Artemis's project to convert DVT to use hydraulic energy storage

[MikePJ]

This looks interesting: http://www.railjournal.com/index.ph...t-alternative-traction-system.html?channel=00

BRITAIN’s Railway Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) has confirmed that Chiltern Railways will participate in a three-month testing programme of an alternative hybrid traction system as part of the powertrain competition, which is funded by RSSB and led by Artemis Intelligent Power (AIP).

AIP will initiate and lead testing of the new solution on a Chiltern Railways mark 3 driving vehicle trailer (DVT) in December 2017.

Artemis and JCB are providing technology and expertise for the Digital Displacement Hybrid Rail Transmission project, which aims to reduce fuel consumption and improve engine performance....

As far as I can tell, this means they'll be fitting a small diesel engine and some kind of hydraulic accumulator in the body of the DVT, and a hydraulic drive to the wheels, although I guess it's possible that they will just use the hydraulics to store power during deceleration and release it during acceleration. Artemis are specialists in innovative hydraulics: http://www.artemisip.com/technology/

A quick google suggests that Artemis have been putting this forward for some time, so I'll watch with interest how the trial goes.

 

[Roast Veg]

Turn the DVT into a Parry? Sounds pretty exciting, though there's no suggestion it will do much more than provide ETS at first - the wording is pretty vague.

 

[D365]

Turn the DVT into a Parry? Sounds pretty exciting, though there's no suggestion it will do much more than provide ETS at first - the wording is pretty vague.

Isn't that pretty much what they do already?

 

[coppercapped]

This looks interesting: http://www.railjournal.com/index.ph...t-alternative-traction-system.html?channel=00

As far as I can tell, this means they'll be fitting a small diesel engine and some kind of hydraulic accumulator in the body of the DVT, and a hydraulic drive to the wheels, although I guess it's possible that they will just use the hydraulics to store power during deceleration and release it during acceleration. Artemis are specialists in innovative hydraulics: http://www.artemisip.com/technology/

A quick google suggests that Artemis have been putting this forward for some time, so I'll watch with interest how the trial goes.

At the risk of nit-picking there is a difference between a hydrostatic drive (referred to in the Rail Journal article) and a hydrokinetic transmission. The latter uses a torque converter and is the type that was used in the WR diesels; it was commonly referred to as a hydraulic transmission.

 

[Nym]

Been done on small scale before, granted it wasn't in the same process cycle but Hydraulic Accumulators have been used on railways, all be it 1/5th size ones.

http://www.railengineer.uk/2014/08/06/a-challenging-weekend/

However, the novel thinking was in the braking system. In fact, as team leader Luke Foy explained, the locomotive had three braking systems – a rheostatic system for regular use, an emergency friction brake, and the energy- recovery system. This was quite novel for the competition and everyone was interested to see how it would work.

The basic design was hydraulic. A pump attached to one axle on the front bogie drove hydraulic fluid around a closed loop, as did a hydraulic motor on another axle on the rear bogie. This may seem to be a pretty pointless exercise, and in normal running the whole system just freewheels. However, when recovering energy, this hydraulic fluid is pumped into an accumulator which contains a diaphragm. On the other side of that diaphragm is nitrogen gas, pressurised to around 30 bar.

As the hydraulic pressure increases, so does the pressure in the nitrogen, storing energy. When the flow is reversed, the nitrogen expands, forcing the hydraulic fluid back out of the accumulator from whence it is channelled to the motor, propelling the train forward.

The team was made up of both graduates and apprentices, and all had played their part. In fact, while Fergal Stranney and his team had grappled with the hydro-pneumatic energy recovery system, which was an idea they had seen used on a smaller scale in a bicycle by the University of Michigan, one of the apprentices had been designing the emergency brake.

 

[KingDaveRa]

It's vague from the article, but does this mean the DVT would be there to provide a little extra oomph through regeneration, or to be a power source in its own right?

I do like the idea of the Parry-esq regenerative functionality. That's a neat idea!

 

[gimmea50anyday]

They could attach a QSK19 to the traction equipment from a 442?....

So from a 432 to a 442 and now in an 82!

 

[TH172341]

It's vague from the article, but does this mean the DVT would be there to provide a little extra oomph through regeneration, or to be a power source in its own right?

I do like the idea of the Parry-esq regenerative functionality. That's a neat idea!

My impression is that it's to provide some extra acceleration. With Chiltern keen to keep the journey times minimal, and delays, to maximise the Marylebone paths, it makes sense.

 

[CosherB]

My impression is that it's to provide some extra acceleration. With Chiltern keen to keep the journey times minimal, and delays, to maximise the Marylebone paths, it makes sense.

Is a 3800 hp Class 68 a bit feeble?

And which DVT is going to be used? Is it one of the refurbed Chiltern/DB DVTs or a scrapper from Long Marston fitted out as a trial?

 

[MikePJ]

At the risk of nit-picking there is a difference between a hydrostatic drive (referred to in the Rail Journal article) and a hydrokinetic transmission. The latter uses a torque converter and is the type that was used in the WR diesels; it was commonly referred to as a hydraulic transmission.

Sorry! I'm an electronic engineer, the finer points of mechanical things often elude me...

 

[D365]

Sorry! I'm an electronic engineer, the finer points of mechanical things often elude me...

I can empathise with you there

 

[NickBucks]

Reminds me of a recent episode of Dad's Army when they converted Jones' van to run on gas. It had some sort of balloon on the roof to store the gas which soon burst because as aficianadios know "they don't like it up 'em !

 

[Marklund]

Reminds me of a recent episode of Dad's Army when they converted Jones' van to run on gas. It had some sort of balloon on the roof to store the gas which soon burst because as aficianadios know "they don't like it up 'em !

I think using the term "recent" to describe a Dad's Army episode is pretty funny!

 

[TH172341]

Is a 3800 hp Class 68 a bit feeble?

And which DVT is going to be used? Is it one of the refurbed Chiltern/DB DVTs or a scrapper from Long Marston fitted out as a trial?

I was thinking the same when I first saw it - but any extra acceleration would be beneficial.

I don't know which DVT will be used I'm afraid, or if it it will be an extra one procured.

 

[TimboM]

Is a 3800 hp Class 68 a bit feeble?

It's covered in the press release, but the purpose of this isn't to make the trains accelerate faster or go quicker - 3,800 hp is more than adequate for that as you say. It's about storing energy that's currently wasted/lost from the system when braking/decelerating and then releasing this to reduce the amount of fuel/energy the loco has to use when accelerating (at the same rate it would do normally).

It's a similar concept to what a lot of cars have these days (e.g. BMW's EffecientDynamics).

If they can demonstrate it can save more fuel - and hence ££ - than it costs to build/install/maintain, then its a viable proposition.

And of course good environmental brownie (or is that greenie?) points.

 

[Roast Veg]

From a driver's perspective, how would this affect their behaviour? I don't know if the 68 power handle works in steps or smooth action; if it means the driver can use "a notch lower" over several different areas then the savings could be significant, and I have no doubt that as part of the introduction they will be made aware of the changes to handling.

 

[NickBucks]

I think using the term "recent" to describe a Dad's Army episode is pretty funny!

Not at all. This episode was on BBC2 last Saturday at 8.30 pm. Admittedly it was 20th+ repeat but it still makes me laugh.

 

[GW43125]

From a driver's perspective, how would this affect their behaviour? I don't know if the 68 power handle works in steps or smooth action; if it means the driver can use "a notch lower" over several different areas then the savings could be significant, and I have no doubt that as part of the introduction they will be made aware of the changes to handling.

IIRC the power handle on a 68 has idle in the middle, then a continuous dynamic brake if you push away from you and 8 power notches if you move it towards you.

 

[Roast Veg]

The DVT end is a continuous power handle right? Does the 68 still notch up and down when being driven from that end? Does the driver just read his tractive effort display to see when this occurs?

 

[t_star2001uk]

The DVT end is a continuous power handle right? Does the 68 still notch up and down when being driven from that end? Does the driver just read his tractive effort display to see when this occurs?

No. A DVT power handle is notched and there is no tractive effort display. The only thing we have to know that traction is being given is a light that illuminates under power.

 

[KingDaveRa]

I imagine driving from the DVT must be slightly odd - I'd guess there's no engine noise (or minimal), no vibration, just noise from the DVT itself. It must feel a little disconnected, I'd presume?

Adding in some sort of local power source would probably add a new angle to the experience!

 

[D365]

I imagine driving from the DVT must be slightly odd - I'd guess there's no engine noise (or minimal), no vibration, just noise from the DVT itself. It must feel a little disconnected, I'd presume?

Surely the same as driving a Mk3-derivative EMU, for example.

 

[t_star2001uk]

I don't know which DVT will be used I'm afraid, or if it it will be an extra one procured.

From what i can gather, it will be 82113 which is currently at Boness..

 

[DelW]

As far as I can tell, this means they'll be fitting a small diesel engine and some kind of hydraulic accumulator in the body of the DVT, and a hydraulic drive to the wheels, although I guess it's possible that they will just use the hydraulics to store power during deceleration and release it during acceleration.

I think it would be the latter, as I read the last sentence of the press release : "Emissions and fuel consumption can also be reduced by combining the hybrid unit with a smaller engine" slightly differently.

I took this to mean that the energy recovery system would enable use of a smaller-engined loco, rather than implying fitting a small diesel unit within the DVT itself. I agree that it's not entirely clear though.

 

[TH172341]

From what i can gather, it will be 82113 which is currently at Boness..

Thanks for checking - would make sense. Be good for it to come back into use and some attention; looked a bit downtrodden on the last photos taken of it.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

I imagine driving from the DVT must be slightly odd - I'd guess there's no engine noise (or minimal), no vibration, just noise from the DVT itself. It must feel a little disconnected, I'd presume?

Adding in some sort of local power source would probably add a new angle to the experience!

Odd compared to what? I mean driving from a DVT is different to driving from a loco or sitting in the cab of a DMU but you get used to it very quickly and it just becomes another form of traction you sign. It's definitely a different experience to driving from the locomotive and it's as important to get handling time in the DVT is it is in the end of the train where all the magic happens but i'd only think someone would consider it 'odd' if they had a wealth of experience on other traction and came into a DVT with a lot of assumptions based on that experience. Even then you'd get used to it fairly quickly.

 

[KingDaveRa]

I suppose you would, yeah. I just meant 'odd' in the fact there's no engine in it, so I presume (having never been in one - I don't work on the railways) it must be a relatively quiet, passive experience compared to sitting in the cab of a loco, or DMU/EMU.

One thing I do wonder is if the DVT with local motive power would be applying any sort of tractive effort from stand-still, or whether it would just be used to aid in coasting. I'm really intrigued how the loco and the DVT would interact. It's a fascinating concept.

Longer term, I wonder if a future train, something like a Super Voyager, could have this technology in each coach of the vehicle. Theoretically it could pull away with very little use of the engines and I imagine the fuel savings could be quite substantial.

Purely guesses on my part, the scope of use for this technology is quite wide I think.

 

[HLE]

From what i can gather, it will be 82113 which is currently at Boness..

Isn't that the one that during Virgin years was laid up for ages?

 

[t_star2001uk]

Isn't that the one that during Virgin years was laid up for ages?

I know its been at Long Marston for a few years.

 

[t_star2001uk]

By the way. This is NOT a Chiltern project or experiment. Chiltern, as far as i know, have only agreed to take part.