Study of the temperature operating regime of a pneumatic suspension spring of high-speed railway rolling stock
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33216/1998-7927-2025-298-12-88-95Keywords:
high-speed rolling stock, air spring, thermal process, temperature, travel speed, track irregularityAbstract
The increase in operating speeds of railway rolling stock leads to higher requirements for the reliability of pneumatic suspension components, in particular rubber–cord shells of air springs, whose thermal condition significantly affects their durability and performance characteristics. This paper presents the results of a comprehensive study of the thermal operating regime of an air spring used in high-speed rolling stock under variable service loads. The features of air temperature variation in the air spring during thermodynamic compression and expansion processes arising from vertical oscillations of the car body and bogies of high-speed rolling stock are considered. The influence of operational factors on the development of thermal processes in the air spring is analyzed, and the patterns of air temperature fluctuations depending on train speed, amplitude of vertical track irregularities, and car body load are determined. The study is based on a thermodynamic model of air spring operation. A comparative analysis of the thermal regime under tare and gross load conditions is performed; the maximum values of air temperature variation are determined, and their relative differences are evaluated. It is established that the difference in the maximum air temperature variation between the considered operating modes does not exceed 5.5%, indicating a negligible influence of car body mass on the thermal operating regime of the air spring. The obtained results can be used to refine the thermal operating conditions of the rubber–cord shell of the air spring, as well as in further studies of the dynamic characteristics of pneumatic suspension systems of high-speed railway rolling stock. Practical implementation of the results contributes to improving the reliability and durability of air springs by stabilizing their thermal regime and reducing thermal loads on the rubber–cord shell. The application of the obtained data enables a substantiated assessment of the technical condition of air springs, optimization of maintenance intervals and scope, and minimization of the probability of failures of individual components during high-speed operation. This is an important factor in ensuring reliable, uninterrupted, and safe operation of railway transport.
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