Formation of flash-concept for a resource-saving articulated hopper car to transport hot pellets and agglomerate

Higher operational efficiency of hopper cars can be achieved with the flash-concept for a resourcesaving structure. The characteristic feature such cars is the use of circular pipes as the carrying body elements. The engineering solution made it possible to decrease the tare weight of a hopper car in comparison with that of a prototype by 5%. A 20-9749 hopper car, manufactured by Panutinskiy Car Repair Plant (Ukraine), was taken as a prototype. On the basis of the suggested hopper car, an articulated car was designed. The dynamic loading of the articulated hopper car was defined with mathematical modelling. The study was conducted in plane coordinates. The acceleration values obtained were considered in the strength calculation for the carrying structure of the hopper car. The strength factors were defined in COSMOSWorks software environment. It was determined that the maximum equivalent stresses in elements of the carrying structure did not exceed the admissible values. The results of the research will promote designing innovative hopper cars for transporting hot pellets and agglomerate, thus enhancing higher efficiency of rail transportation