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INDUSTRY FOCUS


RAIL


climatE rEsiliEncE on thE digital railway


As extreme heat becomes more common in the UK, Paul Waring, business development manager for Rail at Rainford Solutions asks: How can the rail industry protect its communications infrastructure?


C


ompared to pre-industrial times, the world’s average temperature has risen by just over 1˚C. While that


doesn’t sound like much, the impact of global warming has already been profound and diverse – on 19 July 2022, for example, the UK saw temperatures higher than 40˚C for the first time in recent history. Global average temperatures are on


track to be three or four degrees higher by the end of this century, with modelling by Met Office scientists suggesting that this will increase the probability of the UK experiencing temperatures of more than 40˚C by a factor of ten. IT infrastructure is especially sensitive


to high temperatures. During the July 2022 heatwave, UK hospitals suffered computer system outages as their servers overheated; and some major providers of cloud computing services were forced to take equipment offline due to cooling problems in their giant London data centres. So, as the railway industry accelerates


its digital revolution, the changing climate is set to bring new challenges.


ProtEcting tracksidE assEts


Hot weather is tough for computers installed in air-conditioned facilities, but it is even tougher for the thousands of trackside assets that provide monitoring, control, and communication functions for the modern railway. These assets need to offer exceptionally high levels of reliability and a long service life – regardless of the outside temperature – and the industry’s digitisation plans will require more, and more sophisticated, equipment to be packed into small enclosures. The best way to protect equipment


from temperature extremes is by using an enclosure that is designed for the purpose. Rainford has been doing this for more than 40 years, serving customers in the rail, telecommunications, energy, and other sectors – and protecting equipment in some of the most demanding environments around the world. Thermal load on an enclosure is


4 DESIGN SOLUTIONS OCTOBER 2022 6


determined by three factors: the ambient air temperature; heat from direct or reflected sunlight; and the heat generated by the equipment within. The maximum safe operating temperature will be defined by the manufacturer of that equipment. Rainford enclosure systems are


designed and tested against a thermal ‘worst-case scenario’ defined in collaboration with the customer. For UK applications, that is usually a temperature of 35˚C (although some customers are now testing their enclosures at 40˚C) and a peak solar load of 1120W per square meter. Enclosure systems use a range of


approaches to maintain an acceptable interior temperature. Where the equipment generates low levels of heat, or is designed to operate safely at higher temperatures, passive airflow using carefully sized and positioned vents can be sufficient. The impact of solar loads can also be managed using a variety of passive measures, including the use of light- coloured coatings and the installation of foam insulation inside the walls of the enclosure. Rainford has also worked with customers to evaluate specialised coatings designed to minimise solar absorption. If passive measures can’t keep


temperatures down, enclosures are often fitted with forced air ventilation systems which use one or more fans to increase the flow of air over the equipment. To maximise operating life and minimise energy consumption, these fans are typically equipped with a control system, which activates the fan at a pre-set point and gradually ramps up its speed as temperatures rise. Fans are equipped with monitoring devices that trigger a remote alarm if air flow, temperature or energy consumption exceed pre-determined levels. For the most sensitive equipment,


active cooling using ambient air may be inadequate on the hottest days. In these situations, enclosures can be fitted with air conditioning systems that allow the precise control of internal temperature and humidity.


EnginEEring an EnclosurE solution


Advanced digital communications and control technologies are helping to create a safer, more reliable, and more cost- effective railway network. But these technologies will need to operate in a world where extreme weather is becoming an ever more common occurrence. Carefully engineered enclosure solutions will be a critical part of the industry’s efforts to ensure the resilience of its operations over the coming years.


Rainford Solutions www.rainfordsolutions.com


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