The Pantograph-catenary Arc Test system for High-speed Railways

High speed electric multi units (EMU) get power through pantograph-centenary electrical contact. As the EMU running velocity increases, rail surface irregularities, undulations of the catenary and vibrations of the pantograph head cause the status of pantograph-centenary electrical contact to deteriorate seriously and generate pantograph-catenary arcs frequently. The arcs erode the contact wire and pantograph strip, endanger the current-receiving quality between pantograph and catenary and restrain further raizing of the EMU speed. So it is very important to study the pantograph-catenary arcs. In this paper, the pantograph-catenary current-receiving process was analyzed. The pantograph-catenary arc test system was developed, which simulated the flexible and straight contact of pantograph and contact wire, pantograph strip zigzag movements and vertical up and down movements of the pantograph. The test system was used to study, the pantograph-catenary contact resistance, and the electrical parameters and shape features of the arcs.