By Zhang Lipeng in Beijing | CRRC | Updated: 26-Sep-2018
CRRC released a new generation of carbon fiber metro vehicles "CETROVO" officially at InnoTrans 2018 held in Germany on the afternoon of September 18 (local time). The conference of a new generation of real carbon fiber metro vehicles was held at 14:00 of the local time.
Chinese ambassador in Germany Shi Mingde, CRRC President Sun Yongcai, German technical expert Hufenbach, CRRC Vice-President Wang Jun and General Manager of CRRC Sifang Co., Ltd Ma Yunshuang attended the conference and pressed the launching ball jointly to unveil the new vehicles. It was the first appearance of the new generation of carbon fiber metro vehicles in the globe.
They are a new generation of metro vehicles in China, which are developed with a lot of advanced new materials and technologies and are fully upgraded in energy conservation & environmental protection, comfort and intelligence compared to traditional metro. They are the latest technological achievements in Chinese metro field and represent the technical trend of future metro trains.
Their emergence will lead metro vehicles to a greener and more intelligent "new era".
How does the new generation of metro vehicles look like? Is there any "black technology"? What kind of new travel experience will they bring?
CRRC scientist and Deputy Chief Engineer of SRRC Sifang Co., Ltd., was interviewed.
1. Carbon fiber technology is adopted.
--The whole vehicle is lighter by 13%.
Compared to the characteristics of the traditional metro vehicles, the biggest feature of the new generation of metro vehicles is that they are lighter and more energy saving. Weight lightening, i.e. the reduction of weight to the greatest extent, is a major route for energy conservation of metro vehicles. As new materials, carbon fiber composite materials are called as "the king of weight lightening". Their advantages of light weight and high strength provide a superexcellent solution for weight lightening of trains.
According to the introduction by CRRC scientist and Deputy Chief Engineer of SRRC Sifang Co., Ltd., the advanced carbon fiber technology is adopted for the new generation of metro vehicles. The vehicle body, the bogie frame, the cab, the equipment compartment and the equipment body are made of carbon fiber composite materials. They are metro vehicles with large-scale application of carbon fiber composite materials. In particular, breakthrough on key technologies such as the structural design and the manufacturing & molding of large complicated parts of carbon fiber have been made successfully. The comprehensive application of carbon fiber composite materials in the main bearing structure of vehicles such as the vehicle body, the bogie frame and the cab has been realized.
As opposed to the use of traditional metallic materials such as steel and aluminum alloy, the body, the cab and the equipment compartment of the new generation of carbon fiber metro vehicles lighten by over 30% respectively, the bogie frame lightens by 40% and the whole vehicle lightens by 13%.
"Though manufacturing costs of carbon fiber composite materials are higher than those of traditional metallic materials, they are lighter and more energy saving. Meanwhile, they have excellent performance in fatigue resistance, weather resistance and corrosion resistance. They may effectively guarantee no failures such as fatigue and corrosion of trains during the 30-year service period and reduce maintenance and thus reduce entire life-cycle costs." Ding Sansan said. Damages to the line are also reduced after the body lightens.
To reduce energy consumption, besides carbon fiber weight lightening technology, a new efficient and energy-saving traction system is also provided for the new generation of metro vehicles. They are upgraded to permanent magnet synchronous motor direct drive technology from asynchronous motor of traditional metro and silicon carbide convertor assembly is used, thus greatly improving the tractive efficiency of vehicles.
According to calculation, the new generation of metro vehicles may save energy by over 15% on the whole.
2. Compartments may "transform".
--The applicability is stronger.
Compared to traditional metro, the new generation of metro vehicles is more applicable and more flexible in operation organization and may adapt to more complicated operating environment. Metro vehicles in China have a fixed formation and the number of compartments is invariant. The function of "flexible formation" is first developed for the new generation of metro vehicles. The minimum formation unit of trains is 2 compartments. The flexible formation of "2+N" compartments may be realized based on operating demands. Compartments may be allocated with a number ranging from 2 to 12. Meanwhile, the "transformation" costs less than 5 minutes.
The tidal variation of metro passenger flow is great. The traffic flow is large at morning and evening peaks and during off-peak period. The flexible formation based on passenger flow changes, i.e. large formation at high peaks and small formation at flat peak, may realize the most economical operation, the conservation of energy consumption, the increase of dispatch intensity and the improvement of service level.
Compared to traditional metro, the new generation of metro vehicles adapts to more atrocious climatic and geographical environment and may operate under complicated environment such as high temperature, high humidity, extremely low temperature -40℃ and high altitude 2500m.
Meanwhile, as metro lines have many bends and a small radius, active radial system is first provided at the bogie of vehicles. When monitoring the entry of vehicles into a bend, it may control the wheel set so as to run at the radial position of the curve. This greatly improves the curve passing performance of trains and makes trains better adapted to small curves. The minimum turning radius may reach 80m, far beyond that of the traditional metro. Moreover, wheel wear is greatly reduced and maintenance costs are saved.
Vehicles may run without external power supply. An energy storage system - power storage battery is provided, which may provide vehicles with traction power for a travel distance of 15km. Vehicles may have emergency operation in the case of power supply failure, thus facilitating their running in "areas without electricity" of lines and depots.
3. Vehicles run more stably.
--Passengers travel more comfortably.
Advanced damping and noise reduction technologies are adopted for the new generation of metro vehicles, thus providing greater riding comfort.
When trains are running, as track irregularity will cause the vibration of compartments, damping is required through the suspension system on the bogie. The suspension system of traditional metro is unadjustable and therefore is called as passive suspension.
Fully active suspension technology is first adopted for the new generation of metro vehicles. When compartments vibrate on the way of running, the vibration may be detected immediately and the damping of the suspension system will be adjusted dynamically so that the suspension system may be under the optimal damping status and therefore metro vehicles may run more stably.
It is quieter in the compartment. Noise reduction design is optimized. When trains are running, the noise in passenger compartments is only 68db, reducing by over 3db compared to that of traditional metro.
According to the introduction by Ding Sansan, like high-speed trains, the new generation of metro vehicles also adopts air-tightness design. Sealed vehicle body is first used. Passengers will not have a sense of eardrum pressure due to pressure fluctuation in the train.
4. Intelligent trains
--Videos are played on the window
With the application of modern intelligent technologies, the new generation of metro vehicles is also highly intelligent trains. You will feel ubiquitous "intelligent services" in the compartment.
Compartments enter the era of "touch control". Windows become a touch control screen and "magic windows" that may convey various kinds of graphic video information. Windows are just like a huge "Pad". To read the news, browse the webpage, buy tickets and watch videos and live television and obtain various services conveniently, passengers only need to touch the window with a finger. Mirrors in the compartment become "magic mirrors" with touch control and internet surfing.
Intelligent air conditioners in the compartment may specify an appropriate temperature and humidity automatically based on the weather and dressing index so as to provide a better body sense.
The lighting system may know the light environment in the compartment at any time and adjust the luminance and color temperature automatically.
There are also curved multimedia screens, self-cleaning seats and hearing-aid system for passengers with hearing disability....
The intelligent passenger service system will bring brand-new travel experience.
Full automatic unmanned operation
The maximum running speed of the new generation of metro vehicles may reach 140km, faster than traditional metro. With unmanned operation technology, trains are operated fully automatically in the whole process from startup, acceleration & deceleration, stop at stations, door opening and close and return to the garage. The application and maintenance are more intelligent.
A strong intelligent perception system is established for vehicles. Over 1100 monitoring points are set up to recognize the "healthy" status of trains in real time. Automatic early warning and remote maintenance may be realized in the case of any abnormalities on the way of running. Meanwhile, with the help of the intelligent perception system, we may get involved for maintenance in time when vehicles are under sub-health status and detect the line status and guide line maintenance so as to make train operation safer and more reliable.
The new generation of carbon fiber metro vehicles will be subjected to type test and line commissioning will be implemented next.
If you want to know more information about this, please contact with zhanglipeng@crrcgc.cc