MATTEI RAIL APPLICATIONS: ON-BOARD AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Whether for on-board vehicles or for infrastructure use, Mattei rotary vane compressors are the perfect solution to meet any compressed air requirements in the railway sector.

Flexible, powerful, performing rotary vane compressors are perfectly integrated on-board and in infrastructure and provide quality compressed air, free of contamination and particulate thanks to the AGTU (Air Generation and Treatment Unit) system which not only produces compressed air, but filters and dries it. 

Mattei compressors can also be used for the retrofitting into existing compressor applications, by integrating with the engine and ensuring pure compressed air without pulsation is supplied at all times.

IRIS certified, Mattei compressors, are located on-board railway vehicles of different shapes and sizes, eg. trams, metro commuter trains, regional and high speed, passenger shuttles, locomotive, Hybrid, and shunting locomotives and are also used for different applications on infrastructure. Let’s review the main applications for these quiet, compact, and reliable air compressors:

Braking and sandbox systems – Compressed air is used to activate the calipers’ and providing the braking system used to stop and hold the vehicle on the rail. Sandboxes are devices that apply grit to ensure traction on rails both during start-up and stopping when it is necessary to increase the wheels’ adhesion/traction and avoid slippage. 

Door opening, windshield wipers, mirror, and horns– the pneumatically powered mechanism controls door opening and closing, compressed air drives the wiper blade movement and even the mirror adjustments.

Air suspension–requires good quality compressed air -for the reliable operation of the vehicle and to provide a comfortable ride for passengers, something that Mattei compressors are known for.

Pantograph activation – is a mechanism placed on the roof of locomotives and people carriers with an articulated arms supporting a sliding skid that hooks the power line and provides power to the train. Pantograph handling requires the use of compressed air.

Infrastructure systems – stationary Mattei compressors are also valued for the quiet reliability they deliver to rolling stock service operations, such as Depot handling.

Mattei compressors represent great advantages for the railway sector: thanks to the uniqueness of rotary vane technology, they have a longer operating life, lower life cycle costs, require less maintenance, never need an airend overhaul, are extremely reliable and, they produce dry, clean compressed air.

From Vane Magazine 21, August 2022