Research on arc length threshold of pantograph-catenary interaction leading to excessive disturbances in traction drive systems

Abstract

With increasing train speeds, intensified vibrations in the pantograph-catenary (PC) system make separation between the pantograph and the contact wire - and the resulting arcing - more likely. These arcs degrade the current collection quality of high-speed trains, destabilize the traction drive system, and generate harmonics and electromagnetic interference that affect onboard communication equipment. This study investigates the impact of PC arcing at different train speeds on the traction system’s input voltage and rectifier-side direct-current (DC) voltage, and determines the corresponding acceptable arc length thresholds. An equivalent impedance model of the autotransformer traction network incorporating messenger wires and droppers is developed, together with a Habedank black-box arc model that accounts for the dynamic variations in dissipated power and voltage gradient with changing arc length. In parallel, an alternating current traction drive system model incorporating a pulse rectifier and traction motor is constructed, and its validity is verified by comparing simulation results with experimental data. Results indicate that within the allowable voltage disturbance range (input voltage 1,085-1,922 V; DC-side fluctuation ≤ 5%), the input voltage arc length threshold decreases from 1.28 cm to 0.75 cm as train speed increases from 200 km/h to 300 km/h, while the DC-side threshold drops from 0.887 cm to 0.826 cm. These findings reveal that higher speeds increase the sensitivity of the traction converter to voltage disturbances - identical arc lengths cause stronger voltage fluctuations. Moreover, for a given train speed, the input voltage arc length threshold remains higher than that of the rectifier-side DC voltage.

Keywords

Traction network model / traction drive system / arc model / disturbance range / arc length threshold

References

[1] Tang Y,Zhou C,Zhu F.Research on the model and transient characteristics of the pantograph-catenary arc in different sections of power supply lines.ACES J2023;38:109-16

[2] Cheng Y,Huang K.Transient analysis of electric arc burning at insulated rail joints in high-speed railway stations based on state-space modeling.IEEE Trans Transp Electrific2017;3:750-61

[3] Pan L,Xing T.Arc erosion behaviors of pantograph of high-speed train during its rise and fall processes.IEEE Access2025;13:165144-56

[4] Xu Z,Xiong J,Liu Z.Flexible pantograph collector modeling and its effects in high-speed catenary-pantograph interaction.IEEE Trans Instrum Meas2025;74:1-11

[5] Yang H,Cui H.An electrified railway catenary component anomaly detection frame based on invariant normal region prototype with segment anything model.IEEE Trans Transp Electrific2026;12:1391-402

[6] Hung X,Wu G.Influence of pantograph-catenary disconnection on traction system.High Voltage Apparatus2019;55:102-107, 116

[7] Wang X,Li F,Kou J.Influence of surface roughness of sliding friction pairs on pantograph-catenary contact resistance.IEEE Trans Transp Electrific2024;10:10208-18

[8] Lin F,Yang Z.Analysis of electrical characteristics of the four-quadrant converter in high speed train considering pantograph-catenary arcing.Proc Inst Mech Eng Part F2017;231:185-97

[9] Yu X,Wang Z.Simulation study on surface temperature distribution of collector strip material under pantograph-catenary arc of urban rail.IEEE Access2023;11:68358-65

[10] Wang Z,Han C.Mathematical model of pantograph arc based on probability distribution of arc parameters.IEEE Trans Transp Electrific2023;9:2026-37

[11] Huang K,Liu Z.Research on transient over-voltages of high-speed train passing articulated split-section insulator.IEEE Trans Transp Electrific2023;9:1664-82

[12] Li Z,Deng J.A feedforward air-conditioning energy management method for high-speed railway sleeper compartment.Complex Eng Syst2021;1:10

[13] Chen X,Liu Z.Modeling, verification and stability analysis of dual-port equivalent traction network considering distribution parameters.Elect Power Autom Equip2022;42:179-85

[14] Brenna M,Zaninelli D.Electromagnetic model of high speed railway lines for power quality studies.IEEE Trans Power Syst2010;25:1301-8

[15] Dolara A,Leva S.Impact of high-voltage primary supply lines in the 2 × 25 kV-50 Hz railway system on the equivalent impedance at pantograph terminals.IEEE Trans Power Del2012;27:164-75

[16] Huang K,Su D.A traction network chain-circuit model with detailed consideration of integrated grounding system in tunnel path.IEEE Trans Transp Electrific2019;5:535-51

[17] Artale G,Nuccio VCS.A set of indicators for arc faults detection based on low frequency harmonic analysis. In 2016 IEEE International Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference Proceedings. Taipei; 23-26 May 2016.

[18] Lakhani AI,Lu Q.Stability-preserving automatic tuning of PID control with reinforcement learning.Complex Eng Syst2022;2:3

[19] Artale G,Cosentino V,Nuccio S.Arc fault detection method based on CZT low-frequency harmonic current analysis.IEEE Trans Instrum Meas2017;66:888-96

[20] Chen R,Jin T.High-speed railway pantograph-catenary anomaly detection method based on depth vision neural network.IEEE Trans Instrum Meas2022;71:1-10

[21] Chang L,Fu Z,Liu S.Robust online dynamic detection method for PAC operational status of high-speed trains based on key point positioning.IEEE Trans Instrum Meas2022;71:1-14

[22] Gao G,Yang Z,Hu Y.Pantograph-catenary arcing detection based on electromagnetic radiation.IEEE Trans Electromagn Compat2019;61:983-9

[23] Yan J,Duan S.A simplified current feature extraction and deployment method for DC series arc fault detection.IEEE Trans Ind Electron2024;71:625-34

[24] Li B,Wang Z.Application of GWO-SVM algorithm in arc detection of pantograph.IEEE Access2020;8:173865-73

[25] Du Y,Li H.Pantograph-catenary arc detection based on electrical parameter transient variations correlated with current-zero arc phenomena.IEEE Trans Instrum Meas2025;74:1-11

[26] Yang G,Shen X.Arc recognition for pantograph-catenery system of railway using current.Measurement2025;251:117304

[27] Wei W,Wan Y,Zhang H.A pantograph-catenary arcing detection method based on the fusion of current and electromagnetic radiation.Eng Res Express2025;7:035346

[28] Liu Z,Huang K,Zheng Z.Extended black-box model of pantograph-catenary detachment arc considering pantograph-catenary dynamics in electrified railway.IEEE Trans Ind Appl2019;55:776-85

[29] Gao G,Gu Z,G .Electrical characteristics on pantograph-catenary arc during pantographrising in high speed railway.High Voltage Eng2016;42:3569-75

[30] Zhang S. CRH2 electric multiple units; China Railway Publishing House, 2008. Available from: https://www.tdpress.com/cms/book/19096 [Last accessed on 28 Jan 2026]