Mobile device for heating a rail of a permanent way using infrared-radiation electric lamps, and associated heating method

A mobile device for heating a rail of a railroad track, comprising:

• at least one heating module comprising at least one heating zone and at least one radiating heat source which is oriented towards the heating zone;
• and a transport vehicle for transporting the heating module, the transport vehicle being provided with means for raising the portion of the rail located in the heating zone with respect to the railroad track, whereby the transport vehicle is capable of travelling along a railroad track in a laying direction, such that, at each moment, a portion of the rail of the railroad track not fixed to a crosstie of the railroad track is raised with respect to the railroad track and passes through the heating zone in an advance direction;
• the heating module comprising at least one heating unit, wherein the heating unit comprises a plurality of infrared radiation electric lamps which are distributed over the periphery of the heating zone and are oriented towards the heating zone, each of the infrared radiation electric lamps comprising at least one radiation source which is capable of emitting infrared radiation having a maximum power spectral density for a wavelength of less than 2 μm, and at least one primary reflector which is oriented so as to reflect the infrared radiation emitted by the radiation source towards the heating zone, the radiation source being arranged between the primary reflector and the heating zone, directly opposite the heating zone, the heating unit further comprising a secondary reflector having a concave reflective surface surrounding the heating zone, and capable of returning reflected rays, passing between the infrared radiation electric lamps, towards the heating zone with a reflectance greater than 80% in the spectral range of between 0.5 and 2 μm, wherein, in a cross section through a plane perpendicular to the advance direction, the reflective surface of the secondary reflector has a cross section in the shape of a circular arc having an angle of 180° or more centered on the heating zone, or a circular cross section, and a radius of curvature that is less than 160 mm and greater than 70 mm, and wherein the secondary reflector is provided with cutouts or stampings for accommodating the infrared radiation electric lamps, such that the secondary reflector extends between the infrared radiation electric lamps.