Railways develops anti-freeze flushes and fuel tanks for journeys in J&K

Subject :Science and Tech

Section: Msc

Context:

The Indian Railways is facing unique challenges in maintaining water and fuel in liquid form in subzero temperatures during the harsh winters in regions like Jammu and Kashmir.
Engineers at the Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Kapurthala have designed and implemented indigenous innovations to overcome these challenges.

Challenges

In the Jammu and Kashmir region, winter temperatures can drop to minus eight to minus 12 degrees Celsius.
Freezing water in toilets and fuel tanks poses challenges, including toilets not functioning, supply taps not working, and the risk of tank cracks and bursts due to ice expansion.

Innovations

The RCF has created double-walled composite insulated water tanks, available in capacities from 450 to 685 litres, which effectively keep water in its liquid state for a duration of 16 to 20 hours even in subzero conditions.
The tanks mimic thermoplastic bottles with two walls and an insulation layer of foam in the middle, preventing freezing.
The RCF is using heated pipes with a distributed heating system and insulation to prevent water in supply pipelines from freezing.
Geysers will be deployed at the point of use in toilets, heating only the required amount of water, reducing energy loss.
Similar technology is being used in the fuel tanks for locomotives to keep fuel in liquid form.