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7. Using Top of Rail Friction Modifiers to Reduce Fuel Consumption

Using Top of Rail Friction Modifiers to Reduce Fuel Consumption

The analysis and conclusions contained in this case study are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily represent the point of view of the Government of Canada.

Organization
Québec Cartier Mining Company

Major Findings
Using top-of-rail friction modifiers reduced fuel consumption by 2% and greenhouse gas emissions accordingly. They also reduced lateral forces and derailments.

Project Timeline
April to November 2006

Please note that some figures such as cost savings on fuel are based on data from the period that this project took place.

Introduction

Québec Cartier Mining Company (QCMC) operates 420 km of railway to transport iron ore between Mont-Wright and Port-Cartier, Québec. At the time of this project, the rolling stock included 22 locomotives, 950 cars, more than 300 utility cars and many different railway maintenance and inspection vehicles. On average, five full trains depart from Mont-Wright each day. Each train, powered by two locomotives, carries 14,900 tonnes of concentrate in 160 cars and measures 1.5 km in length. A round trip takes about 25 hours. In addition to carrying ore, the railway also transports commodities to Mont-Wright and timber to the Arbec sawmill in Port-Cartier.

In order to save fuel and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, QCMC added a top-of-rail (TOR) friction modifier system to reduce curving resistance, which allows a locomotive to maintain a specific speed with less effort. This lowers fuel consumption and GHG emissions. This project was undertaken in 2006 with financial assistance from Transport Canada's Freight Incentives Program.

Project Description

This project involved developing, implementing and testing a rail car-mounted, top-of-rail friction modifier application system to reduce locomotive fuel consumption and GHG emissions. Due to the heavy loads carried by the QCMC railroad on a line with many curves, other possible major benefits included reducing lateral forces, derailments and rail and wheel wear.

Unlike previous application systems that required dedicated equipment, personnel or locomotive mounting systems, the autopilot spray application system developed in this project is a self-contained, autonomous car-mounted spray application system (Figure 1). It applies friction modifier based on train location, speed and track curvature as determined by global positioning system (GPS). Using this information, the system applies modifier to one or both rails at a predetermined application rate. The system is fully winterized for year-round operation and the ore car in which it is installed keeps 85% of its payload capacity.

Figure 1 Car-mounted modifier storage and applicator

QCMC used keltrack modifier for the project. It is a water-based suspension, which rapidly dries when applied to a rail,leaving behind a dry, thin film. Applying the friction modifier can reduce rolling resistance, which reduces fuelconsumption and GHG emissions. Reducing friction also reduces lateral curving forces and the risk of derailments due towheel climb or low rail rollover. Reducing friction in the wheel/rail contact area reduces both rail and wheel wear.

Project Goals and Objectives

The objective of this project was to reduce locomotive fuel consumption and GHG emissions using a top-of-rail friction modifier application system.

Project Methodology

Baseline data was collected from Q-Tron data in 2004, before using the friction modifier. To the greatest extent possible,the operations before and after using the friction modifier were kept the same in terms of time-of-year (summer months),equipment (locomotive and car types and maintenance) and operating conditions (rail profiles, track conditions and maintenance, and train handling practices).

Fuel and mechanical energy data was collected from 2004 to 2006, using the Q-Tron locomotive event recorder, eDAC onboard data acquisition system, onboard GPS system and a mechanical share pin instrument. The locomotive event recorder dataprovided a time history of throttle notch settings. This engine performance data helped determine fuel consumption for each trip. Load pin data provided an instantaneous measure of the drawbars drop-off force between the last lead locomotive and the iron ore cars. This data helped measure mechanical work.

Results

Comparing the baseline data to the first year of testing the friction modifier (identified as TOR 2004 in figure) showed 40kWh less mechanical work per million-ton mile, which means a 2.0% reduction in fuel consumption.

Figure 2 Average mechanical work

Based on annual fuel consumption of approximately 15,400,000 L (1,100 trips at 14,000 L per trip), the reduction in diesel fuel consumption and GHG emissions can be calculated as follows:

Estimated baseline fuel usage 15,400,000 L 2 per cent reduction 308,000 L
Equivalent CO₂ emission reduction 2.764 tonnes per thousand litres
Total greenhouse gas reduction 851 tonnes per year CO₂

During the 2006 test period, forces were monitored in a 6.3° curve at Mile 10.45. Lateral/vertical load data was collected and analyzed to assess changes in lateral loads due to the friction modifier. As shown in Figure 3, the friction modifier reduced lateral loads by 38 to 45% compared to the baseline.

QCMC continues to use the TOR friction modifier application system. Its use is limited to warmer months (April to November) because ice and snow in the colder months provide the same result as the friction modifier provides in summer. Since the 2004 trial, QCMC has not experienced a derailment due to lower rail rollover and gives credit to the TOR friction modifier.

The TOR friction modifier reduces wheel and rail wear, but a longer observation period is required to quantify this.

Conclusions

The TOR friction modifier application system tested reduced diesel fuel usage by 2%. For QCMC, this means using about 308,000 fewer litres of fuel per year and producing 851 fewer equivalent tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year.

The analysis of lateral forces and lateral/vertical load ratios indicated a reduction of 38 to 45% compared to baseline. This lowers track degradation and the risk of derailment. Derailment due to lower rail rollover has not occurred since use of the TOR friction modifier began in 2004.

Additional Information

• Québec Cartier Mining Company
• Kelsan Technologies Corp.
• Q-Tron
• eDAQ

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Date modified:

2012-02-08

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