Air-limited system for train-mounted TOR dispensing

凯尔桑技术公司采用喷嘴将液体形式的摩擦改进剂分布在铁路轨道的顶部。这些摩擦改进剂可将铁路机车的能耗降低6%，并可将钢轨和轮缘的磨损降低50%以上。仅在北美，每年通过在铁路上使用摩擦改进剂节省的燃料和资本成本就可达数亿美元。减少柴油燃料消耗也会带来环境效益。钢轨摩擦改进剂要有效地发挥作用，必须在钢轨表面涂好。虽然Kelsan现有的喷雾系统在实验室中已经证明了令人满意的雾化性能，但它需要单独计量的液体和空气供应。简而言之，现有的喷雾系统过于复杂和昂贵，无法广泛使用。在许多情况下，应用轨顶（TOR）摩擦改进剂会有相当大的好处，比如在长途货运列车的中间轴，或者在许多城市交通系统中，根本没有现成的空气供应。对于这些应用，必须安装额外的压缩机；进一步增加了实施TOR摩擦控制的成本。为了解决这个问题，从而促进TOR摩擦控制的更多采用，本研究将研究使用单流体雾化器将Kelsan的LFM输送到导轨头部的潜力。一系列“无空气”喷雾器将在静止空气和侧风中进行测试。将确定具有优越液滴覆盖率和可靠性的喷雾器。

Spray nozzles are employed by Kelsan Technologies Corporation to distribute a liquid form of their friction modifiers on the top of railroad tracks. These friction modifiers reduce the energy consumption of railroad locomotives by up to 6% and also reduce the wear on the rail and the wheel flanges by in excess of 50%. The fuel and capital cost savings through use of friction modifiers on rails in North America alone could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars annually. There would also be concomitant environmental benefits to the reduced diesel fuel consumption.For the rail friction modifier to operate effectively, it must coat the rail well. Although Kelsan's existing spraye system has demonstrated satisfactory atomizing performance in the laboratory, it requires separately metered liquid and air supplies. In simple terms, the existing sprayer system is too complex and expensive for widespread use. In many instances where the application of top-of-rail (TOR) friction modifiers would be of considerable benefit - such as at the intermediate axles of long freight trains, or in many urban transit systems -there is simply no readily available supply of air. For these applications, additional compressors must be installed; further increasing the cost of implementing TOR friction control.To address this issue, and hence to promote the increased adoption of TOR friction control, this research will investigate the potential of using single fluid atomizers for delivering Kelsan's LFM to the rail head. A range of 'airless' sprayers will be tested in both still air and a cross-wind. Sprayers with superior droplet coverage and reliability will be identified.