Michell Instruments’ new dew-point transmitter has
gained rail approval for permanent installation on rolling stock. The
transmitters will give continuous, online measurements of dew point of the
compressed air which is used to supply the braking systems and doors on train
carriages to provide a full assurance of safety and efficiency.
The new dew-point transmitter is not only the first
of its kind to have gained industry approval, also comes at a price which makes
it cost-effective for rail companies to fit the units permanently to each
carriage. The approvals include:
- EMC/RFI approval to
rail standard EN50121-3-2 - Shock/vibration
approved to rail standard IEC16373:1999-01
The transmitter itself has a heavy duty M12
electrical connector and is calibrated to measure within the range of -60 to
+60°C dew point: wide enough to cope with extreme conditions found in railways
around the world.
The benefit of using a permanently-installed
moisture transmitter on rail rolling stock is the added assurance of knowing
that the pneumatic air dryer system is working efficiently all the time. This
is essential to ensure safety on the tracks: during cold weather excess
moisture in the braking system could freeze and jam the brakes, or the
automatic doors. Longer term, moisture in the distribution network and
pneumatic components will lead to corrosion and increase the cost of
maintenance.
Michell’s rail-approved transmitter uses their
latest generation of polymer moisture sensor to provide fast, reliable readings
of dew-point, allowing for fast action to be taken by operators.