See how to reduce up to one ton of the total weight of the wagon with the tubular railway axle
In a country with continental dimensions, such as Brazil, rail transport presents itself as an option for the transportation of cargo and passengers. The portfolio of railroad projects, according to the Brazilian National Land Transport Agency (ANTT), has expected investments of more than BRL 60 billion, still under study. Many railroads, used for iron ore and grain runoff, are operated by private companies.
However, the sector has been expanding, with a scenario full of opportunities, and the concessionary companies, according to the Brazilian National Association of Railway Carriers (ANTF), have increased their productivity indexes.
The concessionaires associated with ANTF have registered an increase in efficiency in recent years. In 2021, rail production reached 371.4 billion tons per useful kilometer (TKU), which means an increase of 171% since the start of the concessions – production was 137 billion TKU in 1997.
The increase measured in useful tons (UT) was also significant in the same period: cargo transport reached 506.8 million tons, well above the volume of 1997, of 253 million tons, an increase of 100%.
Despite the slight drop in General Cargo transport in 2021, railways maintained a good annual index, with the transport of 109.7 billion TKU and 133.2 million UT, a reduction of 0.52% and 0.29%, respectively, compared to 2020.
Investing in productivity
With an eye on this market and, mainly, on the advancement of this modal so important for the transport of mineral, agricultural, and general cargo commodities such as electronics, eggs, glass, hygiene and cleaning materials, meat, and beverages, all of them incorporated into the portfolios of the concessionaires associated with ANTF, Vallourec’s engineers developed an innovative solution to reduce the weight of wagons, the tubular railway axles, a specialty in our portfolio.
This allows a significant reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, which has a major impact on operating costs and climate. By also reducing the wear of the permanent track, this product contributes even more to the economic operations of railway wagons.
Tubular railway axles increase the load capacity of the wagons for transport. And they weigh up to 40% less than a conventional solid-bar axle, reducing the tare weight of a wagon by up to a ton, depending on the type of wagon. This technology meets all the required resistance standards on the railroad. This innovation reduces the number of journeys required to transport the same amount of cargo compared to a composition of wagons with massive axles, resulting in lower maintenance costs for wagons and components.
The development of a new steel grade
From the experience in the manufacture of seamless pipes for the oil & gas and automotive industries, Vallourec's R&D teams began to develop the first prototypes in Brazil in 2005, which were validated in 2010, after several tests, including fatigue tests with full-scale prototypes for two years, carried out by the Institute of Technological Research of the University of São Paulo, along with field tests and telemetry together with one of the largest mining companies in the world for more than seven months.
More efficient non-destructive tests were also developed, with a new method developed by technicians in Brazil and France, which were patented and made available to all users of the tubular axles.
Benefits of new tubular railway axles
The benefits are numerous, and one can start by pointing out that, as it is 40% lighter than the conventional solid axle, the use of the railway axle reduces the tare weight of the wagons by up to 1 ton, with the advantage that it can be adapted in old wagons.
It expands the carrying capacity, without increasing the number of trips and wagons, consequently increasing the revenue from transportation and operations efficiency in a case study, this lower number of cycles to transport the same cargo showed that the reduction in freight costs can reach 0.8%, which may represent, in mining operations, an amount of BRL 8 million per year.
This weight reduction also means savings of up to 1% in diesel oil consumption.
We can also highlight the reduction in the maintenance costs of the permanent track, the undercarriage, and the components since as the composition operate lighter, the permanent track suffers less impact from the bogie components that are below the suspension and are not cushioned.
With Phased-Array ultrasound inspection – in manufacturing and service – it is possible to detect discontinuities of only 1 mm in any position, as opposed to 3 mm on massive conventional axles, anticipating the detection of cracks that could propagate, or allow longer inspection intervals.
In the end, with the significantly lighter tubular railway axle and equally resistant to conventional ones, railway wagon manufacturers can optimize their designs. The result? Lighter wagons, optimized cargo transport, improved fuel efficiency, and reduced wear and tear on other rail components, all with less impact on climate, manufacturing, and operation.
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