Improvement of Response and Efficiency of Railway Air Brake System by Modifying Software for Control

Abstract

Air brake systems are essential for the safety operation of railway vehicles. However, a certain amount of time is required to distribute compressed air through the pipe so that the brake cylinders fill. It is considered a more efficient system would produce significant benefits for safety, robustness, saving energy and labor for maintenance and so on. This study therefore proposes a new method for reducing response time of the system for supplying the compressed air, by controlling wheel slide protection (WSP) dump valves installed in recent railway vehicles. Attempts were also made to reduce air consumption in the air braking system, focusing on cases where a WSP system is applied. The benefits of the new approach were verified through actual railway vehicle tests and hybrid simulation method, etc. Results demonstrated that the proposed method reduced the response time and air consumption, and improved braking performance.