A Finite Element Study On Frictional-Induced Vibration Of A Double-Pantograph Catenary System

China has witnessed great development of the railway industry since the 17th century. Rail transport network throughout the country has become a convenience for people to travel around. The rapid development of railway is not only the progress of technology, but also is the basic infrastructure closely related to national interest and people’s livelihood at the same time. The government of China has invested huge funds in the research and construction of high-speed railway, so that the country’s high-speed railway technology has already reached the forefront of the world. When a train is running at a high speed, the friction-induced vibration of the pantograph-catenary system has a great influence on the quality of current collection, the contact loss of pantograph, the safety of train operation and so on.In the past, the domestic power locomotive used a single pantograph operation. But with the increase of the traction power, the current CRH train advocates the use of the double pantograph operation instead. A finite element model of the double-pantograph catenary system is established and both the transient dynamic and complex eigenvalue analyses are performed to study the self-excited vibration performances of the double-pantograph catenary system. This paper tends to probe into the friction-induced self-excited vibration between pantograph and catenary. The primary conclusions are as follows:(1) A complex eigenvalue study of the friction-induced vibration of the double-pantograph catenary system is performed. The increase of friction coefficient will decrease the equivalent damping ratio of the system, while increasing the instability propensity of the double-pantograph catenary system.Irrational lift force will increase the possibility of occurrence of the friction-induced vibration in the double-pantograph catenary system. It is important to choose the right lift force.Pan-head suspension spring stiffness has an important influences on the friction-induced self-excited vibration of the double-pantograph catenary system. After more than the most appropriate spring stiffness, the stability of the system will be lower and lower, and the possibility of the friction-induced self-excited vibration will be higher.The greater tension the contact wire has, the greater the possibility is of the friction-induced self-excited vibration of the double-pantograph catenary system.(2) A transient dynamic study of the friction-induced vibration of the double-pantograph catenary system is performed. The increase of the friction force will make the double-pantograph catenary system more prone to separation of pantograph and catenary.