Distribution of generated friction heat at wheel-rail contact during wheel slipping acceleration

This paper presents an innovative method for determining the distribution of the friction generated heat from the contact of a locomotive wheel and rail, as well as the heat partition factor, during wheel slipping of an accelerating locomotive. The new method combines the finite element analysis simulation and experimental determination of the temperature distribution in a downsized model of a wheel and rail. As a result of a virtual experiment by the finite element analysis, an empirical dependence between the temperature distribution and the heat partition factor was established. The determination of the dependence enabled finding of the exact value of the heat partition factor by the optimization procedure based on matching temperatures obtained by the virtual and real experiment. nema