INFLUENCE OF GLAZED FROST AND HOAR FROST ON THE INSTALLATIONS AND ELECTRIC MOTIVE POWER UNITS. TESTS IN THE LOW TEMPERATURE CABINET

This report contains the results of tests made in low temperature cabinets which have been carried out in 1962 in the Institute for Heating, Cooling and Fluid Dynamics (generally referred to as WKS, the initials of its German title) of the Austrian Federal Institution for Research and Experiments at Vienna and in the laboratory of the NS in Utrecht. The object of the tests was to determine those of the large number of preventive agents which brought about test pieces, having successively been coated with the most electric traction. The report describes the test installation developed for this purpose, in which tubular test pieces, having successively coated with the most diverse protective agents, have been subjected to icing under controlled conditions, resembling operating conditions as closely as possible. The following preventive agents were thus tested: water-soluble liquids (for reducing the freezing point and relieving the surface tension), water-repellent liquids (for example oils with or without additives), greases and pastes, solid materials, paints and sheathing materials. Subsequent to the icing of the test pieces, the quantity of the ice, the time necessary for the build-up of the ice and the shear forces required for removing the ice cover were measured. The results did not permit determination of one protective agent which either prevented the formation of ice or appreciably delayed it. Significant differences were, however, established regarding the values of the adhesion of the ice to the tube. Based on these results, which are of operational value, four preventive agents have been selected which should be used during the subsequent tests with complete pantographs in the dynamic test chamber of the WKS. Furthermore, tests were made with tubes fitted with an adjustable heating device, by means of which icing was prevented. Variation of some parameters made it possible to determine that heating output which just prevented icing of the tube. This showed the need for repeating these tests at various wind velocities in the dynamic test chamber. The tests and their results, collated in this report, form the basis of the tests which have meanwhile been carried out in the dynamic test chamber of the WKS and also that of future service tests and trials to be conducted on the systems of the Administrations.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Restrictions on the use of this document are contained in the explanatory material.
• Corporate Authors:

  International Union of Railways

  Office of Research and Experiments
  Utrecht,   Netherlands 
• Publication Date: 1963-6

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 23 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Antifreeze; Catenaries (Railroads); Cold weather; Equipment tests; Frost; Heating (Structures); Ice; Operations; Pantographs; Protective coatings; Tests
• Identifier Terms: Arsenal (Vienna, Austria); Nederlandse Spoorwegen
• Old TRIS Terms: Question a59; Test equipment
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00052804
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: International Union of Railways
• Report/Paper Numbers: A59/RP 1/E Intrm Rpt.
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 8 1994 12:00AM