Simulation model for the study of overhead rail current collector systems dynamics, focused on the design of a new conductor rail

Abstract

Overhead rigid conductor arrangements for current collection for railway traction have some advantages compared to other, more conventional, energy supply systems. They are simple, robust and easily maintained, not to mention their flexibility as to the required height for installation, which makes them particularly suitable for use in subway infrastructures. Nevertheless, due to the increasing speeds of new vehicles running on modern subway lines, a more efficient design is required for this kind of system. In this paper, the authors present a dynamic analysis of overhead conductor rail systems focused on the design of a new conductor profile with a dynamic behaviour superior to that of the system currently in use. This means that either an increase in running speed can be attained, which at present does not exceed 110 km/h, or an increase in the distance between the rigid catenary supports with the ensuing saving in installation costs. This study has been carried out using simulation techniques. The ANSYS programme has been used for the finite element modelling and the SEVIPACK programme for the elastic multibody systems analysis.

A Study on Multiple Pantograph Operations for High-Speed Catenary Contact

“…Most of the works focusing the pantograph-catenary interaction elect the finite element method to develop and analyze linear models catenaries and use lumped mass pantograph models due to the need to maintain the linearity of the analysis. However, it is recognized by a large number of researchers that the nonlinearities of the pantograph system play a very important role in the energy collection and, therefore, either nonlinear finite element or multibody models can deliver superior analysis capabilities [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. Due to the multiphysics problem involved in modelling the catenary-pantograph system and the need for its simulation Arnold and Simeon [10] suggest the co-simulation between the finite difference discretization of the catenary and the multibody representation of the pantograph.…”

Electrical prototype model of pantograph-catenary system

“…Multibody models of pantographs have also been discussed by many researchers. These models give more realistic simulation results and new design concepts based on the simulation can be introduced [14]- [17].…”

A 3D absolute nodal coordinate finite element model to compute the initial configuration of a railway catenary

“…With these tools designers can analyze, for example, the effects of the catenary geometry or the properties of the cables on the contact force between pantograph and catenary. The number of codes developed in recent years [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] is an example of just how important simulation is becoming in this field. A common feature of most of the codes is that the cables are modeled using the finite element method, mainly using prestressed beam formulations, like the Euler-Bernoulli or Timoshenko beam theories.…”