Michell Instruments’ new dew-point transmitter has gained rail approval for permanent installation on rolling stock. The transmitters will give continuous, online measurements of dew point of the compressed air which is used to supply the braking systems and doors on train carriages to provide a full assurance of safety and efficiency.
The new dew-point transmitter is not only the first of its kind to have gained industry approval, also comes at a price which makes it cost-effective for rail companies to fit the units permanently to each carriage. The approvals include:
- EMC/RFI approval to rail standard EN50121-3-2
- Shock/vibration approved to rail standard IEC16373:1999-01
The transmitter itself has a heavy duty M12 electrical connector and is calibrated to measure within the range of -60 to +60°C dew point: wide enough to cope with extreme conditions found in railways around the world.
The benefit of using a permanently-installed moisture transmitter on rail rolling stock is the added assurance of knowing that the pneumatic air dryer system is working efficiently all the time. This is essential to ensure safety on the tracks: during cold weather excess moisture in the braking system could freeze and jam the brakes, or the automatic doors. Longer term, moisture in the distribution network and pneumatic components will lead to corrosion and increase the cost of maintenance.
Michell’s rail-approved transmitter uses their latest generation of polymer moisture sensor to provide fast, reliable readings of dew-point, allowing for fast action to be taken by operators.