EP2890848B1 - Rail assembly comprising a rail switch and heat exchanger arrangement for heating the rail switch - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a rail switch arrangement, with a rail switch and a heat exchanger arrangement for a heating system for heating the rail switch. Railroad switches or points are by definition track constructions for track evaluation and association.

Turnouts are incorporated in track-guided traffic to branch railways, to turn sideways or swerve, to allow overtaking, to bypass sections etc. So switches are track structures, the rail vehicles allow the transition from one track to another track without interruption. In this case, moving parts of a switch are moved back and forth, thus initiating a change of direction within tracks.

The special feature of switches is, among other things, that a tongue rail (also called tongue for short) depending on the desired position of the switch on a stock rail (also called Vignol rail) created or held away from it. The tongue rail glides over at least one slide chair with a Gleitstuhlplatte. The Gleitstuhlplatte is an increased contact surface in the area of the sliding chair on which the tongue rail can reciprocate.

Especially in Eastern Europe and the CIS countries, a variant of the sliding chair is common, which is not manufactured or executed in one piece. In this variant of the sliding chair, the Gleitstuhlplatte for the management of a stock rail and a base plate for the attachment of a stock rail are made separately and then connected together. The connection between Gleitstuhlplatte and base plate can be made approximately positive, non-positive or cohesive.

It is important to have points with the highest possible availability. If things do not work properly, the operator incurs unreasonably high costs due to delay minutes and diversions or detours. To ensure the availability and functionality of turnouts even at low temperatures, turnouts are often equipped with heaters or heating systems, in particular to prevent icing of moving parts.

Efforts are being made to replace high-maintenance switches with low-maintenance ones, but the heaters and lubrication points on drives, locks and hinges remain as maintenance points.

There are points heaters that are operated with hot water, hot steam, gas, electric or with heat pumps. The maintenance and repair is very complex and costly and therefore not very desirable for the operator. In addition to the increased risk potential, it is also a fact that ice and snow removal with the known systems consumes enormous energy and maintenance costs.

The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of point heaters depends largely on the heat transfer between the heating cables and the switch parts to be heated.

There is already known a heat exchanger arrangement for a heating system for heating a rail switch by means of a hot water circulation heating ( DE 298 06 814 U1 ). Also known is a heat exchanger arrangement for a heating system for heating a rail switch by means of an electrically heated rod-shaped heating element known, wherein at least one heat exchanger is mounted in contact with a sliding chair ( DE 2 102 929 A1 ).

From the DE 202005021255 U1 and the EP 1 645 688 A2 a heating device with a fastened on a rail side, frontally closed cover box is known, which extends substantially between the rail head and rail foot and are arranged in the heating elements, which are in communication with a heating device provided outside the cover box. The heating elements are formed in the cover by at least two, a liquid heating medium, preferably water, leading channels, which are embedded in a rail profile adapted body of good heat conducting material, preferably aluminum. The cover box is thermally insulated and sealed against the rail head and the rail foot and provided on its inside with a Wärmeisoliermantel.

From the EP 0247693 A1 it is known to heat the rail feet of the switch in the region of the tongue device from below by means of a special metallic line block for heated liquids.

The WO 2009/109664 A1 describes a heating system for heating railroad crossings, in which a fluid-flow heating cable with at least one wall in heat-conducting contact with a rail part and is connected to a conduit system which preferably draws heat from the ground via a circulating liquid.

The heating system according to the WO 2009/109664 A1 has shown that known devices for winter operation of turnouts not in all weather conditions ensure sufficient operational readiness. This results in additional maintenance costs for the operator, in addition to the costs due to schedule deviations, as well as unreasonably high costs due to delay minutes and diversions or detours.

The object of the invention is to enable a high operational readiness of railroad points even under difficult climatic conditions. Here, a rail switch arrangement is to be provided, which are easy to manufacture and easy to assemble and allows efficient heating operation.

The object is achieved by a rail switch arrangement according to claim 1. Further developments and preferred embodiments will become apparent from the dependent claims.

According to the invention, a rail switch arrangement is provided with a heat exchanger arrangement for a heating system for heating a rail switch by means of a flowable heating medium. The rail switch includes at least one sliding chair. At least one heat exchanger is mounted in heat-transferring contact with the at least one sliding chair on the at least one sliding chair. Thus, heat can be transferred directly from the heat exchanger to the slide chair to heat these and thus thermally conductively connected components. A heat-transferring contact may mean a thermally conductive contact. It is conceivable that a heat-transferring contact is mediated directly or indirectly via a thermally conductive intermediate element with good thermal conductivity, for example via a thermal compound. A rail switch may include switch rails, such as stock rails and tongue rails. Weichenschienen can be assigned in each case at least one sliding chair. Each slide chair can be assigned at least or exactly one heat exchanger arrangement. A slide chair plate may be generally configured to movably support a tongue rail and / or to hold a stock rail on its side of the associated tongue rail. For baking rails different profile shapes are known. In Western Europe the profiles S49, S54 and UIC-60 are common, whereas in Eastern Europe and Russia the higher profile S65 resp. R65 is common. The innovation is not limited to the mentioned profile shapes, but is suitable for all common switch rails, such as jaws rails (also called Vignole rails), grooved rails or tongue rails.

The heat exchanger arrangement, in particular the heat exchanger can be fed to a heating medium, via which heat is supplied. The heat exchanger in each case the heat is supplied to the sliding chair, wherein the heat exchanger is in heat-conducting contact with at least one surface of the Gleitstuhlplatte and / or at least one surface of the base plate in heatable or can be brought.

The at least one slide chair may include a slide chair plate and a base plate. The base plate may be attached to a fixed base such as a rail tie. It is conceivable that the Gleitstuhlplatte is attached to the base plate. In particular, the Gleitstuhlplatte can be arranged above the base plate, about to provide an increased storage for a switch tongue and / or to clamp a rail of a stock rail from above or can hold. Between the Gleitstuhlplatte and the base plate may be formed a recess or a receiving space. Such a receiving space may be formed by a recess in the Gleitstuhlplatte and / or a recess in the base plate. It is conceivable that the recess in the Gleitstuhlplatte is formed on the base plate to the directed side of the Gleitstuhlplatte and / or is open at the bottom. The heat exchanger may generally be fastened or attachable to the slide chair via a suitable fastening device, in particular on the slide chair plate and / or the base plate. The fastening device may comprise, for example, a screwing and / or gluing and / or riveting and / or welding and / or a soldering and / or another suitable device.

The heat exchanger of the heat exchanger arrangement can preferably be arranged below the slide chair plate of the at least one slide chair. In this case, arranged in a bottom open recess in the Gleitstuhlplatte heat exchanger can be regarded as arranged below the Gleitstuhlplatte.

According to the invention, the heat exchanger is accommodated in a receiving space. The receiving space is formed by at least one recess in the Gleitstuhlplatte and at least one recess in the base plate. At least one heat conducting element may be arranged or arrangeable between the at least one heat exchanger and the slide chair plate and / or between the at least one heat exchanger and the base plate. When Heat-conducting element can be provided about a thermal paste and / or a suitable device with good thermal conductivity. Such a heat-conducting element may in particular consist of a metal or a metal alloy, for example of copper or brass. The at least one heat exchanger may be arranged in at least one recess in the Gleitstuhlplatte or be arrangeable. Thus, a space-saving installation is possible. The heat exchanger may be attached to a wall of the recess and / or on the base plate.

In particular, at least one heat conducting element between the at least one heat exchanger and the Gleitstuhlplatte can be arranged or arranged in the recess in the Gleitstuhlplatte. Via the heat-conducting element, a good heat conduction can be ensured. The heat-conducting element may be a heat-conducting element described above.

It may be a thermal insulation element between the at least one heat exchanger and a railway sleeper arranged or be arranged on which the sliding chair is attached or attachable. In this way, an undesirable heat transfer from the heat exchanger over the threshold can be prevented or reduced. The threshold may be a pad to which in particular a base plate of the sliding chair may be attached.

In a development, it may be provided that the at least one heat exchanger is supplied with heat medium via connection lines or can be supplied. The connecting lines can be part of a heating system. The connecting lines can be connected or connectable to the heat exchanger via suitable fluid connection devices, which can be provided on the heat exchanger and / or the connecting lines.

In particular, the connecting lines may be formed as hose lines or pipelines. Thus, easy to install and manufactured connecting lines can be used.

In general, the at least one heat exchanger may comprise a main body, at least one lid, at least one fastening element, at least one connection and at least one channel. In particular, the use of a main body with cover can contribute to simplified installation, especially with regard to the connection of connecting lines.

In the mounted state of the heat exchanger on the sliding chair, it is advantageous to provide the contact surface between the heat exchanger and sliding chair, preferably between heat exchanger and recess of the Gleitstuhlplatte and / or recess of the base plate with a heat conducting element to ensure a good heat transfer from the heat exchanger to the sliding chair. Gluing the heat exchanger with the sliding chair can cause the same due to the different thermal expansion coefficients of the heat exchanger and the sliding chair to harmful voltages in the heat exchanger to the destruction thereof. Disassembly of the heat exchanger for maintenance is facilitated if the heat exchanger and the slide chair with Gleitstuhlplatte and base plate are not glued together.

The heat exchanger preferably comprises the following elements: at least one main body, at least one cover, at least one fastening element, at least one connection and at least one channel through which the heating medium can flow. For better sealing between the main body and lid optionally at least one sealing element between the main body and lid is arranged.

The at least one connection for the connecting lines can be arranged in the main body of the heat exchanger or in the cover of the heat exchanger.

As an optional sealing element between the cover and the main body of the heat exchanger, a hardening liquid sealant or an elastomer-based sealing element is provided. The sealing element is preferably arranged on the contact surfaces of the lid and the main body. In a further embodiment, the at least one fastening element may comprise at least one sealing element.

In the mounted state of the heat exchanger, it is also advantageous to arrange the heat exchanger in a cavity which comprises a recess in the Gleitstuhlplatte and a recess in the base plate. Alternatively, the heat exchanger may be arranged in a cavity which consists only of the recess in the Gleitstuhlplatte. Due to the encapsulation of the heat exchanger in the recesses of Gleitstuhlplatte and base plate provide optimum protection of the heat exchanger from mechanical and corrosive environmental influences. The heat exchanger is detachably fixed in the sliding chair and thus accessible for repair and service measures.

The at least one heat exchanger of the heat exchanger arrangement is mounted in at least one recess in the Gleitstuhlplatte and at least one recess in the base plate or can be arranged. Advantageously, the arrangement of at least one heat conducting element between the at least one heat exchanger and the at least one recess in the Gleitstuhlplatte and between the at least one heat exchanger and the at least one recess in the base plate.

The at least one heat exchanger of the heat exchanger arrangement can furthermore be attached or arranged in at least one recess in the slide chair plate. It is advantageous to arrange at least one heat-conducting element between the at least one heat exchanger and the at least one recess in the Gleitstuhlplatte.

On the slide chair between the heat exchanger and the railway sleeper (also called turnout threshold), a heat insulating element can be arranged. This thermal insulation element may consist of commercially available insulating materials for thermal insulation, such as mineral fibers such as rock wool, glass wool or organic foams such as polyethylene, polystyrene, polyurethane or materials whose volume consists for the most part (about 80 vol%) of pores.

The at least one heat exchanger may consist of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Aluminum and its alloys are well suited for the production of castings, especially die castings. In addition, aluminum is known to have a good thermal conductivity, whereby it is well suited as a material for a heat exchanger. Other materials with good thermal conduction properties can also be used as materials for the heat exchanger, in particular highly thermally conductive metals and their alloys, such as copper or brass.

There may also be provided a heat system for a rail switch with at least one heat transfer assembly described herein. In particular, a plurality of heat exchanger arrangements can be interconnected to form a heating system. The heating system may further comprise a heating circuit, wherein the heating circuit a primary circuit and a secondary circuit may include. As a heat source for the heating medium in the primary cycle preferably renewable energy, such as geothermal, are used. The heating medium in the secondary circuit is heated by the primary circuit by means of a primary-secondary heat exchanger. About connecting lines of the secondary circuit, which may be formed as pipe or hose lines, the heat exchanger of the heating system are supplied with the temperature-controlled heating medium.

The rail switch assembly may include stock rails and tongue rails. Furthermore, the rail switch arrangement can have a plurality of sliding chairs. At least one of the sliding chairs, a plurality of sliding chairs or even all of the sliding chairs may each be assigned at least one heat exchanger arrangement described herein.

Fig. 1

eine Draufsicht der Wärmeübertrageranordnung im Bereich der Gleitstühle,

Fig. 2

eine Draufsicht eines Gleitstuhls mit daran angeordnetem Wärmeübertrager,

Fig. 3a

eine Seitenansicht des Wärmeübertragers,

Fig. 3b

eine Schnittansicht des Wärmeübertragers,

Fig. 3c

eine Draufsicht des Wärmeübertragers,

Fig. 4a

eine erste Schnittansicht des Gleitstuhls mit darin angeordnetem Wärmeübertrager,

Fig. 4b

eine zweite Schnittansicht des Gleitstuhls mit darin angeordnetem Wärmeübertrager und

Fig. 4c

eine Draufsicht des Gleitstuhls mit darin angeordnetem Wärmeübertrager.

The invention will be explained below with reference to drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

a top view of the heat exchanger assembly in the field of Gleitstühle,

Fig. 2

a top view of a sliding chair with arranged thereon heat exchanger,

Fig. 3a

a side view of the heat exchanger,

Fig. 3b

a sectional view of the heat exchanger,

Fig. 3c

a top view of the heat exchanger,

Fig. 4a

a first sectional view of the sliding chair with arranged therein heat exchanger,

Fig. 4b

a second sectional view of the sliding chair with arranged therein heat exchanger and

Fig. 4c

a plan view of the sliding chair with arranged therein heat exchanger.

The FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a designed as a heat system heat exchanger system on the sliding chairs 4 with Gleitstuhlplatten 5 and base plate 6. The heat exchanger system comprises a plurality of heat exchanger assemblies, each having a heat exchanger 10, wherein a heating medium via connecting lines 12 through the heat exchanger 10 flows or is able to flow.

The connecting lines 12 are each connected via connections 11 with associated heat exchanger 10. Shown is in Fig. 1 a series connection of the heat exchanger 10, but it is also a parallel connection of the heat exchanger 10 possible. In such a parallel connection, the heat exchanger 10 can not be supplied in succession, but in parallel with the heat medium, such as a star connection. The connecting lines 12 as well as the heat exchangers 10 integrated in the sliding chairs 4 are below the tongue rail 2. The sliding chairs are mounted on commercially available railway or switch sleepers 3, wherein the threshold beispielswese steel (sleepers, type Y), softwood (pine and larch), Hardwood (beech and oak), prestressed concrete or plastic can be executed.

The FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a sliding chair 4 with disposed thereon heat exchanger 10 with connecting lines 12 and terminals 11. The heat exchanger 10 is integrated into the slide chair 4. The heating medium flows through the connecting lines 12 and the connected via the terminals 11 heat exchanger 10 and outputs the heat from the heat exchanger 10 to the sliding chair 4 from. The heat exchanger is via the recess 7 of the Gleitstuhlplatte 5 and / or the recess 8 of the base plate 6 in heat-conducting contact with the slide chair. 4

The FIGS. 3a to 3c show a heat exchanger 10 in side view, sectional view and plan view, wherein Fig. 3b the sectional view along the axis AA Fig. 3a represents. The heat exchanger 10 comprises a main body 20 and a lid 21, which is attached to the main body 20 via at least one fastening element 22. For better sealing between the main body 20 and the cover 21, a sealing element (not shown) is optionally arranged between the main body 20 and the cover 21.

The heat exchanger 10 pass through channels 23, through which the heating medium is passed. The heat exchanger 10 is advantageously carried out of a good heat conducting material to promote the heat transfer from the heating medium to the slide chair 4. Preferably, the main body 20 and the lid 21 of the heat exchanger 10 are made of aluminum or aluminum alloys. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the heat medium flows into the heat exchanger via one of the two connections 11, is directed in the direction of the cover in the channel 23, flows in the region of the cover 21 via a cross connection 24 into the further channel 23 and leaves the heat exchanger 10 via the further connection 11. The channels 23 are preferably formed by drilling in the main body 20. In the Fig. 3b shown channels 23 can be drilled or milled, with the diameter of the holes overlap. Preferably, the holes for manufacturing reasons have different diameters. Alternatively, the main body 20 and the lid 21 may be manufactured by the casting method.

The FIG. 4a shows a first sectional view of the sliding chair 4 with arranged therein heat exchanger 10. The illustrated with a dashed line stock rail 1 is arranged on the base plate 6 of the sliding chair 4. The slide chair 4 comprises the base plate 6 and a Gleitstuhlplatte 5, wherein the Gleitstuhlplatte 5 rests on the base plate 6 and the Gleitstuhlplatte 5, the base plate 6 contacted to the support surface 9. The recess 7 of the Gleitstuhlplatte 5 and the recess 8 of the base plate 6 together form a cavity in which the heat exchanger 10 is arranged and the heat exchanger 10, the base plate 6 and the Gleitstuhlplatte 5 contacted.

The heat of the heating medium is transferred via the heat exchanger 10, which is formed essentially of the main body 20 and cover 21, on the slide chair 4, in particular on the base plate 6 and / or the Gleitstuhlplatte 5. Advantageous for the heat transfer is the arrangement of a (not shown) heat conduction between the heat exchanger 10 and slide chair 4 and between the recess 7 of the Gleitstuhlplatte 5 and the recess 8 of the base plate 6 and the heat exchanger 10th

The FIG. 4b The sectional view shows in particular the position of the main body 20 of the heat exchanger 10 in the slide chair 4. The recess 7 of the Gleitstuhlplatte 5 and the recess 8 of the base plate 6 together form a cavity in which the heat exchanger 10 is arranged. In the heat exchanger 10 are the channels 23, through which the heating medium is passed. The channels 23 are preferably formed by holes in the main body 20.

The Figure 4c shows a plan view of the sliding chair 4 with the therein heat exchanger 10. The recess 7 of the Gleitstuhlplatte 5 and the recess 8 of the base plate 6 together form a cavity which receives the heat exchanger 10. The heat exchanger 10 is supplied via arranged on him connecting lines 12 with the heating medium.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

stock rail

2

tongue rail

3

sleeper

4

A slide

5

slide chair

6

baseplate

7

Recess slide chair plate

8th

Recess base plate

9

bearing surface

10

Heat exchanger

11

connection

12

connecting line

20

main body

21

cover

22

fastener

23

channel

24

cross connection

Claims (9)

1. Rail switch arrangement having a rail switch and a heat exchanger arrangement for a heating system for heating the rail switch by means of a flowable heating medium, the rail switch comprising at least one slide chair (4), at least one heat exchanger (10) being attached to the at least one slide chair (4) in heat-transferring contact with the at least one slide chair (4), the at least one slide chair (4) comprising a slide chair plate (5) and a base plate (6), characterized in that the at least one heat exchanger (10) is accommodated in a receiving space which is formed by at least one recess (7) in the slide chair plate (5) and at least one recess (8) in the base plate (6).
2. Rail switch arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one heat conducting element is arranged between the at least one heat exchanger (10) and the sliding chair plate (5) and/or between the at least one heat exchanger (10) and the base plate (6).
3. Rail switch arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one heat exchanger (10) is mounted in the at least one recess (7) in the sliding chair plate (5).
4. Rail switch arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one heat conducting element is mounted in the recess (7) in the slide chair plate (5) between the at least one heat exchanger (10) and the slide chair plate (5).
5. Rail switch arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that a thermal insulation element is arrangable between the at least one heat exchanger (10) and a railway sleeper (3) to which the slide chair is attached.
6. Rail switch arrangement according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the at least one heat exchanger (10) is supplyable with a heat medium via connecting lines (12).
7. Rail switch arrangement according to claim 6, characterized in that the connecting lines (12) are in the form of hose lines or pipelines.
8. Rail switch arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one heat exchanger (10) comprises a main body (20), at least one cover (21), at least one fastening element (22), at least one connection (11) and at least one channel (23).
9. Rail switch arrangement according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one heat exchanger (10) consists of aluminium or an aluminium alloy.

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