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CSIRO prototype to replace electricity
lines for trams
An energy management system prototype that has the potential to replace overhead electricity lines for trams has been built at CSIRO’s Lindfield site in Sydney.
Rail | News
Rail receives
$7.9b in Budget
The Federal Government’s $7.9 billion investment to rail announced in the 2018-19 Budget is supported by the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) and noted as a significant boost to the rail sector.
“The ARA acknowledges the Government’s commitment to both passenger and freight rail in our cities and in our
regions, enhancing our national and
local economies, providing greater
job opportunities for Australians and improving liveability in our cities,” said ARA CEO, Danny Broad.
“With this significant pipeline of work over the next decade, it is imperative that Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments work collaboratively
with industry to identify the long-term labour skills required, ensuring training methodologies are leading edge, as well as enhancing traineeship and apprenticeship opportunities and capabilities.
“If we do not get this right and invest now in the skills needed tomorrow, we will be putting the cart before the horse, resulting in projects not being delivered on time, delays and congestion to our networks – ultimately not solving the problems we are there to fix.”
New training centre for rail engineering
A new Australian Research Council (ARC) industrial transformation research training centre will create innovative engineering solutions and products to position Australia as a global research and development leader in rail engineering, and grow the construction and manufacturing businesses that service our rail industry into the future.
The new research training centre is receiving $3.9 million over four years through the
ARC scheme to equip the next generation
of engineers with the knowledge and skills imperative to design, maintain and upgrade Australia’s vital rail infrastructure, and secure a vibrant rail industry into the future.
“Headquartered at the University of Wollongong, the ARC Training Centre
for Advanced Technologies in Rail Track Infrastructure draws together another 8 Australian universities, along with 13 national and international partner organisations to address major railway challenges,” said Professor Sue Thomas ARC’s CEO.
“Working collaboratively, their research
focus will enable the transformation of Australia’s rail construction and maintenance technologies through specialist training of industry focused researchers.
“This unique training centre will develop railway professionals that will be fully ‘industry ready’, who can create innovative engineering
solutions to enhance railway performance and extend infrastructure longevity.
The University of Wollongong will work together with partnering universities: The University of Sydney; Swinburne University of Technology; Monash University; The University of Queensland; The University of Newcastle; Queensland University of Technology; Curtin University; and Western Sydney University.
The universities will partner with 13 industry partner organisations: Australasian Centre for Rail Innovation Ltd; Metro Trains Melbourne Pty. Ltd.; Bridgestone Corporation; Geofrontiers Group Pty. Ltd.; Smec Australia Pty. Ltd.; Ecoflex International Pty. Ltd.;
China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co. Ltd.; Innovative Technology Beijing Nurock Technology Pty. Ltd.; Tensar International Ltd; Elastoplastic concrete Pty. Ltd.; Boral construction materials Ltd; Polyfabrics Australasia Pty. Ltd.
This first full sized prototype unit is a result of a Rail Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) project involving CSIRO and
the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) which is looking into the use of supercapacitors to power light rail tram vehicles.
Traditional trams are powered by overhead electricity lines, which is referred to as the catenary system. A catenary free rail system uses an onboard energy storage system to power rail, which requires high enough energy density to travel between tram stations and high enough power density, in the order of several megawatts, to enable rapid charging and then acceleration of the vehicle from the tram stop.
The prototype unit has been transported to China with the CRRC project team now
working to manufacture the design.
On a working tram, it is expected that each vehicle will require numerous energy management system units.
CSIRO has partnered with CRRC on a suite of supercapacitor projects being overseen by the Rail Manufacturing CRC, an Australian Government Business Cooperative Research Centres Program initiative that connects industry with Australian research institutions.
Initial project deliverables focus on developing the system architecture for cell balancing, charge and discharge profiles, and communications between the onboard system and the platform using commercially available supercapacitors, which, unlike batteries, have the ability to charge and discharge very quickly for potentially 100,000 cycles.
Rail Manufacturing CRC’s CEO Dr Stuart Thomson said this project was an example of how developing new technologies
and knowledge is enhancing the rail manufacturing industry’s competitiveness.
“This project is a truly global collaboration which demonstrates the benefits of multinational organisations working with leading Australian research institutions,” said Dr Thomson.
www.saea.com.au
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