Determination of braking force on the aerodynamic brake by numerical simulations

• Main Authors: Puharić Mirjana, Matić Dušan, Linić Suzana, Ristić Slavica, Lučanin Vojkan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Belgrade - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Belgrade 2014-01-01
• Series: FME Transactions
• Subjects: aerodynamic brake; train; aerodynamic drag
• Online Access: https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/1451-2092/2014/1451-20921402106P.pdf

This work presents the research results of the aerodynamic brake influence, mounted on the high-speed train's roof, on the flow field and overall braking force. The train consists of two locomotives at each end and four passenger cars between, with 121m of overall length. Aerodynamic brakes are designed to generate braking force by means of increasing the aerodynamic drag by opened panels over the train. Flow simulations were made by Fluent 12.1 software, for the train without and with one, two and three aerodynamic brakes, and velocities of 30, 50 and 70m/s. Drag force per unit panel area was determined as a function of train's velocity and the brake position. Contributions to train's gross braking force of each brake, obtained by simulations were: for first 24%, for second 15% and third 14.8%, and showed, also with panels' pressure distribution, good correlation with the aerodynamic drag calculations for flat plate orthogonally disposed to flow stream.