Tramway Guidelines).“ Hamburg, 2000 Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 17

18. Results Remarkable reduction of squealing noise Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 18

19. Conclusion • Application will be done more and more by means of automatic lubricators. • In the meantime a number of appropriate lubricators are available. • Selection of the most suitable system depends on local conditions. • Optimum consumption rates have to be found by field tests. • Further investigation on the corrugation problem • Wheel-squeal should no longer be a problem! Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 19

20. Thank you very much for your attention www.fuchs-lubritech.de Tram-Seminar, Tours, 18.-19.11.2002 / 20