Correlation between the Wear and Vibration of the Contact Strip in a Contact Wire Rubbing against a Contact Strip with Electrical Current

Abstract

Vibration of the contact strip is an important phenomenon in the process of electrical sliding of a pantograph–catenary system. The correlation between the wear and vibration of a contact strip in a contact strip rubbing against a contact wire was studied. A series of experimental tests was conducted on a high-speed block-on-ring tester under electric current of 200 A, sliding speed of 160 km/h, and normal loads of 40–120 N. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy were used to observe the morphology of the worn surfaces. Experimental results indicate that the friction coefficient decreases but the wear rate of the contact strip increases with increasing vibration acceleration. Arc discharge energy increases with increasing vibration acceleration. Suppressing vibration is a practical way to decrease arc erosion wear of the contact strip. The conductivity of the contact strip becomes progressively worse with increasing vibration acceleration.

KEY WORDS:

• Friction
• Wear
• Electrical Contact
• Contact Strip

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. U1234202), the Science and Technology Support Program of Sichuan Province of China (No. 2011FZ0052), and the 2013 Doctoral Innovation Funds of Southwest Jiaotong University and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.