Redesign of Amtrak’s HVAC Duct
Team Members Heading link
- Baseer Jagirdar
- Mohammad Rahman
- Joel Thokkudubiyyapu
- Bilal Vohra
Advisor: Jonathan Komperda
Sponsor: Amtrak
Project Description Heading link
The goal of this project is to redesign the duct currently in use by Amtrak for its GE P-42 Locomotive Fleet. The first task is to create a new duct design that is manufacturable in-house at Amtrak, rather than purchasing from a third-party. This design would ultimately replace the current design, while maintaining or improving efficiency. The second task is to improve the installation process of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit, so the duct does not get damaged upon installation. Upon reverse engineering the current duct, a 3D model was created on Solidworks and analyzed on Ansys through various computational fluid dynamics tests. Using the current design as a basis, a new design was created using Solidworks Sheetmetal, which is easier to manufacture through a series of bends. Comparing the two designs, the new design yielded a pressure distribution almost identical to that of the existing duct. Regarding the installation method, the previous method of installation included placing the HVAC unit onto the locomotive using a forklift and a guide, who spectated and gave direction to the forklift operator. This method caused damages to the interior of the locomotive, specifically the duct. The new proposition is to add extra material to the side of the duct, which absorbs the damage from the HVAC unit. This extra material will also serve as a funnel to guide the unit in place.
See supporting documentation in the team’s Box drive.