Sicat is the name for Siemens’ family of standards for overhead line systems dedicated to direct current and alternative current railway networks. These systems are tested for exploitation at maximum speeds between 80 km/h and 400 km/h.
Standard variants are selected according to the intended purpose of the railway section. One of this standards is Sicat SA (Sicat Standard AC), designed in conformity with applicable interoperability requirements under the TSIs for 15-25 kV networks and for speeds of up to 230 km/h. So far, the system was installed in Hungary, Great Britain and Germany.
Siemens’ new-generation innovation for overhead lines is the Sicat XS system. The benefits of this system consist in reducing the costs of the materials and equipments used in the construction of the catenary system, as well as maintenance costs. An important advantage is the reduction of the different spare parts used in the construction of the overhead line. Larger tension lengths and, consequently increasing the distance between anchor masts, permits significant savings with catenary anchoring supports on a specific length of the overhead lines: savings with anchor masts, foundations and brackets. “The necessary of 14 masts in the conventional system for a right line can be reduced to only 10 masts/brackets with the Sicat XS. Thus, it helps save costs with 4 masts/brackets/foundations per km of catenary. These innovating solutions rely on the use of highly resistant ropes, lighter catenaries to just 13.4 N/m and the tandem configuration of the zig-zag contact wire and of the catenary aimed at reducing the wind force”, declared Cătălin Pitigoi, Head of Business Railway Electrification, Siemens Romania.
Another principle aimed at reducing costs is selecting alternative, cost-saving materials, such as smaller cross-cut materials. This principle is turned into account by Sicat XS by using small diameter contact wires which helps reduce the volume of copper and the weigh of the catenary. The copper-magnesium combination increases the wear resistance compared to the classic copper wire and increases the mechanic tension resistance up to 15 kN, thus reducing wear by around 30%. Steel core cable can be used as alternative to the copper-magnesium wires, as they are highly resistant corrosion.
The design and installation of the system is precise and simple. It takes less time per km to install the masts and brackets which means less maintenance costs and less necessary elements. Moreover, the height of this system is reduced compared to the traditional system to 1.40 m compared to 1.80 m, thus saving more costs with materials. The installation and maintenance require simple vehicles and tools.
The Sicat XS was implemented in Hungary within a pilot project on a 4-km section part of the Bajánsenye-Boba project.
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