Cab Air Conditioning Upgrade for Tata Steel Netherlands Locomotive

DC Airco supplied its DC9200 24 Vdc split air conditioning system for installation in an industrial locomotive operated by Tata Steel Netherlands, improving cab comfort and equipment protection in a demanding steel production environment.

Locomotives operating within steel plants are subject to high ambient temperatures, radiant heat, dust, and continuous duty cycles. Reliable climate control inside the operator’s cab is essential to support safe operation, maintain driver concentration, and protect onboard electrical equipment.

The DC9200 system is a fully dc powered split air conditioning solution designed for heavy duty mobile and industrial applications. For this installation, the evaporator unit was mounted inside the cab, while the condenser was installed externally and connected via self sealing quick connect refrigerant hoses, enabling efficient installation and simplified servicing without refrigerant loss.

Delivering up to 3,9 kW of cooling capacity, the DC9200 combines high efficiency with low power consumption and a soft start characteristic, eliminating current peaks during start up—an important feature for battery powered and industrial electrical systems. The system operates reliably at ambient temperatures up to 55 °C, ensuring stable performance in hot steel plant conditions.

An integrated PLC controller with diagnostic display provides real time system monitoring and fault detection, supporting efficient maintenance and high system availability. The compact and flexible design makes the DC9200 suitable for both new installations and retrofit projects on legacy industrial locomotives.

This project demonstrates DC Airco’s ability to deliver robust, energy efficient HVAC solutions tailored to the operational requirements of industrial rail vehicles at Tata Steel Netherlands.