Effect of Damper Between Maglev Vehicles on Curve Negotiation
In a magnetic train set composed of more than two cars, the installation of dampers between cars is carefully considered for improving both the ride quality and the safety, particularly during curve negotiation. In this study, a dynamic simulation of the ride quality and curve negotiation of a Maglev vehicle was carried out. The dynamic model is developed based on multibody dynamics. The presented full vehicle multibody dynamic model integrates the electromagnet model and its control algorithm. By using this model, the effects of the dampers are numerically analyzed. The proposed damper is installed on the vehicle and tested to analyze its effects. In this study, the simulation and measured results of the vehicle behavior and ride quality are discussed.
A lateral active suspension for conventional railway bogies
The present paper describes an active centring system for railway vehicles. The proposed solution is based on lateral pneumatic actuators placed between bogie and car body connected to the vertical secondary suspension air springs. The objective of the developed centring system is twofold: the improvement of the curving behaviour of the train and the decrease of the lateral acceleration perceived by the passenger in curve negotiation thanks to the reduction of the ‘souplesse’ coefficient. The system is described in detail in the paper. Results from simulations are included considering a bidimensional model of the vehicle, and a detailed model of the air spring and control valves. The performance in curve negotiation of a vehicle equipped with this system and a conventional one is compared. Specifically, lateral displacements of the secondary suspension, roll angle and lateral accelerations are analysed. The results show noticeable performance improvements in the vehicle curving behaviour. The proposed centring system can be implemented in a conventional bogie without special design requirements; and due to the low air consumption, additional pressurised reservoirs are not required.
Numerical tools applied to power reactor noise analysis
In order to be able to calculate the space- and frequency-dependent neutron noise in real inhomogeneous systems in two-group theory, a code was developed for the calculation of the Green's function (dynamic transfer function) of such systems. This paper reports on the development as well as the test and application of the numerical tools employed. The code that was developed yields the space-dependence of the fluctuations of the neutron flux induced by fluctuating properties of the medium in the two-group diffusion approximation and in a two-dimensional representation of heterogeneous systems, for both critical systems and non-critical systems with an external source. Some applications of these tools to power reactor noise analysis are then described, including the unfolding of the parameters of the noise source from the induced neutron noise, measured at a few discrete locations throughout the core. Other concrete applications concern the study of the space-dependence of the Decay Ratio in Boiling Water Reactors, the noise-based estimation of the Moderator Temperature Coefficient of reactivity in Pressurized Water Reactors, the modeling of the beam- and shell-mode core-barrel vibrations in Pressurized Water Reactors, and the investigation of the validity of the point-kinetic approximation in subcritical systems driven by an external source. In most of these applications, calculations performed using the code are compared with at-power plant measurements. Power reactor noise analysis applications of the above type, i.e. core monitoring without disturbing plant operation, is of particular interest in the framework of the extensive program of power uprates worldwide.