Energy Harvesting for Signaling and Communication System

• Project Dates: November 2016 to October 2018
• Project Leader: Dr Cristian Ulianov and Dr Paul Hyde
• Staff: Dr Liang Cheng, Dr Yaodong Wang
• Sponsors: SHIFT2RAIL Joint Undertaking
• Partners: Union des Industries Ferroviaires Europeennes (project coordinator), Societa per Azioni, Ardanuy Ingenieria SA, D’Appolonia Belgium, ERGA OSE AE, Istituto Superiore Mario Boella, Perpetuum Ltd., Newcastle University, Vysoke Uceni Technicke v Brne

The objective of the ETALON project is the adaptation of energy harvesting methodologies for trackside and on-board signalling and communication. ETALON will contribute to the enhancement of train integrity functionalities, providing a suitable energy supply for on-board train integrity (particularly targeted at cases where trains do not have any power supply available on the wagons) and a robust radio communication system between vehicles that could be the basis for a train integrity check. ETALON will also contribute to the reduction of cost, providing an energy harvesting solution for Smart Radio connected wayside objects and implementing an off-board radio communication system with object controllers that could minimise trackside infrastructure, particularly cabling.

NewRail, supported by the Swan Centre for Energy Research will be actively involved in:

• WP2: System Architectures, Specifications and Technical Coherence
• WP3: Communication Solutions
• WP4: Energy Harvesting Solutions
• WP5: Prototype Development, Validation and Testing of the Proposed Solutions
• WP7: Outreach and Networking

Within these Work Packages, the principal roles of NewRail will be to assist in the specification, design and development of the on-train and trackside energy harvesting solutions and the on train communication system. In addition, NewRail will have a role in the design and implementation of testing and validation of the prototype systems, including the leading role in the laboratory and controlled environment testing of the prototypes.

Contact our Project Leader: Dr Cristian Ulianov

Visit the ETALON project website.