Sliding movement temperature analysis between composite conductor rail and a collector shoe

Abstract

Electrical traction systems come in different forms, depending on the railway and terrain. The collector shoe is a critical component that impacts the train’s overall safety. The majority of collector shoes consist of several types of gray cast iron that are highly resistant to sliding wear. Wear is produced by friction and electrical current at temperatures over the melting point, which results in decreased sliding speeds. Applying an electric current to a sliding contact alters the process temperature of the wear without changing the sliding speed. The study is essential for industrial applications, especially in subway transit. This study aims to learn more about the wear characteristics of a composite aluminum–stainless steel conductor rail moving across a current collector. The authors employed a finite element analysis and a series of electric current testing. This research will produce some intriguing test findings. Based on a friction pair consisting of a composite conductor rail of aluminum and stainless steel and gray cast iron, a sliding friction contact model was built in the COMSOL finite element software. When the findings of the finite element analysis and the pin-on-plate test technique are compared, the maximum temperature variance is 10%, while the minimum temperature variation is 0.8%. Additionally, the results reveal that acclimation and rupture occur more rapidly when speed rises, and a steady temperature rise may be achieved more quickly.