Alleviation Effects of Hoods at the Entrances and Exits of High-Speed Railway Tunnels on the Micro-Pressure Wave

Abstract

The MPW that emits from a tunnel’s exit when a high-speed train passes through is a serious environmental problem which increases rapidly with the speed of the train. To alleviate the MPW problem at 400 km/h, the aerodynamic effects caused by the hood located at the entrance or exit of a tunnel are studied by numerical method, and the influences of hood geometry, such as an enlarged cross-section, oblique entrance, and opening holes on the MPW, are also investigated. The research indicates that the enlarged cross-section of the hood at the entrance and exit of the tunnel has opposite effects on the MPW, and the oblique section can alleviate the MPW by extending the rising time of the compression wave and increasing the spatial angle at the hood exit. The pressure gradient can be mitigated through delaying the rising of the compression wave by opening holes on the side wall of the hood, and the relief effects of the holes can reduce the MPW further. The MPW problem when a train passes through a tunnel at 400 km/h can be effectively alleviated by an optimized oblique enlarged hood with opening holes, even up to train speeds of 500 km/h.