TELICE IS DEVELOPING A NEW GENERATION DYNAMIC PANTOGRAPH BEHAVIOUR SENSOR (DPB) BASED ON PATENTED TIME-OF-FLIGHT LASER TECHNOLOGY.
This new detector allows, as a world-first feature, the simultaneous measurement of contact wire displacement in the vertical and transverse axes at any commercial speed, in straight- or curved-line sections, with a minimally invasive installation and excellent independence from climatic conditions.
The interaction between pantograph and catenary is subject to a delicate electrical and mechanical balance. On the electrical side, a continuous and high-quality power transmission must be guaranteed. Mechanically, the actuating force of the pantographs must be kept to the minimum necessary to improve the durability of the various components. Beyond compliance with the EN 50317:2012 standard, monitoring the displacement of the contact wire as pantographs pass allows for improved maintenance and the reduction of dewirement events, which force traffic to stop and cause considerable economic losses.
Up to now, DBP systems have been based on extensometric or machine vision technologies. However, these technologies can be overly invasive or present durability and reliability concerns. In any case, their cost makes it difficult to extend them to all types of railway lines beyond high-speed routes. With this new development, TELICE aims to generalise this sensor type to ensure safe and compliant operations to all kinds of flexible overhead contact lines.