HVIP - New Generation of Point Controllers for Antwerp

Twenty-two years after the first HANNING & KAHL microprocessor point controllers based on the tried and tested HN-P processor systems went into operation in Antwerp, point controllers based on the HVIP processor system are now to be commissioned in the city in 2025. This will be the first installation of a HVIP point controller in Belgium. By Hendrik Rohlfing

This follows close consultation between tram operator DeLijn and HANNING & KAHL on project planning, construction and development of the new generic point controllers for DeLijn in Antwerp. Apart from coordination on technical safety, for example protection, which has been realized in this case in compliance with VDV publication 331, functions were also coordinated. These included signalling order and detailed discussion of point-controller behaviour in the event of malfunctions. As Antwerp’s trams ran without point-position signalling to date, coordination regarding signalling order was necessary and is now catered for by the new point-controller generation.

While safe functions (e.g. protection against re-setting) and standard functions (e.g. point heating) are realized in a joint processor system in previous HANNING & KAHL point controllers, the new point-controller generation differentiates between fail-safe and non-fail-safe standard functions. All fail-safe functions have been implemented with the HANNING & KAHL HVIP processor system and all non-fail-safe standard functions via the HLU-Multi application controller. This makes it possible to make changes flexibly, even at a later date, to the non-fail-safe standard system, for example for point heating or point-machine diagnosis if necessary, without having to intervene in the fail-safe system. Availability is also increased by an additional “ONLINE-RESTRICTED” operating mode, in which the electric main point can continue to be operated without restriction should there be a signal malfunction on a manual secondary point for example, thus preventing downtime on the overall system.

Based on our end customer’s requirement, a modulating point heater was realized for DeLijn Antwerp for the first time through use of the HLU-Multi application controller. This automatically regulated point-heater controller can be operated with different output levels such as 25, 50, 75 or 100%, which leads to needs-based heating of the points and energy saving, making a decisive contribution to sustainability. Like the previous HANNING & KAHL point-heater controllers, the new one has the usual sensors for rail and ambient temperature. It also has sensors to detect different types of precipitation like rain, hail or snow.

All application parameters of the point-heater controller, for example the number of heating elements used, temperature thresholds or hysteresis, can be conveniently set via the integrated 15-inch touch screen monitor with the integrated ConnAct® online-monitoring system. The corresponding point-heater controller status information including power consumption is displayed in kWh. Apart from point-heater status information, all point-controller status information is displayed on the specific track diagram on the integrated 15-inch touch screen. Alongside the factory-integrated 4G modem, which is part of the HLU-Multi application controller, the unit has been equipped with fibre-optic interface converters at the request of the customer. This enables integration into the customer‘s fibre-optic network as needed.