Study on Braking Panels in High Speed Trains Using CFD

With speed increasing in high-speed trains, due to limitations of other types of brakes, aerodynamic brake has become an important braking method. In this task to make better use of brake’s panel different configurations are examined and the best panel shape which provides the reasonable drag coefficient is introduced. The results of simulations are carried out with the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) software for a high speed train moving at speed of 360Km/hr. To provide the best arrangement of braking panel rows on the train roof, four cases are studied: a train without aerodynamic brakes, with one, two, and three rows of aerodynamic brake’s panel over the roof of the train. The braking force per unit area of aerodynamic brakes is determined and compared with the results found in literature. With regard to the drag coefficient and necessary space for the placement of panels, the best shape and arrangement is introduced. Finally, to examine the material and thickness effects on operation of braking panels; stress and modal analysis have been performed and variation in:  weight, maximum stress, displacement and first natural frequency are discussed.