Air Springs for Railways Available for Very Cold Environments

摘要

The increase of urban population in recent years results in increased traffic, whereas the interest in environment and energy issues is growing. With the advantage of transporting a larger number of passengers with lower CO2 emissions and consumption energy than automobiles and aircraft, railways are attracting international attention. Railway systems have been constructed around the world and being extended into cold regions such as European countries and China in recent years. Thus, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. has developed a new air spring for railways designed for cold region transportation. This new air spring successfully operates in very cold environments without sacrificing general properties. The key technology of this new product is the rubber compound formulation technology for diaphragm, which enables operation at a very low temperature with high flexibility.