Influence of the Distributed Grounding Layout for Intercity Trains on the “Train–Rail” Circumflux

Abstract

The mobile distributed grounding system plays an irreplaceable role in discharging power for intercity trains, including two types of grounding settings (GSs): the working GS provides the pathway for discharging the traction current; the protective GS provides the reference grounding potential for the vehicle-mounted equipment. As both working and protective GSs share the rail as the common current-releasing pathway, the traction current released by working GSs might return the carriage through the adjacent protective GSs, forming as the train body (TB) current which threatens the vehicle-mounted electrical equipment. Herein, an equivalent circuit of the mobile distributed grounding system is built to analyze the TB current. For evaluating the influence brought by TB current on the vehicle-mounted equipment, a 3D finite element (FEM) geometry is launched, meanwhile the comparison of the multi-physical distributions is undertaken when applying different grounding layouts, with the emphasis of the highlighted region containing critical devices.