Simulation Model of a Physical-Chemical Method for Protecting Contact Wires Against Icing

Purpose: To confirm the operability of a passive physical-chemical method for protection of a contact wire against icing. Methods: The implementation of the simulation model was conducted within the Python software environment. The model integrates the fundamental physical processes, including heat transfer (temperature distribution in the wire and coating layers), phase transition (freezing of water, taking into account latent heat), hydrodynamics of droplets (movement of water under the action of gravity, surface tension, and wind) and turbulence (random wind fluctuations affecting the trajectories of droplets). Results: The simulation model developed takes into account heat transfer, water phase transition, droplet hydrodynamics, and wind turbulence on the relief surface of a contact wire with heat-insulating and hydrophobic coatings. Numerical calculations performed using the explicit finite difference method with the Laplacian operator have shown that ice is predominantly formed in the lower grooves of the relief, and turbulence enhances droplet shedding, minimizing icing of the upper part. The model has confirmed the operability of a method for increasing the anti-icing efficiency of a contact network conductor, providing passive protection and ice removal. Practical significance: The model enables the variation of parameters (relief depth, coating thickness and properties, wind characteristics) and the prediction of icing zones and intensity without the necessity for expensive full-scale experiments.