Open Access

ARTICLE

Numerical Study on Reduction in Aerodynamic Drag and Noise of High-Speed Pantograph

Deng Qin¹, Xing Du², Tian Li^1,*, Jiye Zhang¹

1 State Key Laboratory of Rail Transit Vehicle System, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China
2 School of Electrical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China

* Corresponding Author: Tian Li. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Computer Modeling in Vehicle Aerodynamics)

Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences 2024, 139(2), 2155-2173. https://doi.org/10.32604/cmes.2023.044460

Received 31 July 2023; Accepted 31 October 2023; Issue published 29 January 2024

Abstract

Reducing the aerodynamic drag and noise levels of high-speed pantographs is important for promoting environmentally friendly, energy efficient and rapid advances in train technology. Using computational fluid dynamics theory and the K-FWH acoustic equation, a numerical simulation is conducted to investigate the aerodynamic characteristics of high-speed pantographs. A component optimization method is proposed as a possible solution to the problem of aerodynamic drag and noise in high-speed pantographs. The results of the study indicate that the panhead, base and insulator are the main contributors to aerodynamic drag and noise in high-speed pantographs. Therefore, a gradual optimization process is implemented to improve the most significant components that cause aerodynamic drag and noise. By optimizing the cross-sectional shape of the strips and insulators, the drag and noise caused by airflow separation and vortex shedding can be reduced. The aerodynamic drag of insulator with circular cross section and strips with rectangular cross section is the largest. Ellipsifying insulators and optimizing the chamfer angle and height of the windward surface of the strips can improve the aerodynamic performance of the pantograph. In addition, the streamlined fairing attached to the base can eliminate the complex flow and shield the radiated noise. In contrast to the original pantograph design, the improved pantograph shows a 21.1% reduction in aerodynamic drag and a 1.65 dBA reduction in aerodynamic noise.

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