Herose valves for high-speed Russian train

Connecting St Petersburg with the Urals in western Russia, the new Siemens-built Velaro RUS high speed train is already built and undergoing rigorous testing, utilising Herose valves.

Eight trains have been ordered, each consisting of ten coaches, and two of these have already been delivered, currently undergoing a rigorous testing programme in Russia.

Each train requires braking systems supplied with air via two compressors, with each air supply system including two Herose safety valves. These are not just any safety valves however – due to the often sub-zero temperatures in Russia, valves are required to withstand the extreme cold as low as -55 degrees C.

According to Herose publication ‘Valves Community’, the company had to almost replicate such an environment and the requirements set of the valves and as a result, set-up a climatic chamber in Bad Oldesloe.

Volker Maass, Herose Deputy Sales Manager, told Valves Community, “The braking systems of the Velaro are built for Siemens by Knorr-Bremse in Munich. At the end of 2007, this customer enquired whether we could develop and supply the necessary valves.”

“In order to ensure the sealing and precise trigger pressure even under extreme climatic conditions, we had to re-design the plates of the safety valve and adapt the sealing material.”

The new valves passed all tests, both in the cold chamber at Bad Oldesloe and at a comparable facility in Munich.