China to develop faster high-speed trains
2012-04-28 14:07:51
Summary：China will develop faster and smarter high-speed trains offering passengers a wide variety of choices.
China will develop faster and smarter high-speed trains offering passengers a wide variety of choices, according to a special plan for the country’s high-speed train technology development during the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015) recently released by the Ministry of Science and Technology. The country’s high-speed rail development has entered “a second spring” after an “unexpected brake.”
Priority given to technological development
Smarter high-speed trains
The special plan noted that during the 12th Five-Year Plan period, the country will make efforts to improve the safety of high-speed railways, develop a wide variety of intelligent and energy-efficient high-speed trains, ensure the sustainable development of high-speed rail technologies, and master the key technologies for high-speed trains and related equipment.
Intelligent technology will allow trains’ monitoring, speed control, condition determination, and fault detection operations to be conducted digitally, said Ding Rongjun, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and general manager of CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Research Institute Company.
The top speed of a high-speed test train developed by CSR Corporation recently increased from 500 kilometers per hour to 575 kilometers per hour. “The test train integrates various technologies such as Ethernet and the Internet of Things, and can directly determine specific weather conditions. After it is struck by lightning, the train can automatically adjust its speed and optimize related operations to ensure safety,” said Zhao Xiaogang, chairman of CSR Corporation.
In order to reduce smart trains’ energy consumption, the country will carry out research in new traction drive technology based on permanent magnetic motors, according to the special plan. Ding explained that the new traction drive technology featuring fast energy transmission and low energy losses can reduce trains’ energy consumption by more than 15 percent as there is no physical contact between the transmission movable parts.
The speeds of most high-speed trains in China were reduced after the Wenzhou bullet train crash on July 23, 2011. All high-speed trains which used to run 350 kilometers per hour were order to operate at a maximum speed of 300 kilometers per hour, except those on the Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Railway and Shanghai–Hangzhou High-speed Railway. Many people believe that high-speed rail development has slowed down in the country.
"It is a misinterpretation," Zhao said, adding that the number of overseas orders CSR Corporation has received has greatly increased, instead of dropping, since the Wenzhou bullet train crash. The company's revenue from overseas markets increased nearly 250 percent last year from the previous year. "Foreign markets will be a major source of revenue for CSR Corporation," he said.
The special plan said that in order to meet the diverse needs of domestic and overseas consumers, China will customize high-speed trains according to the conditions of different regions and infrastructure facilities as well as different speed requirements. The country will develop a series of high-speed trains for high-speed and conventional railways as well as for export.
"The family of China's high-speed trains will be further expanded," Ding said. In addition to existing trains with operating speeds of 200 kilometers per hour, 250 kilometers per hour, 300 kilometers per hour, or 350 kilometers per hour, there will probably be trains with speeds of 180 kilometers per hour or 160 kilometers per hour for inter-city travel. In addition to existing eight-car and 16-car trains, there will probably be six-car and 12-car trains. All these possible changes are aimed at meeting the diverse needs of different clients.
Industry insiders noted that China still has a long way to go in developing truly fast and safe high-speed trains.
Export business only accounts for less than 10 percent of the total revenue of China CNR Corporation, which is the largest transportation equipment exporter in the country, a relevant official from the company said.
Priority given to technological development
Smarter high-speed trains
The special plan noted that during the 12th Five-Year Plan period, the country will make efforts to improve the safety of high-speed railways, develop a wide variety of intelligent and energy-efficient high-speed trains, ensure the sustainable development of high-speed rail technologies, and master the key technologies for high-speed trains and related equipment.
Intelligent technology will allow trains’ monitoring, speed control, condition determination, and fault detection operations to be conducted digitally, said Ding Rongjun, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and general manager of CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Research Institute Company.
The top speed of a high-speed test train developed by CSR Corporation recently increased from 500 kilometers per hour to 575 kilometers per hour. “The test train integrates various technologies such as Ethernet and the Internet of Things, and can directly determine specific weather conditions. After it is struck by lightning, the train can automatically adjust its speed and optimize related operations to ensure safety,” said Zhao Xiaogang, chairman of CSR Corporation.
In order to reduce smart trains’ energy consumption, the country will carry out research in new traction drive technology based on permanent magnetic motors, according to the special plan. Ding explained that the new traction drive technology featuring fast energy transmission and low energy losses can reduce trains’ energy consumption by more than 15 percent as there is no physical contact between the transmission movable parts.
The speeds of most high-speed trains in China were reduced after the Wenzhou bullet train crash on July 23, 2011. All high-speed trains which used to run 350 kilometers per hour were order to operate at a maximum speed of 300 kilometers per hour, except those on the Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Railway and Shanghai–Hangzhou High-speed Railway. Many people believe that high-speed rail development has slowed down in the country.
"It is a misinterpretation," Zhao said, adding that the number of overseas orders CSR Corporation has received has greatly increased, instead of dropping, since the Wenzhou bullet train crash. The company's revenue from overseas markets increased nearly 250 percent last year from the previous year. "Foreign markets will be a major source of revenue for CSR Corporation," he said.
The special plan said that in order to meet the diverse needs of domestic and overseas consumers, China will customize high-speed trains according to the conditions of different regions and infrastructure facilities as well as different speed requirements. The country will develop a series of high-speed trains for high-speed and conventional railways as well as for export.
"The family of China's high-speed trains will be further expanded," Ding said. In addition to existing trains with operating speeds of 200 kilometers per hour, 250 kilometers per hour, 300 kilometers per hour, or 350 kilometers per hour, there will probably be trains with speeds of 180 kilometers per hour or 160 kilometers per hour for inter-city travel. In addition to existing eight-car and 16-car trains, there will probably be six-car and 12-car trains. All these possible changes are aimed at meeting the diverse needs of different clients.
Industry insiders noted that China still has a long way to go in developing truly fast and safe high-speed trains.
Export business only accounts for less than 10 percent of the total revenue of China CNR Corporation, which is the largest transportation equipment exporter in the country, a relevant official from the company said.
Key Words：China,develop,trains