Research and Optimisation of the Coupling Performance of Pantograph–Catenary System Based on Numerical Simulation and Experimental Tests

Abstract

In this paper, the coupling performance of the rigid pantograph-catenary system is studied and optimised by means of numerical simulations and experimental tests in parallel, taking the rigid pantograph–catenary system of Tianjin Metro Line 6 as an example. The performance of the pantograph–catenary coupling is evaluated quantitatively in the time and frequency domains using the approximate entropy and EMD-HHT methods. The research process starts with the establishment of pantograph lumped mass model, pantograph physical model and rigid catenary physical model. The collision function algorithm in ADMAS software is used to establish the pantograph–catenary coupling relationship, and the dynamic contact force values of the pantograph––catenary are simulated. Combined with the numerical simulation and experimental test data, the performance of the pantograph–catenary coupling under different pantograph head stiffness, pantograph head mass, pantograph static contact force and train operating conditions is analysed. By adjusting the train operating conditions and pantograph parameters, the objective of optimising the pantograph–catenary coupling performance can be achieved, and the wear rate of carbon-based contact strips can be reduced by more than 25%.