System for protecting a catenary of a traffic lane of a rail vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for protecting a catenary of a traffic lane of a rail vehicle comprising at least one portion of overhead conductor rail extending mainly in a longitudinal direction, characterized in that it comprises: at least one protective cover for said portion of overhead conductor rail, said protective cover being configured to be able to rest on and in contact with said portion of overhead conductor rail and to cover it at least in part; at least one covering device configured to be able to at least partially cover said protective cover and at least one attachment point connecting said portion of overhead conductor rail to an insulating arm of said overhead conductor rail, said insulating arm being configured to be able to be attached to an engineering structure; and in that each protective cover and each covering device are formed of at least one material chosen from the group formed by dielectric polymers.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] TITLE OF THE INVENTION: SYSTEM FOR PROTECTING A CATENARY OF A TRACK OF A RAIL VEHICLE

[0003] Technical field of the invention

[0004] The invention relates to a system for protecting a catenary and in particular an overhead contact profile in railway infrastructures. The invention also extends to a railway catenary equipped with such a protection system.

[0005] Technological background

[0006] Catenaries are used to supply current to an electric motor of a railway vehicle and are mainly made up of structures, contact wires and carrier cables. The contact wire allows contact with a pantograph installed on the roof of the electric motor of the railway vehicle in order to capture the electric current flowing in the contact wire and thus supply the motor with electrical energy for its movement on the rails.

[0007] Some sections of railway track are subject to laterally and vertically stresses, particularly near or under certain structures such as tunnels (long structures) or bridges (short structures). UIC (International Union of Railways) standard 606-1 sets a minimum distance between the catenary and structures. This minimum safety distance allows for an insulating air gap to be created to prevent the formation of electric arcs. On some older structures, this minimum distance cannot be respected due to the size of the structure. In these cases, costly work must be carried out if exceptional exemptions cannot be obtained.

[0008] In the case of engineering structures such as tunnels and bridges, it is known to replace the catenary wire with an aerial contact profile (also known by the acronym PAC) held by a profile attachment, itself carried by an insulating arm, anchored to a side wall of the engineering structure. FR 3 069 202 describes, for example, a device for suspending such an aerial contact profile above a railway track.

[0009] However, this solution does not necessarily allow for compliance with a predetermined distance necessary to avoid any risk of electric arcing, such as the minimum distance between the catenary and the structures laid down by the UIC (International Union of Railways) standard 606-1.

[0010] FR2713567 describes a catenary support for a tunnel, of the type comprising an electrically insulating arm, mounted on the tunnel vault by means of a mounting plate.

[0011] US2015 / 207305 describes an insulating cover system for high voltage power line insulators.

[0012] DE20020440 describes an electrically insulating cover temporarily attached to a portion of a live conductive accessory and to at least a portion of an adjacent insulator, as protection against accidental contact.

[0013] The inventors sought to propose an easy-to-implement solution, ensuring the safety and reliability of the railway network without requiring major modification work to existing structures.

[0014] Objectives of the invention

[0015] The invention thus aims to provide a catenary protection system which makes it possible to protect rigid catenaries installed near a structure from any electrical risk between them.

[0016] The invention aims in particular to provide a catenary protection system which makes it possible to improve the reliability of the railway network.

[0017] The invention also aims to provide a catenary protection system which makes it possible to improve the safety and availability of the railway network.

[0018] The invention also aims to provide, in at least one embodiment of the invention, a protection system making it possible to protect a catenary equipped with such a device from corrosion.

[0019] The invention also aims to provide, in at least one embodiment of the invention, a system for protecting a catenary which is suitable for different types of electrification of the catenaries of the French railway network (in particular the catenaries operating with a direct current of the order of 1500 Volts).

[0020] Statement of the invention

[0021] To do this, the invention relates to a system for protecting a catenary of a track of a railway vehicle, said catenary comprising at least one portion of aerial contact profile extending mainly in a longitudinal direction, said protection system being characterized in that it comprises: at least one protective cover for said portion of aerial contact profile, said protective cover being configured to be able to rest on and in contact with said portion of aerial contact profile and cover it at least in part;at least one covering device configured to be able to cover at least partially said protective cover and at least one fixing point connecting said portion of aerial contact profile to an insulating arm of said aerial contact profile, said insulating arm being configured to be able to be fixed to a work of art and in that each protective cover and each covering device are formed from at least one material chosen from the group formed of dielectric polymers.;

[0022] Thus, such a system according to the invention makes it possible to electrically isolate the overhead contact profiles (or so-called "rigid" catenaries as opposed to conventional catenaries in the form of cables), in particular when certain predetermined safety distances with the structure formed by a work of art such as a bridge or a tunnel are not respected. The invention therefore provides a practical solution, easy to install in a rapid, reliable and inexpensive manner, making it possible to limit the insulation distances while avoiding any risk of electric arcing between the overhead contact profiles and the works of art.

[0023] A catenary protection system according to the invention is therefore suitable for protecting various elements of a rigid catenary, i.e. not only each overhead contact profile but also each junction zone connecting a portion of overhead contact profile with an insulating arm fixed to a structure. Advantageously and according to the invention, each protective cover is configured to be able to be fixed to said portion of overhead contact profile.

[0024] Each protective cover may, for example, be in the form of a curved strip (or blade). Advantageously and according to the invention, each protective cover extends mainly in the form of a strip such that a cross-section of said strip has a non-zero curvature. Advantageously and according to the invention, the concavity of said strip of the protective cover is oriented on the side arranged in contact with said portion of aerial contact profile.

[0025] Advantageously and according to the invention, each protective cover has two recesses configured to be able to receive lateral fins of said portion of aerial contact profile. Such recesses make it possible, for example, to be able to clip the protective cover onto the portion of aerial contact profile or to put it in place on the profile by sliding the protective cover onto the profile with the fins of the aerial contact profile in grooves formed by said recesses.

[0026] Advantageously and according to the invention, each covering device is configured to be able to partially cover two protective covers (distinct from each other) of said aerial contact profile. Thus, each covering device can partially cover protective covers arranged on either side of said fixing point connecting said portion of aerial contact profile to an insulating arm of said aerial contact profile.

[0027] Advantageously and according to the invention, each covering device has a main flat portion extended laterally by two lateral flaps. Each lateral flap makes it possible to protect the insulating arm connected to the aerial contact profile.

[0028] Advantageously and according to the invention, said insulating arm extends in a direction substantially orthogonal to said longitudinal direction of said portion of aerial contact profile.

[0029] Advantageously and according to the invention, each protective cover and each covering device are manufactured by injection molding. Advantageously and according to the invention, each protective cover and each covering device are formed from at least one material chosen from the group consisting of polyethylenes (PE), ethylene and vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA) and their copolymers. In particular, each protective cover and each covering device are formed from at least one material chosen from the group consisting of halogen-free polyethylenes.

[0030] The invention also relates to a rigid catenary (or a portion of aerial contact profile) equipped with a protection system according to the invention.

[0031] The invention advantageously relates to an overhead contact profile of a catenary equipped with a protection system according to the invention.

[0032] The invention also relates to a protection system and a catenary equipped with a protection system according to the invention, characterized in combination by all or part of the characteristics mentioned above or below.

[0033] List of figures

[0034] Other aims, characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description given solely for non-limiting purposes and which refers to the appended figures in which:

[0035] [Fig. 1] is a schematic sectional and side view of an aerial contact profile fixed to a structure,

[0036] [Fig. 2] is a sectional and side view of an aerial contact profile fixed to a structure and equipped with a protection system according to the invention,

[0037] [Fig. 3] is a schematic perspective view of a catenary equipped with protective covers of a protection system according to the invention,

[0038] [Fig. 4] is a schematic sectional view of a protective cover of a protection system according to the first embodiment of the invention,

[0039] [Fig. 5] is a schematic perspective view of a catenary equipped with a protection system according to the invention,

[0040] [Fig. 6] is a schematic top view of a protective cover of a protection system according to the invention.

[0041] Detailed description of embodiments of the invention

[0042] In the figures, scales and proportions are not strictly observed for the purposes of illustration and clarity. Throughout the detailed description which follows with reference to the figures, identical, similar or analogous elements are designated by the same references in all the figures.

[0043] Figure 1 illustrates an aerial contact profile 10 and a device for suspending it from a structure 50. The device for suspending this aerial contact profile 10 comprises an anchoring device 4 for the suspension device to the structure 50, an insulating arm 6, an adjustment arm 7 and an attachment base 8, the adjustment arm 7 being interposed between the insulating arm 6 and the attachment base 8 of the aerial contact profile 10. Different types of anchoring devices can of course be implemented to secure the suspension device to a wall of a structure.

[0044] The aerial contact profile 10 comprises, in the upper part, lateral fins 13, 14 configured to be able to be housed in grooves formed by the attachment base 8, and, in the lower part, an electrical contact wire 12 intended to supply a motor of a railway vehicle by means of a pantograph installed on the roof of the railway vehicle when it passes over the traffic track above which such an aerial contact profile extends.

[0045] Figures 2 to 6 illustrate a catenary protection system according to the invention. Figure 2 represents an aerial contact profile 10 fixed to a structure 50 and equipped with a protection system according to the invention.

[0046] A protection system according to the invention comprises at least one protective cover 20 and at least one covering device 40 configured to be able to at least partially cover the protective cover 20 and at least one fixing point connecting the portion of aerial contact profile 10 to an insulating arm 6 of the aerial contact profile 10.

[0047] Figure 3 shows several portions of an aerial contact profile 10 equipped only with protective covers 20, that is to say before the installation of the covering devices 40.

[0048] Figure 4 illustrates such a protective cover 20 in cross-section. The protective cover 20 extends mainly longitudinally in the form of a curved strip 22 having an upper face 21 and a lower face 25 intended to be oriented towards the aerial contact profile 10. The curved strip 22 of the protective cover 20 extends transversely between two longitudinal tabs 23, 24. In the embodiment shown, the protective cover 20 further comprises, under its lower face 25, recesses 26, 27 configured to receive the lateral fins 13, 14 of the aerial contact profile 10. The protective cover 20 also comprises, under its lower face 25, a central rib 28 configured to be able to be inserted into a central groove (not visible in the figures) of the aerial contact profile 10.

[0049] Figure 5 schematically represents several portions of an aerial contact profile 10 equipped with protective covers 20 according to the invention on which a covering device 40 is partially superimposed. Each protective cover 20 is configured to be able to rest on and in contact with at least one portion of the aerial contact profile 10 of the catenary and to cover it at least in part.

[0050] In the illustrated embodiment, each covering device 40 has a main flat portion 41 extended laterally on either side of two lateral flaps 43, 44. At one of its longitudinal ends, intended to be arranged towards the insulating arm and its fixing on the engineering structure, the main portion 41 has a flared portion 42. At the other longitudinal end of the main flat portion 41 of the covering device 40, each lateral flap 43, 44 has an opening forming a sleeve 52, 54 intended to be positioned and cover part of a protective cover 20.

[0051] As can be seen in Figure 5, a plurality of orifices 47, 48 may be provided through the thickness of the material forming the covering device 40, in particular in the surfaces of each side flap 43, 44 and of the front 45 in order to then be able to put in place fixing means such as pins 49 or even rubber latches in order to fix the covering device 40 to each protective cover 20.

[0052] Each protective cover 20 illustrated in Figures 2 to 6 has, for example, a total width (cross-section) of the order of 90 mm to 20 mm and a length which may, for example, be between 25 mm and 1000 mm. Each wall of a protective cover has, for example, a thickness of the order of 2 mm.

[0053] The protective cover 20 and the covering device 40 shown in Figures 2 to 6 are formed from a material selected from the group of halogen-free polyethylenes. These materials have flame retardant properties. Indeed, polyethylene (PE) is a crystalline thermoplastic which has discrete mechanical characteristics even at low temperatures. It is characterized by a high elongation at break and has good friction behavior and anti-wear and aging resistance properties. It also has low water absorption and vapor permeability.

[0054] Although polyethylene naturally has low fire resistance, it can be significantly improved by halogen-free fillers, such as here an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) which is also halogen-free and flame retardant. The reinforcements used can, for example, be inorganic or organic reinforcements in the form of particles, threads, chopped or ground threads or even fibers and can be chosen from, for example, glass fibers, carbon fibers, aramid fibers or mineral particles (talc, etc.).

[0055] Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) elastomers are manufactured like low-density polyethylene, which are soft, flexible, and strong. EVA has good barrier properties. Its impact strength and flexibility are retained even at low temperatures, and it offers good resistance to stress cracking, as well as waterproof and hot-melt adhesive properties and resistance to UV radiation.

[0056] Both materials have excellent dielectric properties: high dielectric strength, low dielectric constant and low dissipation factor at all frequencies. This makes them ideal insulation materials for various ranges of overhead contact profiles or rigid catenaries in railway infrastructure.

[0057] These performances have been demonstrated and verified by qualification tests. These tests have shown that the use of a protection system according to the invention makes it possible to reduce the distance between the overhead contact profile and the structure forming an electrically insulating air layer to a distance of 30 mm instead of at least 50 mm without a protection system in the case of a voltage of 73 kV, or a distance of 60 mm instead of a distance of 120 mm in the case of a voltage of 93 kV.

[0058] The protective covers of the catenary also have good mechanical characteristics of hardness and impact resistance.

[0059] Wind tunnel tests were carried out to demonstrate the suitability of each element to environmental conditions, whether natural weather conditions or air disturbances caused by a moving vehicle.

[0060] Protective covers and covering devices placed on the rigid catenary also protect the profiles against corrosion and against possible water flows from a bridge or tunnel vault.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. System for protecting a catenary of a track of a railway vehicle, said catenary comprising at least one portion of aerial contact profile (10) extending mainly in a longitudinal direction, said protection system being characterized in that it comprises: - at least one protective cover (20) for said portion of aerial contact profile (10), said protective cover being configured to be able to rest on and in contact with said portion of aerial contact profile (10) and to cover it at least in part; - at least one covering device (40) configured to be able to cover at least partially said protective cover (20) and at least one fixing point connecting said portion of aerial contact profile (10) to an insulating arm (6) of said aerial contact profile, said insulating arm being configured to be able to be fixed to a work of art; and in that each protective cover (20) and each covering device (40) are formed from at least one material chosen from the group formed of dielectric polymers.

2. Protection system according to claim 1, characterized in that each protective cover (20) is configured to be able to be fixed on said portion of aerial contact profile.

3. Protection system according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that each protective cover (20) extends mainly in the form of a strip such that a cross-section of said strip has a non-zero curvature (22).

4. Protection system according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each protective cover (20) has two recesses (26, 27) configured to be able to receive lateral fins of said portion of aerial contact profile (10).

5. Protection system according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each covering device (40) is configured to be able to partially cover two protective covers of said aerial contact profile (10).

6. Protection system according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that each covering device (40) has a main flat portion (41) extended laterally by two lateral flaps (43, 44).

7. Protection system according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said insulating arm (6) extends in a direction substantially orthogonal to said longitudinal direction of said portion of aerial contact profile (10).

8. Protection system according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each protective cover (20) and each covering device (40) are formed from at least one material chosen from the group formed by polyethylenes (PE), ethylene and vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA) and their copolymers.

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