Over the past few months, the Frauscher magnetic noise receiver (MNR) has been undergoing field tests under practice conditions, in collaboration with the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB). The overall impression of the mobile measuring system for the analysis of vehicle magnetic fields has consistently been very positive.
The objective of interoperable vehicle licensing is to ensure that traction vehicles can be deployed throughout Europe without the need for additional, country-specific measurements. The EN50238 set of guidelines provides for, among other things, measuring and assessment procedures that should support this effort. The frequency management has been established on the basis of the procedure defined in TS50238-3 in the interface document of the TSI-CCS, which is currently being revised. Frauscher has developed, for this purpose, the magnetic noise receiver – MNR system, which can take, record and assess gradients on the track in real time.
Joint series of measurements taken by the ÖBB and Frauscher confirmed that the mobile measuring system based on an INTEL industrial PC fulfilled all of the requirements of the TS50238-3 with regard to measuring methods and assessment.
The functions of the MNR, such as three-dimensional detection of measuring fields (X-Y-Z axis), speed, measurement triggering and real-time assessment during a single measurement run were particularly impressive during the practice test in field measurements at a speed of up to 200 km / h. The immediate assessment of the measurement data in accordance with TS50238-3, using discreet programmable filter curves or by means of an FFT analysis, was demonstrated in practice in a convincing manner during these measurement series. In addition, the recording of the unprocessed raw data for subsequent assessment is an added feature that will be useful on an international level.
Particularly worthy of note are the rapid and simple attachment of the probes to the track, the proven adjustment capabilities in accordance with the rail claw model of the RSR123 wheel sensor, the software’s attractive user interface and the online assessment and inspection of the measurement results.