December 2012
High speed catenary
CONFIDENCE
MOVES
THE WORLD
Overview
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Historical
Main catenary characteristics and power
supply
Test and comisionning
Feedback
Speed world record : 574,8km/h
1.
Over 50 years of public transportation experience
High Speed line - Historical
Our experience fuels the entrepreneurial spirit
TheusFrench
that drives
every daynational railway and
SYSTRA have
a long experience on High Speed Line.
• 1981 February: World record speed at 380km/h,
•
•
1981 September: Paris South East LGV (speed limit: 260km/h),
1989 September: Atlantic LGV (speed limit: 300km/h),
• 1990 May: World record speed at 515.3km/h,
•
•
•
1993 May: North LGV (speed limit: 300km/h),
1994 May: Channel tunnel “Eurostar”,
2001 June: Mediterranean LGV (speed limit: 300km/h),
• 2007 April: New World record speed at 574.8km/h,
•
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2007 June: East European LGV (speed limit: 320km/h),
2.
Over 50 years of public transportation experience…
Main characteristics catenary and power supply
Main Catenary Characteristics

Mechanical requirements must be met

A permanent contact with the pantograph to ensure continuous feeding of traction
current,

A moderated uplift to reduce the effect of the wave propagated and optimize the
behavior of the following pantographs

A contact force between the pantograph and the contact wire as less as possible
without creating a loss of contact, for minimizing the wear of the contact wire and of
the pantograph carbon bands,

Minimize the vertical movements and the hard points to reduce the phenomena of
electrical arcs and flashes,

A regular wear on the entire width of the pantograph carbon band to minimize the
maintenance.
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Main Catenary Characteristics

These criteria must also be reliable:

Taking into account of the lateral movements of the current collection device due to
the reactions of the rolling equipment circulating on the track (centrifugal force,
deformations in the suspension gear, track defects transmitted to the bodies ...

Whatever the weather conditions (temperature variation, effect of wind on the
catenary),
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Titre de la présentation
Main Catenary Characteristics

The main mechanical criteria which must, therefore be respected are :

Constant height of contact plane (5,08 m / rolling surface for example in France),

200 mm maximum stagger in track alignment, with respect to the pantograph axis
so as to spread the wear,

mast and facilities systems leaving the passage clear for circulation of the trains,
according some installation rules with respect to the "Clearance" of the rolling
stock, but also with respect to the track to allow installation and maintenance of the
track parts.
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Titre de la présentation
Main Power supply Characteristics

Electrical requirements must be met

Transmission of traction current continuously to the rolling stock, taking into
account the operating conditions and the maintenance,

Obtain the longer space between two sub stations and decrease the voltage losses,

Ensuring the safety of facilities and public with a clean and immediate switch off in
case of any installation default,

Respect the air gap clearance between live parts and rolling stock, between live
parts and the public whatever the weather conditions,

Quickly detect electrical incidents.
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Main Power supply Characteristics

The main electrical criteria which must, therefore be respected are:

A power supply made of 2 x 25 kV AC – 50 Hz with autotransformers in Europe. This
solution allows about 60 km spacing between 2 substations with some
autotransformers placed every 10 km,

A power supply model based on separated tracks : that allows to isolate electrical or
catenary incident and to continue the exploitation,

All metallic parts are connected together with a protection circuit (aerial and buried
earth wire),

The use of phase breaker between to substation.
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Titre de la présentation
Principle of power supply : 2 x 25 kV AC – 50 Hz
I
Catenary
25 kV
2xI
A
i<<I
D
B
C
Rail
50 kV
Sub Station
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Titre de la présentation
Autotransformer
Negative Feeder
Examples of power supply equipment
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Titre de la présentation
Main Characteristics

Main Characteristics table
Electrification
Commercial speed
Page 13
2 x 25000 V AC
power supply separated mode
320 km/h
Maximum span
63 m in track alignment
Auto-tensionning
Yes (both contact and messenger
wire)
Height of contact wire
5,08 m in France
Encumbrance
1,40 m at the suspension
Fitting design
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Titre de la présentation
Main wire Characteristics

Catenary Characteristics
Messenger wire
Contact wire
Droppers
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Type
Bronze 116 mm²
Tension
20 kN
Type
Copper 150 mm²
Tension
25 kN
Type
Bronze cable 12 mm² with
jumpers
Main wire Characteristics
Negative feeder
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Type
Al Steel 288 mm²
Tension
9 kN at 15 °C
OCS Copper equivalent section
203.5 mm²
Overhead protection
conductor
Type
AL-Steel 93,3 mm²
Tension
4 kN
Titre de la présentation
3
3.
Testing and commisionning
Titre de
Page
17 la présentation
Test & Commissioning
Our unique expertise

Once the high speed line is built, Systra will methodically carry out the line
testing.

We will undertake the safety case, safety checks and test the implementation of
each component until the line can enter into service.
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Titre de la présentation
4.
Feedback
Page de
Titre
19 la présentation
How to improve the design in High Speed Rail ?

Contributed to every French High Speed Rail line (over 2,000 km - 1,243 mi)
 The SEA project (South East of Atlantic) : about 300 km of double tracks, test and
commissioning 2017,

Over 30-years experience of developing high speed rail networks throughout the
world and with the help of simulation softwares (Esmeralda, Oscar, etc.),

Unique rail operator experience through SNCF ownership,
 Our collaboration with SNCF allows us to benefit from their experience feedback

Try to beat, when it’s possible, our High Speed Rail World record (574.8 km/h - 357.2
mph).
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Titre de la présentation
Esmeralda : Dimensionning and optimizing the power supply sizing

This software allows:

to dimension the traction installations for a given level,

to compare power supply solutions,

to verify if existing equipment can cope with changes in traffic, characterized by
one or more parameters (reduced headway, increased loads, higher speeds, ,etc.)
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Titre de la présentation
Oscar : pantograph-catenary dynamic interaction behavior

This software allows to :

Simulate the behavior of the any kind of catenary with one or several pantographs
(calculate the uplift, the mean load, the maximum and minimum load)

Tackle the challenge of increasing speed,

Determine the overheating.
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Titre de la présentation
SNCF Feedback
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Titre de la présentation
5.
World record speed at 574,8km/h
East European Line : speed world record

Characteristics of TGV East European line

Length: ≈ 300 kilometers,

Very High Voltage (VHV) at the primary side of the traction transformer : 225000
Volts and 400000 Volts,

Traction substations: 5 (2x27500V – 50Hz),

Autotransformers: 22.
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Titre de la présentation
Data

Main modifications required to perform the speed world record
CATEGORY
DESIGNATIONS
Catenary / Power
Mechanical tension
of the contact wire
Voltage
Page 26
ORIGIN
MODIFICATIONS
2500 daN
4000 daN
27.5 kV
31kV
THANK YOU
CONFIDENCE MOVES THE WORLD