Influence of copper content on pantograph contact strip material on maximum temperature of railroad wire

This article presents the results of studies on the impact of the percentage of copper in the carbon composite of the railway pantograph contact strips on the maximum temperatures of the contact wire of the overhead contact line. The tests were carried out in accordance with the requirements of standards [7, 9] and TSI [4]. The obtained relationship allows for an initial assessment of the introduced materials due to the contact wire heating criterion based on the copper content of the carbon composite, which greatly facilitates the design process and the initial assessment of the pantograph slides performance. This publication also indicates the minimum value of the percentage of copper at which the standard requirements [7] for railroad wire heating are still met.