Ventilation Technology of Diesel Locomotive Railway Tunnels: Current Trends, Sustainable Solutions and Future Prospects

Xiaohan Chen, Sanxiang Sun (), Jianyun Wu, Tianyang Ling (), Lei Li, Xianwei Shi and Jie Yu
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Xiaohan Chen: School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Sanxiang Sun: School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Jianyun Wu: School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Tianyang Ling: Guangzhou Municipal Housing Development and Transportation Bureau in Baiyun District, Guangzhou 510405, China
Lei Li: State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Geotechnics and Tunnelling, Xi’an 710043, China
Xianwei Shi: State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Geotechnics and Tunnelling, Xi’an 710043, China
Jie Yu: State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Geotechnics and Tunnelling, Xi’an 710043, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-50

Abstract: Ventilation systems in railway tunnels are crucial for ensuring the safe operation of trains, particularly those powered by diesel locomotives. Inadequate ventilation design may cause serious traffic accidents. Previous studies were generally focused on tunnel ventilation issues for highway tunnels or high-speed railway tunnels, while little attention has been paid to systematic ventilation design for diesel locomotive railway tunnels. To summarize the research progress and find a sustainable solution of ventilation for diesel locomotive railway tunnels, a comprehensive review of the relevant literature was conducted in this paper. First, the development history of diesel locomotives is traced, and the main framework and key components of a diesel locomotive railway ventilation system are introduced. Then, the limit values of locomotive emissions within tunnels specified in different standards from different countries are compared. Finally, key factors affecting the performance of ventilation systems in diesel locomotive railway tunnels are sorted. It is found that diesel locomotives remain the primary choice for railway freight traction in developing countries and specific challenging environments, such as high-altitude areas and permafrost regions. In the ventilation design for tunnels in these regions, particular attention must be paid to pollutants like CO, NO, and NO 2 . Ventilation efficiency is influenced by numerous factors, including tunnel geometry, internal systems, and train operating conditions. Intelligent ventilation control presents a promising sustainable solution to address future demands. This review can provide a reference for subsequent research on ventilation technologies, low-carbon retrofitting, and sustainable development practices for diesel locomotive railway tunnels.

Keywords: diesel locomotives; railway tunnel; ventilation system; harmful gas; ventilation control; sustainable solution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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