Numerical study on wake characteristics of high-speed trains

Intensive turbulence exists in the wakes of high speed trains, and the aerodynamic performance of the trailing car could deteriorate rapidly due to complicated features of the vortices in the wake zone. As a result, the safety and amenity of high speed trains would face a great challenge. This paper considers mainly the mechanism of vortex formation and evolution in the train flow field. A real CRH2 model is studied, with a leading car, a middle car and a trailing car included. Different running speeds and cross wind conditions are considered, and the approaches of un- steady Reynold-averaged Navier-Stokes （URANS） and de- tached eddy simulation （DES） are utilized, respectively. Re- suits reveal that DES has better capability of capturing small eddies compared to URANS. However, for large eddies, the effects of two approaches are almost the same. In conditions without cross winds, two large vortex streets stretch from the train nose and interact strongly with each other in the wake zone. With the reinforcement of the ground, a complicated wake vortex system generates and becomes strengthened as the running speed increases. However, the locations of flow separations on the train surface and the separation mechanism keep unchanged. In conditions with cross winds, three large vortices develop along the leeward side of the train, among which the weakest one has no obvious influence on the wake flow while the other two stretch to the tail of the train and combine with the helical vortices in the train wake. Thus, optimization of the aerodynamic performance of the trailing car should be aiming at reducing the intensity of the wake vortex system.

Sintering behavior of Cr in different atmospheres and its effect on the microstructure and properties of copper-based composite materials

Copper matrix composites consisting of chromium （Cr） or ferrochrome （Cr-Fe） as strengthening elements and molybdenum disulfide as a lubricant had been sintered in nitrogen and hydrogen atmosphere, respectively. Their morphology and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry （EDS） analysis showed that serious interaction occurred between MoS2 and Cr （or Cr-Fe） particles when the samples were sintered in hydrogen atmosphere. Chromium sulfide compound （CrxSy） was formed as a reaction product, which decreased the density and strength of the composites remarkably. This interaction was inhibited when the samples were sintered in nitrogen atmosphere; thus, the mechanical properties of the composites were improved.

Aerodynamic design on high-speed trains

Compared with the traditional train,the operational speed of the high-speed train has largely improved,and thedynamicenvironmentofthetrainhaschangedfromoneof mechanical domination to one of aerodynamic domination.The aerodynamic problem has become the key technological challenge of high-speed trains and significantl affects the economy,environment,safety,and comfort.In this paper,the relationships among the aerodynamic design principle,aerodynamic performance indexes,and design variables are firs studied,and the research methods of train aerodynamics are proposed,including numerical simulation,a reducedscale test,and a full-scale test.Technological schemes of train aerodynamics involve the optimization design of the streamlined head and the smooth design of the body surface.Optimization design of the streamlined head includes conception design,project design,numerical simulation,and a reduced-scale test.Smooth design of the body surface is mainly used for the key parts,such as electric-current collecting system,wheel truck compartment,and windshield.The aerodynamic design method established in this paper has been successfully applied to various high-speed trains（CRH380A,CRH380 AM,CRH6,CRH2 G,and the Standard electric multiple unit（EMU）） that have met expected design objectives.The research results can provide an effective guideline for the aerodynamic design of high-speed trains.

Multi-objective optimization of the streamlined head of high-speed trains based on the Kriging model

As the running speed of high-speed trains increases, aerodynamic drag becomes the key factor which limits the further increase of the running speed and energy consumption. Aerodynamic lift of the trailing car also becomes the key force which affects the amenity and safety of the train. In the present paper, a simplified CRH380A high-speed train with three carriages is chosen as the model in order to optimize aerodynamic drag of the total train and aerodynamic lift of the trailing car. A constrained mul- ti-objective optimization design of the aerodynamic head shape of high-speed trains based on adaptive non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm is also developed combining local function three-dimensional parametric approach and central Latin hypercube sampling method with maximin criteria based on the iterative local search algorithm. The results show that local function parametric approach can be well applied to optimal design of complex three-dimensional aerodynamic shape, and the adaptive non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm can be more accurate and efficient to find the Pareto front. After optimization the aerodynamic drag of the simplified train with three carriages is reduced by 3.2%, and the lift coefficient of the trailing car by 8.24%, the volume of the streamlined head by 2.16%; the aerodynamic drag of the real prototype CRH380A is reduced by 2.26%, lift coefficient of the trailing car by 19.67%. The variation of aerodynamic performance between the simplified train and the true train is mainly concentrated in the deformation region of the nose cone and tail cone. The optimization approach proposed in the present paper is simple yet efficient, and sheds lights on the constrained multi-objective engineering optimization design of aerodynamic shape of high-speed trains.

Rail temperature rise characteristics caused by linear eddy current brake of high-speed train

The rail temperature rises when the linear eddy current brake of high-speed train is working, which may lead to a change of rail physical characteristics or an effect on train operations. Therefore, a study concerning the characteristics of rail temperature rise caused by eddy current has its practical necessity. In the research, the working principle of a linear eddy current brake is introduced and its FEA model is established. According to the generation mechanism of eddy current, the theoretical formula of the internal energy which is produced by the eddy current is deduced and the thermal load on the rail is obtained. ANSYS is used to simulate the rail temperature changes under different conditions of thermal loads. The research result shows the main factors which contribute to the rising of rail temperature are the train speed, brake gap and exciting current. The rail temperature rises non-linearly with the in- crease of train speed. The rail temperature rise curve is more sensitive to the exciting current than the air gap. Moreover, the difference stimulated by temperature rising between rails of 60 kg/m and 75 kg/m is presented as well.