Thermal Damage Mechanism and Treatment Measures for Flexible Catenary in Subway Insulated Anchor Section

Objective When a subway train stops in the insulated anchor sections of the flexible catenary, the pantograph may bridge two mutually insulated sections through the carbon strip, causing continuous high current flow through the contact wire. This will lead to localized overheating and damage, threatening the safe operation of subway. Therefore, it is necessary to reveal the thermal damage mechanism in the insulated anchor section and propose treatment measures. Method By analyzing the current flow path and the formation mechanism of thermal damage during train stop, a catenary damage criterion is established to evaluate the thermal damage risk under different working conditions. To address the localized overheating caused by current concentration, a treatment solution involving the installation of current diversion branches is proposed. By optimizing the number and configuration position of these branches, the current can be dispersed, reducing the thermal load on the contact wire. Combined with simulation, the feasibility of the proposed diversion branches arrangement is verified. Result ＆ Conclusion The connection of insulated anchor sections by the pantograph leads to current concentration, resulting in localized overheating and damage to the contact wire. By setting diversion branches and optimizing their quantity and position, the thermal load on the contact wire can be significantly reduced, mitigating thermal damage issues. Calculation results demonstrate that a reasonable arrangement of diversion branches can control the contact wire temperature within a safe range, significantly improving the operational reliability of the catenary.