Method and system for estimating temperature-related forces in railway lines
AssigneeKB Signaling Inc.
InventorJeffrey Fries
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system are for estimating forces in rails of a railway line which are due to the temperatures of the rails. Values of the electrical resistance of one rail of a railway track section are calculated. Based on the calculated values of the electrical resistance for the rail, corresponding values of the temperature of the rail can be estimated, and based on the estimated values of the temperature of the rail, estimated values of forces acting in the rail due to the temperature values can be estimated.
Claims13
A method for estimating forces in rails of a railway line which are due to temperatures of the rails, the method comprising:
- injecting one or more electrical signals into at least one rail of at least one track section via a transmitter of a track circuit coupled to the at least one track section and receiving the injected one or more electrical signals at a receiver of said track circuit that is spaced apart from the transmitter;
- calculating one or more values of an electrical resistance of the at least one rail of the at least one track section of the railway line;
- based on the one or more calculated values of the electrical resistance for the at least one rail, estimating one or more corresponding values of a temperature of said at least one rail;
- and
- based on the one or more estimated values of the temperature of the at least one rail, estimating one or more values of forces acting in the at least one rail due to the one or more temperature values estimated for the at least one rail.
A control system for estimating forces in rails of a railway line which are due to the rails temperatures, the control system comprising:
- a transmitter adapted to transmit along at least one rail of at least one track section one or more electrical signals;
- a receiver positioned spaced apart from the transmitter along the at least one rail and configured to receive the one or more electrical signals transmitted by the transmitter;
- and
- at least a controller, wherein the controller is configured to calculate one or more values of an electrical resistance of the at least one rail of the at least one track section of the railway line, based on the one or more calculated values of the electrical resistance for the at least one rail of the at least one track section, estimate one or more corresponding actual values of a temperature of said at least one rail, and based on the one or more estimated values of the temperature of the at least one rail, estimate one or more values of forces acting in the at least one rail due to the one or more temperature values estimated for the at least one rail.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.