Sustainable service solutions for rail vehicles

Energy systems for passenger transport as well as driverless trans-port systems are often exposed to extreme stress through varying operating and use conditions and environmental influences. There-fore, these applications need a strategy which is adapted to the indi-vidual use in order to assure the availability of energy and to avoid unnecessary costs.

Battery Maintenance

From our broad service portfolio, which ranges from maintenance contracts to full service solutions, including reconditioning of your batteries, we offer you highly customer specific service packages. For rail-bound applications we offer “on car” as well as “off car” service in your depot, depending on your requirements.

• Check for missing or mechanically damaged battery components
• Visual inspection of the cells for leakage
• Water topping
• Testing for corrosion
• Testing the cell connectors
• Surface cleaning of the cells
• Testing the insulation resistance
• Testing of the temperature sensors
• Testing the electrolyte density

Load- and Capacity Test

A load and capacity test is usually carried out in the operating condition of a battery, but in some cases (e.g. acceptance tests, customer specifications) prior charging treatment is recommended. The test is carried out in accordance with DIN EN 60896-11 and the available manufacturer's data. It serves to evaluate and analyse the battery with regard to its capacity and its behaviour under load over a predefined period of time. It can be flexibly defined, taking into account customer interest, duration and capacity discharged, as well as the maximum possible discharge currents of the load bank. Furthermore, such a test can be carried out on any battery system.

• Placing and removal of the devices, as well as assembly/disassembly of the load and measurement circuits
• Measuring the total voltage during and at the end of the test
• Measurement of all cell / block voltages during and at the end of the test
• Optionally: continuous single cell measurement over the entire duration
• Check the connectors and screw connections for excessive heat up.
• Measuring the electrical consumer or load current
• Measuring the electrolyte temperature at the end of the test

Equalisation Charge

Between the individual cells of a battery it can come to unacceptably large differences of the cell voltage under maintainance charge. In this case an equalizing or calibration charge is necessary to compensate the differences and to bring all cells back to a consistent voltage level. Other reasons for an equalisation charge may be a deep discharge, sulphation of the battery due to insufficient charging or temperature differences between the cells over a longer period of time. Deviations in electrolyte density or voltage values are also characteristics of a necessary equalizing charge. Such charging is carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications and can be carried out using existing charging technology or with the an external charger.

• Placing and removal of tools and devices
• Delivery, configuration and programming of the charger (external charger only)
• Disconnect battery if necessary - Connect the cell connectors/connecting cables
• Measurement of cell voltages before and after equalisation charging
• Measurement of electrolyte density and temperature before, during and after charging