Simulation Results of Locomotive Wheel — Rail Adhesion During Thermometal Cladding of the Wheel Tread Surface

Objective: investigation and substantiation of the effectiveness of thermometal cladding of the locomotive wheel tread surface to increase tractive effort and reduce wear in the wheel — rail system. Methods: physical modeling of the locomotive drive mechanical system and the permanent way was applied, ensuring dynamic similarity to full-scale objects; the equality of kinetic and potential energy of subsystems before and after reduction ensured the identity of natural frequencies and mode shapes. The correspondence of the wear type on the model to the wear pattern of the full-scale wheel — rail contact was adopted as the validity criterion for reproducing friction processes. The developed model structure allows solving simulation tasks of dynamically loaded transport mechanical systems using mathematical modeling methods. The contact rotary-printing method of rail thermocladding (lubrication) is also considered. Results: bench tests of thermometal cladding of the locomotive wheel tread demonstrated an increase in tractive effort and a significant reduction in the wear rate of friction pair elements. Practical importance: the proposed technological solutions for thermometal cladding and thermocladding of working surfaces allow increasing the wear resistance of wheel flanges and rail heads in curved track sections, as well as increasing the achievable tractive effort of the locomotive, which together ensures a reduction in operating costs and an improvement in traffic safety.