Recent increases in railway patronage worldwide have created pressure on rolling stock and infrastructure through the demand to improve capacity punctuality of whole system, this must also be balanced with reducing life-cycle costs. Condition monitoring is seen as a significant contributor achieving this. The emphasis article use sensors mounted monitor condition itself. This set context modern being fitted high-capacity communication buses multiple sensors, resulting potential for advanced...

Railway switch and crossing (S&C) systems have a very complex structure that requires not only large number of components (such as rails, check switches, crossings, turnout bearers, slide chair, etc.) but also different types technologies (mechanical devices to operate electrical and/or electronic for control, etc.). This complexity railway S&C makes them vulnerable failures malfunctions can ultimately cause delays even fatal accidents. Thus, it is crucial develop suitable condition...

Abstract The dynamics of a rail vehicle is driven by the interaction between wheel and rail. Any change to, for example, shape wheel–rail profile or contact adhesion conditions will response vehicle. condition monitoring challenge to interpret these changes into useful information. This paper presents ongoing research model-based at interface applied two applications: (i) estimation; (ii) low detection. estimation was carried out on linearised simulation model that included nonlinear...

Track switches are safety critical assets that not only provide flexibility to rail networks but also present single points of failure. Switch failures within dense-traffic passenger systems cause a disproportionate level delay. Subsystem redundancy is one number approaches, which can be used ensure an appropriate integrity and/or operational reliability level, successfully adopted by, for example, the aeronautical and nuclear industries. This paper models adoption functional approach...

The railway industry in the UK is currently expanding use of condition monitoring vehicles. These systems can be used to improve maintenance procedures or could potentially monitor current vehicle running conditions without cost prohibitive sensors. This paper looks at a novel method for online detection areas low adhesion wheel/rail contact that cause significant disruption network, particularly autumn season. proposed uses Kalman–Bucy filter estimate creep forces wheel–rail area;...

To understand and thus improve the dynamic behaviour of railway pantograph-catenary system, researchers have developed a number approaches to catenary modelling. The Finite Element (FE) approach provides high degree accuracy, but at cost significant computing time. In contrast, in active pantographs generally use relatively simple (and fast running) lumped-mass models. This paper aims on models available for design validation pantographs. Firstly, veracity classic model is assessed new...

Currently, a number of positioning systems are in use to locate trains on the railway network; but these generally have limited precision. Thus, this paper focuses testing and validating suitability radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, for aligning vehicles switch crossing (S&C) positions network. This offers possibility accurately knowing position equipped with monitoring equipment, such as network rail track recording vehicle (TRV), data reference locations S&C (and ideally...

Integrated gasification combined cycle power plants are being developed around the world to provide environmentally clean and efficient generation from coal. As part of UK's Clean Coal Power Generation Group, ALSTOM (formerly GEC ALSTHOM) has undertaken a detailed feasibility study on development small-scale prototype integrated plant (PIP), based air-blown cycle. In pursuit this goal Technology Centre ALSTHOM Mechanical Engineering Centre) produced comprehensive dynamic model control...

Condition monitoring of railway vehicles has been highlighted by the industry as a key enabling technology for future system development. The primary uses this could be improvement maintenance procedures and/or identification high-risk vehicle running conditions. Advanced processing signals means these tasks accomplished without use cost prohibitive sensors. This paper presents on-board detection low-adhesion conditions during normal operation vehicle. Two different methods are introduced....

Areas of extremely low adhesion between the wheel and rail can cause critical problems in traction braking that manifest issues such as signals being passed at danger. There is currently a lack real-time information regarding state location low-adhesion areas across networks. The study presented here examines scientific challenges understanding change vehicle running dynamics with variations using latest thinking micro-slip. This supports generation suitable low-order dynamic models for use...

Railway track switches, commonly referred to as ‘turnouts’ or ‘points,’ are a necessary element of any rail network. However, they often prove be performance-limiting elements networks. A novel concept for switching has been developed part UK research project with substantial industrial input. The is currently at the demonstrator phase, scale (384 mm) gauge unit operational in laboratory. Details arrangement and provided herein. This considered an advance on state art. paper also presents...

Abstract The main contribution of this paper is the development and demonstration a novel methodology that can be followed to develop simulation twin railway track switch system test functionality in digital environment. This important because, globally, switches are used allow trains change routes; they key part all networks. However, because single points failure safety-critical, their inability operate correctly cause significant delays concomitant costs. In order better understand...

Gasification offers a clean and efficient method for producing gas from carbon-based feedstock such as high-sulphur fuel oil, refinery tars, petroleum coke, coal biomass. The product can then be burnt cleanly efficiently in combined cycle turbine to produce electricity. authors introduce the second ALSTOM Benchmark Challenge on Gasifier Control, which validated non-linear model of gasifier was put forward subject control challenge research community. problem includes operating constraints,...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to optimize system redundancy and maintenance intervals a propane pre-cooled mixed refrigerant (C3MR) liquefaction process on floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) export platforms. Design/methodology/approach reliability modeling based the time-dependent Markov approach. Four different options are studied, with various degree redundancy. Failures in usually lead shutdown whole LNG production plant. associated cost compared introducing onboard...

Mechatronically-guided railway vehicles are of paramount importance in addressing the increasing interest reducing wheel-rail wear and improving guidance steering. Conventional passively-guided rail limited by mechanical constraints suspension elements. Currently, a typical vehicle needs to be sufficiently stiff stabilize wheelsets while being complaint enough negotiate curved track profiles. The is therefore compromise for contradictory requirements curving stability. In mechatronic...

Abstract The expansion of renewable power plants has transformed the role and operation gas turbines to a great extent. From base load era, we are moving into flexible dynamic engine turbines. Advances in computational intelligence have amplified importance condition monitoring, diagnostics, prognostics capabilities face turbine operation. Performing diagnostics transient conditions is beneficial since now acting as partners renewables. This article presents novel diagnostic approach for...

This paper compares and evaluates the performance of two major feature selection fault identification methods utilized for condition monitoring (CM) centrifugal equipment, namely fast Fourier transform (FFT)-based segmentation, selection, (FS2FI) algorithm neural network (NN). Multilayer perceptron (MLP) is most commonly used NN model pattern recognition. Feature trending play an important role in recognition hence affect CM systems. The technical developmental challenges both were...