Development of calculation method for melting amount mass of contact wire caused by melting and evaporation of molten metal bridge and arc generation

Abstract

As the mileage of the electric railway increases, the unevenness of the contact wire may separate the contact wire and the contact strip. Simultaneously, a disconnection arc discharge is generated by the molten metal bridge. This causes the contact wire to melt and evaporate causing it to break. A few studies have conducted experiments to prevent the contact wire from disconnecting. Based on the results thus obtained, they presented their hypotheses considering conditions sch as the current and time required for melting and evaporation of molten metal bridge and arc generation. In this study, a calculation method for the melting and disconnection phenomenon of the contact wire. Its mass increased when the currents from both sides of the contact wire were taken into consideration. Therefore, we obtained that the convection and radiation play an improtant role for calculation of the melting amount mass of contact wire.