Smart Rail Track Monitoring by Energy Harvesting

全球铁路基础设施运营商已开始转向智能智能网络基础设施，其基础是根据预测性/预防性维护的需要在轨道上和沿线放置数十万种不同类型的传感器/设备。目前，适当的轨旁动力方案的可负担性和维护责任严重阻碍了部署。远程电缆供电过于昂贵且不切实际，电池供电的设备受到电池寿命的限制，这意味着中断接入、定期更换带来的成本和安全挑战以及大量电池浪费带来的可持续性挑战。以前曾考虑过基于能量收集的电力，但发现使用可实际实施的方法产生的电力太少。Encortec有一种基于游戏玩家能量收集的电力解决方案，解决了这一问题，通过一种新的专利方法提供了比其他能源收集方法大一个数量级的自主电力供应。轨道周围的磁通量能量由轨道回流产生，由架空线路设备(OLE)驱动的列车通过产生，提供行业领先的功率水平。因此，当火车每小时经过多次时，可以向传感器供电。这使得能够免维护地部署全方位的无线传感器，从而提供所需的传感数据的频率和范围。这个拟议的工业阶段研发项目旨在开发涵盖Network Rail定义的三种传感场景(洪水、轨道温度和轨道振动)的全原型能量采集传感器设备，结合远程无线通信和数据分析，并调查在Network Rail支持的各种真实轨道环境中的性能。感应磁通、能量和功率随许多因素而变化，这些因素将决定解决方案的实际实用性。这项研发是后来的扩大试验的先驱，以证明完整解决方案的价值。

Rail infrastructure operators globally have begun moves towards smart intelligent network infrastructure built upon the placement of hundreds of thousands of various sensors/device types on and along tracks as required for predictive/preventative maintenance. Deployment is currently significantly hampered by affordability and maintenance liability of suitable trackside power options. Remote cable-delivered power is too expensive and impractical and battery-powered devices are limited by battery lifetimes which means disruptive access, cost and safety challenges of regular changes and the sustainability challenge of extensive battery waste. Energy harvesting-based power has been previously considered but found to produce too little power using the approaches that could be practically implemented.Encortec has a gamechanger energy harvesting-based power solution which solves this problem, providing an order of magnitude greater autonomous power supply than other energy harvesting approaches through a novel patented approach. Magnetic flux energy around rail tracks, generated from track return current by passing trains powered by overhead line equipment (OLE) is harvested giving industry leading levels of power. Thus, power can be supplied to sensors as the trains pass by multiple times per hour. This enables maintenance-free deployment of the full range of wireless sensors giving the frequency and range of sensed data required. Proof-of-concept/technical feasibility of the energy harvesting approach has already been established.This proposed industrial stage R&D project aims to develop full prototype energy harvesting-powered sensor devices covering three Network Rail defined sensing scenarios (flooding, rail temperature and track vibration), combined with long-range wireless communications and data analytics and to investigate performance in the varied real-world live rail environments supported by Network Rail. Induced magnetic flux energy and therefore power varies with a number of factors which will determine real-world practicality of the solution. This R&D is a precursor to later, scaled-up trials to demonstrate the value of a complete solution.