Energy-Efficient Induction Heating-Based Deicing System for Railway Turnouts Under Real Snowfall Conditions

Railway turnouts are highly susceptible to snow and ice accumulation during winter, which can cause malfunctions, resulting in train delays or, in extreme cases, derailments with potential casualties. To mitigate these risks, resistive heating (RH) systems using nichrome wires have traditionally been employed. However, these systems suffer from slow heat transfer and high power consumption. To address these limitations, this article proposes an induction heating (IH) system designed for rapid thermal response and improved electrical and thermal efficiency. The proposed system comprises a power conversion unit featuring a boost power factor correction (PFC) stage and a high-frequency resonant inverter, along with an improved IH coil. An experiment in real snowfall demonstrates the IH system’s fast heat-up capability, effective snow cover removal, and enhanced energy efficiency compared to conventional methods.