Arc erosive characteristics of a carbon strip sliding against a copper contact wire in a high-speed electrified railway

Experimental studies on arc erosive characteristics of a carbon strip rubbing against a copper contact wire were carried out on a ring-on-block electrical sliding tester. The test result shows that the intensity of arc discharge has a significant influence on friction and wear performance. These arc erosive characteristics are characterized by two special traces. SEM examination shows that arc erosion and oxidative wear caused by arc discharge are the main wear mechanisms. This indicates that the off-line arc discharge of the contact couple should be suppressed to the maximum extent to extend the service life of the pantograph strip in high-speed electrified railways.