Development of 1/60th Scale Moving Model Rig Using the Compressed Air Launcher and One-Wire Guidance System of Train Model

Abstract

The test facility of a 1/60-scale model for train-tunnel systems has been recently developed to investigate the effects of tunnel portal shapes, hood shapes and air-shafts for reducing the micro-pressure waves radiating towards the surroundings from the tunnel exit. The present test rig has been advanced from a 1/70-scale facility at NLR in Netherlands. The NLR test rig has the two-wise guidance system that needs two ears attached on the external surface of a model train nose. Therefore, their train models have irregular nose shapes. The main characteristics of the present facility are that the train model is guided by only one wire from the compressed air launcher to the absorber parts of test facility and the wire guidance hole is located at the axial center of a train model. In the present test rig, after a train model is launched, the air jet from the launcher does not enter the tunnel model. Experimental results were compared with numerical predictions to prove the performance of the test facility.