High-speed railroad is sensitive to heat and requires detailed care

High-speed railroad, running at the maximum speed of 350km. It’s quick and big but technically requires detailed care. As it is made up of delicate components, it is sensitive to ‘heat’. Motor, also called ‘traction motor’, among these components, especially requires attention because this is the place where the energy required for the train to move is created. If so, how can a train or an electric locomotive prepare against the sweltering heat? Let’s check out Hyundai Rotem’s ‘Class 220 Level’ traction motor, Korea’s first technology that catches ‘heat’.

Getting rid of the ‘heat’ that the train dislikes so much.

In closed spaces such as the train in summertime, temperature may go up to 60~70’C

Why does the train hate ‘heat’? When the train is on the move, the energy making equipment and surrounding equipment inevitably produce heat. Even when it’s not the humid and hot summer season, it can naturally heat up.

Unlike the air-conditioned passenger seats, summertime high-speed railroad equipment is highly heated

But things get serious in summer, when it gets sweltering hot. Heat from the outside is added onto the train while there is no outlet for the inside heat to escape as the train is running. The main train equipment may go up to 60~70’C. The reason why some trains error in summer is due to such heating up.

Hyundai Rotem developed a traction motor that can withstand up to 220’C by using a highly heat-resisting insulation material

Hyundai Rotem’s traction motor may be a solution that can allow the train to safely go on its way after the heavy rain season ends and the heat wave begins. ‘Traction motor’ is a motor that powers the whole train; it is like the heart of a train that produces the energy source. In summer, we sometimes see news about a train suddenly stopping between stations; many times, it’s because this traction motor is faulty and has lost its drive to go forward.

Why can’t we have a traction motor that operates well in high temperature? Hyundai Rotem’s answer to this question is the Class 220 insulation heat-resisting level traction motor. It was developed using a highly heat resisting insulation material; as the name says it all, it can withstand up to 220’C according to the international specification. Not only that, it assures normal operation as insulation function is maintained at around 220’C. Even if it’s unbearably hot, safe train operation is guaranteed with Hyundai Rotem’s Class 220 insulation heat-resisting level traction motor.

Traction motor increases energy efficiency while reducing cost.

Hyundai Rotem’s traction motor maximized its energy efficiency by reducing weight through the ‘light weight design’

Hyundai Rotem is Korea’s leading general heavy industry corporation that does railroad, defense, and plant businesses. It develops new products and new technology for the overall railroad industry. All products and all technologies pursue optimum high functioning devices for users and are developed with passenger safety and energy and cost efficiency in mind.

This traction motor reduced its weight by about 5% compared to the existing model through its ‘light weight design’, which allowed greater energy consumption efficiency required for operation. Hyundai Rotem’s new traction motor was developed to be implemented in electric locomotive for subways as well as high-speed trains such as KTX. Trains with this traction motor would have a greater energy efficiency and will in the long term reduce its maintenance and repair costs as well.

How far will Class 220 Level traction motor go?

Hyundai Rotem’s Indian subway train RS10 was designed to withstand Delhi’s heat

With Class 220 Level, Hyundai Rotem’s traction motor stands shoulder to shoulder with global producers in Europe and Japan such as, ABB, Siemens, Toshiba, Hitachi, Mitsubishi, etc. This particular development proved Hyundai Rotem’s level of technology to the world; it will especially shine bright in countries where summer is all year around. Hyundai Rotem has already supplied subway train RS10 to Delhi, India, specifically suited for the local weather by installing high capacity air conditioner and cooling fan inside the equipment box. Based on such experience and know-how, it plans aggressive export expansion in tropical areas such as the Southeast Asia, India, Tunisia, Egypt, etc.

So far, we have looked into the traction motor that could stand up to 220’C, developed by none other than Hyundai Rotem which has supplied over 10,000 traction motors specialized for railroad locomotives. It is said that they are near completion of a low noise cooling fan for traction motors which will have a 6dB lower noise level than existing ones. It looks like Hyundai Rotem will continue its various endeavor in the railroad industry to benefit the users.