MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Transcription

1 National University Rail Center MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY Undergraduate Research Projects Pasi Lautala and David Nelson, Michigan Technological University NURail Annual Meeting Chicago, IL June 3-4, 2015 Slide 1

2 Overview Senior Design / Enterprise structure Diverse projects and students Center Beam Railcar Conversion UP Shunt Wayne Industries Warehouse Plan Ongoing and Future Projects Slide 2

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4 Senior Design / Enterprise Structure Slide 4 Senior Design Typically a two-semester program Term I: Research, design, and analysis Term II: Prototype construction and validation Teams of 4-6 students (all seniors, but potentially from multiple disciplines) Industry sponsored Enterprise Undergraduate student-driven companies ( students working on multiple projects) 25 enterprises in various departments 2+ year program Potential for multiyear projects Industry sponsored

5 Project Coordination Weekly progress meeting: -Status updates -RFI Responses RFI submitted to faculty and industry advisors 48 hrs prior to weekly meeting Meeting minutes and action items circulated day after progress meeting. Project Work Slide 5

6 Recent / Current Student Projects Project Majors Sponsor Locomotive Sand Level Sensor EE Union Pacific Type E Coupler Redesign ME, MSE, CE RTP (Amsted, BNSF, TTCI) Grade Crossing Surface Perf. Evaluation CM, CE MDOT RTP Promo Video HU, SBE RTP Intelligent Grade Crossing Signal Maintainer EE Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern Centerbeam Rail Car Conversion & Box car ME RTP (E&LS) insulation TEN Market Study EE, SBE Tech Exp. Network System to Measure the Effectiveness of a EE Union Pacific Rail Shunt Wayne Industries Warehouse Expansion CEE Wayne Industries Slide 6

7 Locomotive Sand Level Sensing Dangerous conditions o Wet, slippery, high risk of falling Wasted man-hours o o Checking/Filling tanks that are already full Can t leave yard, if uncertain levels Large chance of error o Looking in a small hole with a flashlight Slide 7

8 Solution Ultrasonic sensor with waveguide tube and digital readout. Piezoelectric Crystal, 128 khz Stainless Steel Housing, range 4 inches 10 ft LED Display Board Can be Retrofit to Older Locomotives Future upgrades could talk with rail yards and sanding towers. Perforated PVC waveguide Slide 8

9 Center Beam Rail Car Conversion Thousands of idle centerbeam railcars stored in UP of Michigan (at least was ) Demand for other types Frac sand.. Objectives Load capacity Complexity Time Cost Rail weight constraints Center beam railcar top angle Center beam railcar Slide 9

10 The Conversion Slide 10 Conversion process

11 Prototype Design & Testing Geometric model of prototype Prototype testing setup Slide 11

12 UP SCD SHUNT MEASURING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A RAIL SHUNT Purpose Test and calibrate equipment Improve accuracy Provide protection Enabling automation Method Performed using two rail clamps connected by wire Hard-wired (no resistance) Low-resistance (0.06 Ohms) Problem Appropriate resistance is not always achieved Corrosion issues Inadequate clamping force / failure of shunt device Rail Shunt Clamp (0.06 Ohms) Slide 12

13 Proposal Kelvin Bridge Multiple point clamp Custom electric circuit Microcontroller Instant feedback and status Problems Compatibility with existing track systems DC and AC signals Frequencies Durability and Reliability Accuracy of device Original Modified Shunt Clamp (0 Ohms) Laboratory outcomes Kelvin Bridge must use specialized power sources Microcontroller recalibrates device before each usage New shunt clamp parts machined from stainless steel and high grade plastic. Slide 13

14 Laboratory outcomes Power source works Results in progress Fine tuning and filtering in progress Conclusion Acknowledgement of good shunt connection possible Existing rail shunts can be modified Accuracy of calibrations Safety improvements Other future applications for automation Prototype circuit for testing Slide 14

15 Wayne Industries Warehouse Expansion Rail Served Warehouse on site of current Kroger facility and strip mall Slide 15

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19 Ongoing and Future Student Projects Project Majors Sponsor Redesign spike puller ME, CE, MSE BNSF Insulation package for boxcar CM, ME, MSE WSoR Yard Improvements, Saginaw CE, SU, ENVE Lake State Railway, MDOT Wheel Contaminant Sensor MSE, CM, ME NS, UP Dye Penetrant Rail Flaw Detector, Winter MSE, CM, ME, CE CN? Peshekee Yard Expansion CE, ENVE Longyear Slide 19

20 National University Rail Center THANK YOU! - Center Beam Senior Capstone Design Team, E&LS Railroad - UP Shunt Senior Capstone Design Team, Tom Bartlett, Union Pacific This project was supported by the National University Rail (NURail) Center - a US DOT RITA University Transportation Center" Slide 20