Ingeteam equips their railway traction converters with CEJN ultraFLOW quick couplings

Ingeteam, a Spanish technology group specialising in high-power electronics and electrical energy conversion systems, designs and supplies traction converters specifically for the railway industry. During the power conversion process, the equipment reaches high temperatures that could compromise the system's integrity. To prevent this and ensure effective heat dissipation, the converters incorporate a liquid cooling system featuring CEJN ultraFLOW quick couplings explicitly designed for thermal management applications.

Specializing in electrical energy conversion, Ingeteam develops technological power electronic solutions for more efficient energy generation and consumption across several sectors, including wind, photovoltaic, hydroelectric, fossil energy generation, metal transformation, marine, railway, and electric mobility.

They have developed the INGETRAC traction converters for the railway application, a solution in which the CEJN ultraFLOW quick connect couplings have been integrated into the liquid cooling system. "The CEJN ultraFLOW quick connect couplings have allowed us to increase the flow circulating through our water-cooling radiators, improving the system's thermal performance," says Iker Apaolaza, Mechanical Technology Manager at Ingeteam.

"The CEJN ultraFLOW quick connect couplings have allowed us to increase the flow circulating through our water-cooling radiators, improving the system's thermal performance."

Iker Apaolaza, Mechanical Technology Manager at Ingeteam Power Technology.

Built to withstand extreme temperatures

The INGETRAC traction converters, compliant with EN 50155 standards, are based on modular power blocks (BPM) and can deliver up to 3MW of power. They include all essential components, such as traction inverters, braking choppers, AFE, and auxiliary inverters. Additionally, they integrate a control module to manage the system's logic and operational variables.

The converters, designed for installation in the engine room of railway vehicles, are built to withstand even the most extreme temperatures and demanding operation conditions. To improve overall performance and ease of maintenance, all components in the converter are carefully chosen to create a compact and lightweight design with optimal space and weight efficiency. That also includes the liquid cooling system, making the CEJN ultraFLOW quick connectors the ideal solution due to its compact design, lightweight materials, low pressure drop, and non-drip valve. "The ultraflow couplings give us the peace of mind to connect and disconnect the cooling systems without the risk of spilling coolant onto electronic components," Apaolaza says.

In addition to providing a high-performance product, CEJN worked closely with Ingeteam during the testing phase, offering technical support and collaboration to ensure the best possible fit for the system's requirements.