2026-02-11 スウェーデン王立工科大学（KTH）
＜関連情報＞
- https://www.kth.se/en/om/nyheter/centrala-nyheter/rail-switch-data-may-reduce-train-delays-in-cold-climates-1.1456986
- https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-032-04774-8_41
鉄道転轍機ヒーターの省エネ運用と地中熱利用の実現可能性 Energy Efficient Operations of Railway Switch Heaters and Feasibility of Using Ground Heat
Sidharth Kapoor,Siddharth Suresh Sumathi,William Zhendong Liu & Kristina Canow
Transport Transitions: Advancing Sustainable and Inclusive Mobility Published:04 October 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-04774-8_41
Abstract
A railway switch is a vital component for its safe, reliable, and time-bound operations. Faults in switches are common in locations experiencing winters due to snow or ice buildup, despite using heating systems. The majority of switches are electrically heated, and guidelines for their efficient operations have been studied in this work. A computational model has been created to understand the temperature distributions in switch heating systems, and it has been verified from the annual heating data of an operational switch in Sweden. The results from a parametric study by varying ambient temperature, wind load, and heating element power can be used to implement heating control strategies in existing heaters, which will support their sustainable operations. In addition, the feasibility of using ground-source borehole renewable energy is also investigated for different bedrocks. The results of the temperature drop in the borehole for a constant winter heating load over 15 years give insights on the potential usage of ground heat in switch heating.
