Simulation of Pantograph–Catenary Arc Temperature Field in Urban Railway and Study of Influencing Factors on Arc Temperature

During the running of urban railway trains, arcs of the pantograph–catenary (PC) system cause instantaneous high-temperature ablation of PC system materials, which severely impact the standard running of trains. Utilizing magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), a mathematical model of urban railway PC arcs is introduced in this article. The multiphysics finite element analysis platform COMSOL Multiphysics was used to solve and simulate the mathematical model of the PC arc. The simulation results were analyzed to explore the temperature dispersion law of the PC arc. Experimental measurements of arc duration and arc temperature were conducted, with the mathematical model’s accuracy validated through empirical comparisons. Based on the established mathematical model of the PC arc, the effects of PC gap and current intensity on the arc temperature were investigated. The results reveal that the PC arc’s temperature field follows a radially decaying dispersion, attaining maximum temperature in the center of the arc column. The surface temperature of the pantograph strip is higher than that of the contact wire. As the duration of the PC arc increases, the arc temperature gradually increases; the temperature of the PC arc diminishes with the increase in the PC gap. The PC current increases, and the arc zone temperature increases. The research conclusions of this article can provide a basis for mitigating the number of PC arcs and enhancing the quality of the PC current.