China is set to revolutionize high-speed rail travel with the latest developments of its CR450 prototype. Dubbed the world's fastest high-speed train, the CR450 has reached impressive speeds of 450 kilometers per hour during its ongoing tests and evaluations.
Engineers at the test center have meticulously managed the train's weight by installing sensors on the tracks. These sensors transmit real-time weight data for each of the eight wheels on both sides of every carriage to a sophisticated computer system. This precise monitoring allows for necessary adjustments, ensuring the train's optimal performance.
\"While reducing the weight, we must ensure that its strength does not decrease, and we even need to increase its strength because of the higher speed. It's just like a person who wants to slim down while building strength. This involves structural changes and material innovations,\" explained Chen Can, an associate researcher at the Locomotive and Vehicle Research Institute China Academy of Railway Sciences (CARS) Corporation Limited.
To minimize air resistance during high-speed operations, researchers have overcome challenges such as resonance and heat dissipation. For the first time, the entire bogie area beneath the train has been enclosed, enhancing aerodynamic efficiency.
\"Ensuring the smoothness of the entire train body minimizes resistance during operation,\" stated Ha Dalei, a senior designer at the National Engineering Research Center of Rail Transportation of China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) Changchun Railway Vehicles Co., Ltd.
The CR450 has successfully completed static and low-speed dynamic tests in traction, braking, and noise reduction. The next phase involves gradually increasing speeds during dynamic running tests. Currently, China stands alone in the world with commercial high-speed rail operations reaching 350 kilometers per hour, and the CR450 aims to push this boundary further.
Zhang Bo, director of the Locomotive and Vehicle Research Institute at CARS since 2018, highlighted the extensive efforts behind the CR450’s development. \"The team has spent years validating the technical feasibility, determining reasonable top-level technical standards, and setting the technical route. A 50-kilometer-per-hour speed increase may seem small, but overcoming the associated difficulties is significant,\" he noted. These advancements not only aim for higher speeds and safer operations but also focus on reducing drag and energy consumption, cutting vibrations and noise, and enhancing automation and lightweight design.
Technological innovations have allowed the CR450 to reduce drag by up to 22 percent, making the train body smoother and significantly improving aerodynamics. Zhang emphasized that while speed is a critical performance indicator for high-speed rail, its economic and environmental impacts are also carefully considered.
Reference(s):
Prototypes of China's new CR450 high-speed train undergo testing
cgtn.com
