Safe operation under high voltage environment
All components are passive under high voltage as the sensing elements are based on optical fiber.
Railway: Pantograph and Overhead Line Monitoring
A train’s catenary is a vital part of railway infrastructure. It can be seen as its circulatory system, feeding the rolling stock. The correct contact between the pantograph and the overhead line is mandatory for efficient train operation. Electric trains establish contact to the catenary via their pantographs.
The characteristics of high-voltage overhead contact lines for electric trains need to comply to certain criteria to ensure minimal losses, limited wear and tear, as well as a reduced risk of disruption during the current transmission to the power unit of the vehicle. To meet the requirements of these operational conditions, the catenary’s vertical and horizontal positioning and its tension both need to comply with international standards.
Monitoring forces and accelerations under high voltage in the pantograph structures reduces the risk of possible damage to the catenary of railway networks.
A reliable monitoring system delivers valuable information on the condition of the overhead contact line in combination with the position of trains along the track.
Measurements should include values such as vertical contact force, vertical acceleration, and sideway position calculation from contact forces.
Pantograph measurements and the evaluation of the catenary condition can be made with regular railway engines equipped with measurement systems during normal operation. The ability to record and collect all data in database enables the monitoring of specific locations over a chosen period, resulting in the acquisition of data for predictive overhead line monitoring.
But what are the requirements for a reliable monitoring system and a sustainable diagnosis?
The main requirement for overhead line and pantograph monitoring are accurate measurements within a high-voltage environment (15 – 25 kV). Optical sensors are passive elements, and as their measurement principle is based on light, no active excitation of the sensors is needed. That means that there are no interferences with other operations during measurement.
Optical technology is immune to EM and RF interferences, and is, therefore, the perfect fit for catenary and pantograph measurements. Where electrical sensors fail, or need advanced protection methods, optical measurements are still reliable, accurate and stable.
The focus of the measurements via a fiber optic sensing system is the lateral displacement of the overhead contact wire, the momentary vertical contact forces, and the detection of impermissible force peaks and loss of contact.
HBK’s Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) Pantograph Measurement System ensures:
Detection of the contact force relief on the pantograph
Measurement of the side way movement of the contact wire
Detection of undesired peaks in contact force
The possibility of tracking all performed measurements via GPS location (1 m position accuracy)
Definition of thresholds and triggering of instantaneous alarms when a critical condition is detected
Continuous 24/7 operation
Compliance with EN 50317 (standard for measuring the pantograph contact line interaction)
Minimum influence in vehicle maintenance by using standard contact strips
All components are passive under high voltage as the sensing elements are based on optical fiber.
Proven technology with long-term stability with acquisition of wavelengths using NIST traceable references.
The MXFS module is part of the popular QuantumX DAQ system, making it easy for you to integrate optical and electrical measurements into your measurement chain.
The HBK fiber optic sensing system has been developed and is available to be used in regular, tested and certified pantograph models. It reliably fulfils the main requirements, such as the ability to measure with suitable accuracy in a high voltage environment (15 – 25 kV), to adequately locate and track the train position, and to record, merge and assess large quantities of data in compliance with the relevant sections of EN 50317.
The HBK optical measurement solution consists of the QuantumX MXFS BraggMETER, the newLight optical FBG Heavy Duty Force Transducer FS66HDL and Heavy-duty Accelerometer FS65HDA. Related accessories ensure the transition from the high voltage to the inside of the cars.
FS66HDL Heavy-duty Force Transducer |
FS65HDA Heavy-duty Accelerometer |
QuantumX MXFS BraggMETER
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New and unique development
| New and unique development
| Optical interrogator for FBG (fiber bragg grating) sensors
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Measurement range 0 to 500N | Measurement range ± 20g | Full integration with QuantumX platform
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Forces measured via shear beam principle
| Acceleration measured via seismic mass principle
| Proven continuous swept laser scanning technology |
One connector housing for two optical fibers
| One connector housing for two optical fibers
| Continuous calibration with NIST traceable wavelength reference
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Rugged
| Rugged
| High resolution
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