Aerodynamic Drag Performance Analysis of Different Types of High-speed Train Pantograph Fairing

• Published in: 淡江理工學刊 Vol. 23; no. 3; pp. 509 - 519
• Main Authors: Zhenfeng Wu, Zihao Xie, Peng Wang, Wangcai Ding
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 淡江大學 01.09.2020
• Subjects: Pantograph Fairing; Performance Analysis; High-Speed Train; Numerical Simulation; Aerodynamic Drag
• ISSN: 2708-9967
• DOI: 10.6180/jase.202009_23(3).0015

Pantograph fairings are typically placed on top of high-speed trains, and their main function is to reduce aerodynamic noise of the pantographs, and consequently, effectively decrease the influence of noise on passengers and residents along the railway. However, the addition of pantograph fairings inevitably increases the aerodynamic drag of high-speed trains. Firstly, 2D drawings and 3D models of the three types of pantograph fairing were designed, and the car body and the pantograph fairing were installed. Secondly, the aerodynamic drag of pantograph fairings of different structure and pantograph was calculated at different speeds using computational fluid dynamics software by defining the geometric model, mathematical model, flow field, grid size and boundary condition. The simulation results show that the ellipsoidal pantograph fairing is the best in terms of the total aerodynamic drag of pantograph and fairing, followed by that of the guide surface, whereas that of the double arch is the worst. The aerodynamic drag of the ellipsoidal pantograph fairing decreased by an average of 56.7% within a speed range of 0-300 km/h compared with that of the double arch.