Air suspension technology

1956: First German Rail Bus fitted with Air Springs.

Presentl! m"st "f the high speed trains in#luding Fren#h $G%
running with ma&. speed "f 515 'mph has air springs.
(ith )aring )ehi#le l"ading! there is a need t" maintain *Ride
Height+ t" ha)e parit with the wa side *Platf"rms+ and *Coupling
Height+ f"r train f"rmati"n
Need for adoption of Air suspension
Abnormal increase in pay load condition in suburban Rlys
e.g. Trailer coach of EMU 18 T to 3 T!"#$%&
"uper #ense $rush %oad reduces the bogie clearances to 'il
resulting in se(ere hitting.
)ailure of components due to hitting.
*oor riding beha(ior of coach
"ince 1++,- *neumatic suspension used in #$.EMU- A$.EMU-
/*.#MU
All future EMUs 0 #MUs
Comparison with existing coil suspension:
Unli1e steel springs- air springs retain their height under changing
loads. The lo2 natural fre3uency of air spring suspension remains (irtually
constant.
4n case of coil spring- deflection is proportionate to the load- therefore-
under high payload situation- space constraint becomes critical- leading to
the use of stiffer springs resulting in unsatisfactory ride beha(ior and
reduced speed potential.
Air springs through their control mechanism- offer a load
proportionate stiffness- constant floor height and prospects of better ride
beha(ior 2ith higher speed potential.
Achieving of its characteristics:
"oft fle5ible characteristics under (ertical direction 6 Achie(ed by
compression of the air
E5cellent lateral spring characteristics 6 Achie(ed by (ariation in
effecti(e area in lateral direction 7ood self damping 6 Achie(ed by placing
an optimi8ed orifice bet2een air spring and additional reser(oir
To a(oid unnecessary air consumption due to all modes of (ehicle
oscillation or change in air pressure 6 Achie(ed by designing delayed
reaction le(elling (al(e
Vertical Spring Action
Self Damping Characteristics
odifications for Air Spring !itment
,nstalled at Se#"ndar Stage.
,n pla#e "f standard -"lster suspensi"n arrangement! a F,./0
l"wer spring -eam is used t" a##"mm"date air spring "n -"lster
Primar springs are made stiffer.
Additi"nal air reser)"ir 123 litres4 pr")ided "n -"gie -"lster.
5e)eling %al)e! ,nstallati"n le)er et# fitted as per s#hemati#
diagram.
"or#ing $rinciple
Rubber bello2s containing presurised air and emergency rubber
spring pro(ide (arious suspension characteristics including damping.
Air springs are height 9controlled load le(eling suspension de(ices.
:ith changing loads- air spring reacts initially by changing the
distance bet2een air.spring support 0 (ehicle body.
The height monitoring (al(e !le(elling (al(e& in turn actuates - either
getting the compressed air pressure to the air spring or releasing air pressure
to atmosphere.
The process continues until the original height is restored.
Delayed reaction of Control valve
%&o avoid excessive air consumption '
Duplex Chec# valves
)itted bet2een t2o air springs of the same bogie
*ressure differential on #$ (al(e is set at 1.;
<asically comprises of t2o chec1 (al(es side by side-
arranged so that air can flo2 in either direction 2hen the air
pressure differential e5ceeds the pre.set (alue.
:hene(er a burst air spring occurs on one side- this (al(e
2ill ensure that no se(ere tilt or t2ist occurs during mo(ement of
the coach
Duplex Chec# valves
Air springs can ha(e differential pressures upto the preset (alue ! both
chec1 (al(es remain closed&
:hen the differential air pressure e5ceeds the preset (alue- the air at
higher pressure o(ercomes the spring pressure and flo2s to the lo2er
pressure (ia the chec1 (al(e. The flo2 continues till the differential reaches
the preset (alue.
4n case of burst- the air lea1s to atmosphere. #ue to high pressure
differential- air starts lea1ing from the intact air spring to the burst air spring
(ia #$ (al(e. Thus complete coach end 2ill gradually come and rest on the
emergency rubber springs.
Air Springs for ainline (C! stoc#
6th 78G appr")ed fitment "f Air Springs "n mainline A7
#"a#hes
Advantages of Air suspension:
$apable to sustain "uper #ense $rush %oad of suburban traffic.
$onstant floor height of coach.
E5cellent ride comfort.
"afe running.
=irtually $onstant natural fre3uency from tare to full loads.
%o2 design height.
4ntegral input signal for load dependent bra1ing and acceleration.
4solation of structure borne noise.
4mpro(ed reliability- reduced maintenance.
7reat durability.
*ossibility of (oluntarily choosing air spring characteristics.
)eneral &echnical Data
Supplied - *7"ntite#h+ and *Firest"ne+
Stati# %erti#al 5"ad "n Air Spring:
$are: 51 '9! Full l"ad: 1:2 '9
%erti#al Stiffness:
$are: 553 9;mm! Full l"ad: 9<5 9;mm
="ri>"ntal stiffness:
$are: ?25 9;mm! Full l"ad: :?3 9;mm
/mergen# Spring )erti#al stiffness:
$are: :333 9;mm! Full l"ad: 6333 9;mm
Air spring )"lume: 26 litres
0esign height "f air spring: 255 mm
Projects to improve riding quality
#e(elopment of Air springs for EMUs
#e(elopment of ne2 suspension of $oaching $ontainer )lat.
#e(elopment of better suspension of e5isting 4$) coaches.
Development of Air springs for EMUs
A$.#$- A$ and #$ EMUs retrofitted 2ith state.of.the.art Air
springs.
Ride comfort has impro(ed substantially.
*roblems of pea1 loads (ariations i.e. normal load to "#$%
ha(e been sol(ed 2ithout compromising on riding comfort.
Development of New suspension for Coaching Container lat!
$$) design needed suspension that 2ould ha(e acceptable ride
indices and simultaneously cater to 2ide (ariation in payload !3+.,;t& at
high running speeds.
"uch a (ariation 2as impossible to handle using con(entional springs.
Use of Air springs has successfully sol(ed the problem of achie(ing
acceptable riding 2ith high payload and at high speed.
Coaching Container lat design
Development of "etter suspension of e#isting upper class $C
coaches
=arious modifications ha(e been done o(er past decades to
achie(e better riding and higher reliability of standard design of
4$) coach.
)urther ride comfort increase cannot be achie(ed 2ithout
ma1ing ma>or changes in the bogie design.
Retrofitment of Air springs can impro(e the ride beha(iour of
e5isting 4$) coach 2ith little in(estment and minimal design
change.
Air springs for )A$?
Air springs pro(ide
E5cellent bogie.body isolation.
E5cellent noise reduction.
"uperior ride inde5.
Air springs characteristics ha(e to be customi8ed to suit specific
coach 2eight.
$ustomi8ation of air spring characteristics for e5isting )A$ has been
done 9 its manufacturing feasibility is under study 2ith M@s $ontiTechA
7mb/ 7ermany.
Bptimi8ed Air spring for )A$ sho2 superior ride comfort (is.C.(is
present suspension.
itment of air springs for secondary suspension of
mainline $C coaches!
#esign of Air "pring has been finali8ed.
R#"B has recently ad(ised 4$) to manufacture one po2er car
!:%RRM& and one E5ecuti(e $hair $ar !:$D )A$& for
conducting oscillation trials.
*ro(ision of hydro springs in primary eliminating the
dashpot arrangement.
Than1 Eou
1. 0e)el"pment "f Air Springs in 07 /8@s.
2. 0e)el"pment "f 7"a#hing 7"ntainer Flat with Air springs.
?. 0e)el"pment "f A7 A A7B07 /8@ with Air Springs.
:. =igh 7apa#it BG 08@ with Air springs.
5. 0e)el"pment "f )ariants "f 5=B #"a#hes with Air springs.
6. Retr" fitment "f air springs "n standard ,7F #"a#hes.