Characteristics of pantograph‐catenary arc under low air pressure and strong airflow

Abstract

Pantograph-catenary arc fault is the primary factor threatening the stability of the power transmission for high-speed railway. The motion characteristics of the pantographcatenary arc under low air pressure and strong airflow is significantly different from the case under atmospheric pressure. In this paper, an experimental platform of pantograph-catenary arc was built to investigate arc root position-time and arc column longitudinal drift height-time characteristic curves under different air pressures and airflow velocites. Via analysing the corresponding results, it can be found that there are different arc root-arc column traction mechanisms at different stages of arc development. The arcing time and arc root stagnation time under low air pressure are significantly longer than the case under atmospheric pressure, resulting in more serious electrode ablation. The arc column longitudinal drift velocity and height are greater with the increase of airflow velocity. Two typical irregular arc motion phenomena-arc root jumping and arc reignition are observed. To clarify the internal mechanism of the above phenomenon, a magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) model of the pantograph-catenary arc was lauched, the influence mechanism of the pantograph-catenary arc temperature and voltage are studied, and the physical process of arc temperature oscillation is analysed. The research results provide theoretical support for arc protection in high-altitude areas.

Observation and verification of surface electrical explosion driven by radial‐distributed pulsed current in laboratory lightning strike test

“…At this point, the shape of the shock wave front is no longer a standard sphere but more like a short cylinder with a hemisphere on top. Meanwhile, the arclike plasma slowly expands and mixes with the ambient air, along with the development of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) instabilities [26,27], as seen in frames #6 to #19.…”

Characteristic analysis of pantograph–catenary detachment arc based on double‐pantograph–catenary dynamics in electrified railways

“…Model characteristic Analysis results [14,15] Arc in single pantograph system Considering PC dynamics Arc waveforms under different dynamic conditions [19] Arc column (single pantograph) Considering magnetohydrodynamics Arc physical characteristics [31] Arc in articulated split-zone insulator (single pantograph)…”

“…[14,15] by extending the parameters of arc equations. For the arc experiment studies, some experimental platforms were set up to simulate the detachment process of PC and analyse the characteristics of arc, such as arc current zero-crossing (CZC) region [16], dynamic process of arc current and voltage [17], temperature distribution of arc column [18] and physical characteristics of arc [19,20]. For the arc electromagnetic interference, its propagation characteristic [21,22] and influence [23] to vehicle modelling are analysed.…”

High‐altitude tunnel‐catenary gap impulse discharge characteristics and breakdown voltage correction

“…The electrical insulation gap must be sufficient. Otherwise, a breakdown accident will occur seriously endangering the safe operation of the train [12]. Nevertheless, it is troublesome to build tunnels at high altitudes with high investment, and the optimisation of the tunnel-catenary gap distance is one of the key factors affecting the project cost [13].…”