High-tech "sun protection equipment" empowers China's high-speed railways, with aerogel materials leading the new trend of temperature control in future trains

Every year's summer transportation is a major test for China's railway transport. During the two months from July to August, domestic railways send a total of more than 943 million passengers, with an average of over 15 million passengers per day. Such a huge passenger flow puts forward higher requirements for the heat resistance, heat insulation and comfort of trains. In the scorching summer, the Fuxing EMU has become a model of the perfect combination of technology and comfort through a number of high-tech "sun protection" tricks.

First of all, starting from the body materials. The "sun protection clothing" of the Fuxing EMU is made of high-tech aerogel composite materials. Aerogel is widely favored for its extremely low thermal conductivity (only 0.018W/(m·K)). This kind of aerogel material has been widely used in aerospace vehicles, nuclear power plants and other fields because it achieves excellent thermal insulation effect on the basis of light weight. In the future, such materials as ultra-thin aerogel felt and aerogel insulation felt will gradually be popularized in civil transportation, helping daily travel to further reduce the impact of external high temperature on the car body, stabilize the temperature inside the car within a pleasant range, and also greatly reduce energy consumption.

In addition to the body materials, the intelligent design of the roof air conditioning system also plays a key role. The use of high-temperature resistant and frequency conversion adjustable air conditioning technology not only achieves energy conservation and emission reduction, but also can automatically adjust the wind power and temperature according to the temperature changes in the car, ensuring that passengers are always in a comfortable environment. At the same time, inside the carriage, the introduction of the air circulation system realizes the air circulation of air supply from the top and air exhaust from the bottom, effectively preventing local overheating and ensuring that every passenger can enjoy a uniform and natural temperature.

In terms of car windows, the Fuxing EMU widely uses hollow aluminum alloy or vacuum glass to enhance the heat insulation effect. Especially in hot weather, pulling up thick sunshades can block the dazzling direct sunlight, making the entire carriage environment more cool and pleasant. Interestingly, the combination of these efficient heat-insulating glasses and aerogel insulation pads further improves the heat insulation capacity of the car windows, blocking heat outside the car and thus avoiding the "stuffy heat effect".

In addition, the thermal management technology of wheels and the bottom is constantly upgraded. The wheels of high-speed trains are made of high-strength special steel, which can resist track surface temperatures exceeding 50℃. What's more worth mentioning is that in high-temperature environments, the "wind and fire wheels" made of aerogel thermal conductive and insulating materials have good heat resistance and low-temperature resistance. The aerogel felt has extremely low thermal conductivity, which can provide effective thermal insulation protection in non-operating state and prevent discomfort or damage caused by heat conduction.

Facing extreme weather such as rain and typhoons, the Fuxing EMU also shows strong waterproof and windproof capabilities. Through an advanced closed sealing system, the doors are equipped with sliding plug door designs, combined with the tight fit of sealing strips, effectively preventing rainwater from seeping into the car. At the same time, the dynamic monitoring system will detect all sealed parts after the train is washed, and carry out timely maintenance to ensure the complete waterproof performance of the car body. In severe weather such as typhoons, the wind and rain resistant chassis "stable three-piece set" - anti-roll torsion bar, oil pressure shock absorber and air spring system work together to maintain the balance and driving stability of the train.

In the future, the application of high-performance thermal insulation materials such as aerogel will become a revolutionary driving force for the comfort and safety of transportation tools. These materials not only show great advantages in lightweight, but also can effectively insulate high and low temperatures, etc.