ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE ARP8T

“Amplitude” Closed Joint-Stock Company Production Commercial firm realizes serial production of the electric locomotive of the new technical level ARP8T/2ARP8T. The electric locomotive is developed on the basis of the most spread and suitable in operation electric locomotive АМ8D/2АМ8D, though from this model there were taken the only underframe and running gear which can be used in all the existing at present time coal mine openings.

Electric locomotive АРП8Т is equipped by a transistor noncontact control system and has considerable advantages in comparison with the existing models.

In 2002 the electric locomotive has already gone through benchmark tests and performance trials in conditions of the mine "Progress" (Torez town) and everything was ready to start its production. However, analyzing the experience of other enterprises, when highly-productive mining equipment in mining conditions did not provide with necessary indices, it required serious updating and did not justify expectations of miners, the decision was made to continue tests in conditions of different mines.

Benchmark tests in different regimes continuously during 30 days showed the electric locomotive to operate successfully, and all the parameters, including temperature of motors and controller KTV, are within acceptance limits. Tests of the electric locomotive with acid battery proved the electric locomotive to perform all the functions and to provide all the set-up parameters without overloads and emergencies.

Long tests with new alkaline batteries took place in the normal regime and did not give rise to criticism. Tests with alkaline batteries, which have already been operating for several years, discovered that there appear such regimes of work in which can occur considerable unpredictable voltage surges, which lead to failure of power transistors. As at many mines just the same batteries exist, it was decided to investigate them and adapt a scheme of a locomotive to them. Several blocks were finished off and manufactured; they allowed the electric locomotive АРП8Т to work with alkaline batteries which life time has already ran out.

During long tests there were discovered the least reliable units in the block KTV. These are: mechanical reverser, which in the primary scheme was one of the dominant units, but it appeared to be the most "narrow" place of scheme and requires manufacturing out of special materials with high precision. That is why it was decided to replace it by the electric scheme and that made the block KTV more expensive, but considerably raised its reliability. Other units also went through changes and this fact finally allowed providing greater safety and reliability of the product as a whole.

Moreover, during tests we faced the fact that machinists of electric locomotives not always follow operation manuals and make different switching of regimes of work (even non-predictable) and it leads to peak electric and mechanic loads. During updating of the equipment there was not only introduced blocking of such regimes but also provided reliable operation of electric locomotive on schematic level.

System of electrodynamic braking makes it possible to block wheels completely and this, together with availability of mechanic brakes, allows providing all the necessary kinds of brakes. During updating of electrodynamic braking, we managed to provide the regime, which is analogous to ABS (anti block brake system) of a passenger car.

The above-mentioned updating was made also with block КТВ-2, which is certified and is produced at "Amplituda" Closed Joint-Stock Company Production Commercial Firm. During tests there aroused a necessity in precise speed control, and it is provided for in speedometer (CP), which is also produced at "Amplituda" enterprise.

Since 2004 "Amplituda" Closed Joint-Stock Company Production Commercial Firm has started a full-scale production of a controller КТВ-2 and electric locomotive АРП-8Т, which can be of two-cabine type in the same overall dimensions (in the second cabin there is the only control unit) during operation with acid accumulator. In future it is recommended to install the КТВ-2 controller also during repair of the existing models of electric locomotives. When it is necessary it is possible to combine АРП8Т into duplex electric locomotive 2АРП-8Т (though tests in conditions of mines allow to mention that driving force of the electric locomotive 2АРП-8Т is significantly higher than in АМ-8Д).

The above-mentioned improvements of electric scheme and know-how in the mechanical part of the electric locomotive allow us to speak about increase of resource minimum in 2 times, about greater safety and reliability.

Nowadays the electric locomotive АРП8Т/2АРП8Т is produced at "Amplituda" Closed Joint-stock Company Production Commercial Firm according to specifications ТУ 35.2-25103132-001-2002. The Declaration patent of Ukraine # UA 63081A for electrical locomotive and its control system is obtained by "Amplituda" Closed Joint-stock Company Production Commercial Firm.