• CN: 11-2187/TH
  • ISSN: 0577-6686

Journal of Mechanical Engineering ›› 2025, Vol. 61 ›› Issue (6): 206-216.doi: 10.3901/JME.2025.06.206

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Numerical Study on Influence of Asymmetrical Carbon Contact Strip on Aerodynamic Drag of a Pantograph

GAO Guangjun1,2,3,4, XIANG Nanshen1,2,3,4, WANG Yuechen5, XU Ao1,2,3,4, DING Yansi1,2,3,4, ZAHNG Jie1,2,3,4   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Heavy-duty and Express High-power Electric Locomotive, Central South University, Changsha, 410075;
    2. School of Traffic & Transportation Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410075;
    3. National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Safety Technology for Rail Vehicle, Central South University, Changsha 410075;
    4. Key Laboratory of Railway Industry of Aerodynamics, Central South University, Changsha 410075;
    5. National Engineering Technology and Research Center for System Integration of Railway Vehicle, CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co. Ltd., Changchun 130062
  • Received:2024-04-08 Revised:2024-12-25 Published:2025-04-14

Abstract: Based on a single pantograph, the carbon contact strip of pantograph is optimized into five different models and their flow fields are analyzed. The results show that optimizing the windward and leeward sides of the carbon contact strip into a circular surface can optimize the flow field structure of the panhead area, and the deceleration effect of the airflow through the skateboard is greatly reduced, which reduces the aerodynamic drag of the carbon contact strip area. Only increasing the arc of the leeward side of the carbon contact strip can also optimize the aerodynamic drag of the carbon contact strip area. The aerodynamic drag optimization rate of all four optimized pantograph models reaches more than 12%, and the drag of model Ⅳ reduces 13.84%, and the drag reduction rate of the carbon contact strip reaches 91.82%. Aerodynamic drag reduction design of new high-speed trains can receive references and data support.

Key words: pantograph, carbon contact strip, aerodynamic drag reduction, flow field structure