Pantograph Contact Pressure Control via Real Wind Speed
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current control systems for rail vehicle contact strips fail to adequately account for real wind speed, leading to excessive wear due to increased pressure forces when traveling through tunnels or at high speeds, which reduces the service life of the contact strips.
Innovation Solution
A control system that measures real wind speed using a wind measuring device, such as a Pitot tube or Prandtl tube, to adjust the contact pressure of the contact strip, ensuring it remains adapted to the travel speed while minimizing wear by accounting for both driving and real wind speed components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the contact pressure is increased to prevent detachment at high speeds, then the reliability of contact is improved, but the wear of the contact strip increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the contact pressure based on real-time wind speed measurements. The control device modifies the pressing force parameter according to the measured wind conditions, ensuring sufficient contact pressure during high-speed travel while reducing pressure during tunnel passages or low-wind conditions, thereby preventing detachment while minimizing wear
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control by using a wind measuring device to continuously monitor wind speed and feeding this information back to the control device. The control device then adjusts the contact pressure accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that adapts to changing wind conditions to maintain optimal contact reliability while reducing unnecessary wear
2Device complexity
If the contact pressure is regulated as a function of travel speed only, then the control system is simple, but it does not account for real wind speed effects causing excessive wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a wind measuring device as an intermediary element that provides additional environmental data to the control system. This mediator allows the control device to make more informed decisions about contact pressure regulation, accounting for real wind speed effects without requiring a completely complex redesign of the control architecture
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively reduces wear on the contact strips by precisely regulating the contact pressure, extending their service life and maintaining contact quality, even in high-speed tunnel passages.
Implementation Method 1
with increasing travel speed of the rail vehicle, a wind with a wind speed corresponding to the travel speed acts on the pantograph or the contact strip and, due to aerodynamic effects, presses the contact strip against the catenary
Implementation Method 2
The positioning device is moved by means of a pneumatic or electric drive, in which case pneumatic drives are predominantly used, particularly in the case of trains
Data Source
Figure 1~5
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a control system and a method for controlling a contact force (FA) of a contact strip (14) of a pantograph (10) of a rail vehicle, wherein, by means of a positioning device (13) of the pantograph, the contact strip arranged thereon is brought into contact with a contact force (FA) against an overhead line (16), wherein, by means of a speed measuring device of a measuring device of a control system of the rail vehicle, a travel speed (vF) of the rail vehicle is determined, wherein, by means of a control device of the control system, the contact force (FA) is controlled as a function of the travel speed (vF), wherein, by means of a wind measuring device of the measuring device, a real wind speed (vWR) relative to the rail vehicle is determined, wherein, by means of the control device, the contact force (FA) is controlled taking into account the real wind speed (vWR).