ARTICLE AD BOX
New Delhi: For the first time in India, a novel technical innovation in the trains, named “tunnel hoods” has been incorporated into the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train (MABT) project. The technology will be deployed along the country’s first high-speed rail corridor in the mountain tunnels that they will encounter to make the train running more smooth, quiet and comfortable for the passengers.
The construction of tunnel hoods at the ends of mountain tunnels on the bullet train line is in progress. Both ends of the mountain tunnels on the bullet train line are having the tunnel hoods installed. The 508-km-long corridor runs between the cities of Mumbai and Ahmedabad, and it will cross Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. There are even seven mountain tunnels in Maharashtra and one mountain tunnel in Gujarat.
Tunnel hoods provide a special structure at the openings of tunnels. The primary function is to minimize the “tunnel boom” effect of a high-speed train entering a tunnel. When the train enters the tunnel at extremely high speed, it is able to compress a considerable mass of air ahead of it as a piston is compressed inside a cylinder. This generates powerful waves that pass through the subway and can prove to be a noisy experience on leaving the station.
The solution to this problem is realized through the use of tunnel hoods, which form an in-between area between the open air and the tunnel. They facilitate the easier flow of air at a more gradual pace, minimizing the sudden pressure changes. This contributes to quieter trains, a more comfortable ride experience for passengers, and the better functioning of the train system.
These tunnel hoods include pressure-releasing windows or vents as one of the most important aspects. They are used to release compressed air gradually during one of a train’s passage through a tunnel. This means that the pressure waves are less pronounced, the airflow through the system stays smooth and the loud boom effect is significantly lowered. Tunnel hood technology is in use in many countries practicing high speed trains (above 300 kmph). With this successful technology, India is taking its first bullet train project forward towards international standards.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project is one of India’s biggest transportation infrastructure projects. Major construction advances have already been made, such as breakthroughs in openings and station development. The use of tunnel hoods is another important step towards providing a world-class high-speed rail system in the country.
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