Abstract
Mechanical properties of the components of a pantograph’s slider suspension system have large influence on the quality of pantograph-catenary interaction. In the paper the authors present the results of their experimental research on the springs that are used in the pantograph being currently in operation in Europe. Static and dynamic tests were performed, which were aimed at determining the stiffness and damping coefficients respectively. Subsequently, the procedure for automated numerical model building for the pantograph’s springs was prepared employing the Python programming language and the MSC Marc solver. When a spring model is build (accordingly to the geometric properties of the springs used in tests), the elaborated algorithm iteratively tunes the material properties and computes static and dynamic load-cases, making direct reference to the experimental procedure. After completing several iterations the numerical model is finally validated, and proper material properties, as the Young modulus and the coefficients of Rayleigh damping model, are found. Then, the obtained model can be used to determine the damping and stiffness coefficients for springs characterizing various diameters, wire diameters, numbers of turns, etc. The presented modelling tool is useful for determining the pantograph sliders suspension characteristics.
Highlights
A railway pantograph takes part in the power supply process to a train
The results of numerical model validation are presented in this article
The above parameters were used in the validation process of the numerical model of the analogous springs modelled employing the FEM model
Summary
A railway pantograph takes part in the power supply process to a train. It is desired to maintain mechanical contact between a pantograph slider and a catenary wire regardless of the speed of train travel. The authors decided to employ the Finite Element (FE) Method to assess the stiffness and damping ratio of the springs with different geometrical parameters. When stiffness and damping properties are assessed for a particular type of the spring, these parameters can be used as an input data for investigation of a pantograph – catenary dynamic interaction, e.g. employing the model presented previously by the authors in [1], and the best spring shape can be found. The authors performed an identification of the stiffness and damping coefficients for the springs used currently in the 160ECT pantograph produced by the Polish company EC Engineering. The results of numerical model validation are presented in this article
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