Development, testing and implementation of Pantograph Damage Monitoring System (PDMS)

Pantograph failures due to complex interactions between the overhead line (OHL) and pantograph structure cause significant problems to railway industry worldwide. In spite of much efforts undertaken worldwide no successfully implemented Pantograph Monitoring system was up to now introduced for long-term operation on routinely operating trains. This paper describes development, design and test results from the first fully proven Pantograph Monitoring System which is now deployed on routinely operating trains in the UK. The system uses two subcomponents; Digital Processing Module (DPM) which is directly clamped on the life 25kV pantograph structure, and the Receiving Signal and Relay Unit (RSRU) which is installed in secure location inside the carriage. Pantograph mounted unit (DPM) is interfaced with the accelerometers attached in vicinity of the carbon strip. DPM uses Bluetooth communication to report any unexpected events to the RSRU. DPM has an on-board GPS module and acquires and stores time domain data corresponding to 100 highest events captured during daily train operation. The data is downloaded to the RSRU on daily basis. Any high alarm events are instantaneously transferred to the train to warn the operator and the control centre about potentially harmful event which require immediate attention. The ‘hot spots’ caused by overhead line are mapped and trended to allow successful implementation of predictive maintenance of the OHL. The system uses GPRS mobile network to allow instantaneous access and remote interrogation from any location worldwide.