Abstract: In order to study the aerodynamic noise characteristics of the pantograph of the high-speed train, the fluctuating pressure on the pantograph surface of the high-speed train, which is the computation input of the far-field aerodynamic noise, is computed using the large eddy simulation method. The far-field aerodynamic noise of the pantograph of the high-speed train is computed using the Lighthill's acoustics analogy theory. Then, the sound pressure level characteristics, spectral characteristics and the speed dependence law of the aerodynamic noise of the pantograph of the high-speed train are studied. Computation results show that the sound pressure level of the aerodynamic noise of the pantograph of the high-speed train varies greatly in longitudinal dimension with the maximum sound pressure level appearing in the cross section behind the pantograph. The sound pressure level varies little in the vertical dimension of 0.5~5.0 m above the rail surface, and the maximum difference of the sound pressure level for the same train speed is less than 0.5 dB. The sound pressure level decays in the lateral dimension of 7.5~30 m away from the track centerline, and it decays about 12.0~12.3 dB for a variety of train speed. Spectrum analysis shows that the main energy of aerodynamic noise of the pantograph distributes between 100~700 Hz. The main frequency of the aerodynamic noise of the pantograph moves to a higher frequency range with the increasing of the train speed. The power spectral density of the aerodynamic noise of the pantograph decreases quickly when the measure point moves away from the track centerline, while the main frequency has little change. The sound pressure level of the aerodynamic noise of the pantograph increases significantly with the increasing of the train speed, and has a linear relationship with the logarithm of the train speed.

Key words: aerodynamic noise, fluctuating pressure, large eddy simulation, pantograph, sound pressure level