Effect of bogie fairings on the snow reduction of a high-speed train bogie under crosswinds using a discrete phase method

This paper investigated the wind-snow flow around the bogie region of a high-speed train under crosswinds using a coupled numerical method of the unsteady Realizable k-e turbulence model and discrete phase model (DPM). The flow features around the bogie region were discussed and the influence of bogie fairing height on the snow accumulation on the bogie was also analyzed. Here the high-speed train was running at a speed of 200 km/h in a natural environment with the crosswind speed of 15 m/s. The mesh resolution and methodology for CFD analysis were validated against wind tunnel experiments. The results show that large negative pressure occurs locally on the bottom of wheels, electric motors, gear covers, while the positive pressure occurs locally on those windward surfaces. The airflow travels through the complex bogie and flows towards the rear bogie plate, causing a backflow in the upper space of the bogie region. The snow particles mainly accumulate on the wheels, electric motors, windward sides of gear covers, side fairings and back plate of the bogie. Longer side fairings increase the snow accumulation on the bogie, especially on the back plate, side fairings and brake clamps. However, the fairing height shows little impact on snow accumulation on the upper region of the bogie. Compared to short side fairings, a full length side fairing model contributes to more than two times of snow accumulation on the brake clamps, and more than 20% on the whole bogie.