Gas turbine engines used as power units for traction rolling stock fueled by liquefied natural gas
Objective: To determine the possibility and directions for increasing the efficiency of gas turbine traction based on the experience of using gas turbine engines as power plants in railway transport. Methods: The practice of operating gas engine locomotives in trial runs and normal operation with trains of 9 thousand tons is used. Records of onboard systems for fixing the parameters of locomotive equipment operation are taken into account. Results: Comparison of the application experience of gas turbine engines in various branches of the national economy are carried out. The features of using gas turbine engines in unstable loading modes are analyzed. Their effectiveness is characterized and directions for its further increase are established. The values of the maintenance labor intensity of gas turbine locomotives and diesel locomotives are revealed. The actual load of gas turbine locomotive equipment at all traction modes has been determined. Practical importance: Significant differences in maintenance of power units of gas turbine locomotives and diesel locomotives have been determined. The performed analysis of the operation results allowed to determine and prove in practice the advantages and disadvantages of convertible aircraft gas turbine engines, to establish requirements for them in order to increase the efficiency of using gas turbine locomotives and to develop a draft of technical requirements for a power unit for the main gas turbine locomotive GT1h.