Very High Speed Third Rail Insulator Cleaning

This Phase IIB proposal will accelerate the commercialization of the Phase II project that developed the Vohrtex insulator cleaner. The Phase II cleaner used self-spinning nozzles which require oversized offset jets to provide sufficient reaction force to make the nozzle spin. The oversized jets damage the surface finish of the insulators. This Phase IIB project will use small pneumatic, electric or hydraulic motors coupled to a new small rotary swivel, to spin the nozzles. The nozzle can be run at an appropriate speed, with smaller jets of optimized diameters, where the dwell time and diameter of the jet will wipe the dirt off without damaging the surface of the insulator. Smaller jets will not damage the surface finish of the insulators, require less water, a smaller jetting pump and less diesel engine exhaust emissions in the tunnel confines – all required attributes that will provide the cleaner that the Subways have said they want to acquire and is vital to the commercial viability of the SBIR project results. A prototype Vohrtex cleaner will be bench tested and also demonstrated on the track of a participating transit agency for commercialization and deployment in other subways.