Optical Fiber Sensors to Measure Collector Performance in the Pantograph-Catenary Interaction

Author

Boffi, Pierpaolo ; Cattaneo, Gianluca ; Amoriello, Leonardo ; Barberis, Angelo ; Bucca, Giuseppe ; Bocciolone, Marco F. ; Collina, Andrea ; Martinelli, Mario

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electron. & Inf., Politec. di Milano, Milan

Volume

9

Issue

6

fYear

2009

fDate

6/1/2009 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

635

Lastpage

640

Abstract

Optical fiber sensors are proposed to detect static and dynamic collector strain for high-speed railway pantograph achieving electromagnetic immunity, nonelectrically conducting and small size. The implemented scheme based on a Michelson´s interferometer with a 3 times 3 coupler allows local strain measurement insensitive to temperature variations with high reliability guaranteed by the employment of standard 1550 nm optical communications components. By a test rig to experimentally simulate the pantograph-catenary contact-force the sensor performance is compared with typical electric measurement.

Keywords

Michelson interferometers; electromagnetic compatibility; fibre optic sensors; optical communication equipment; optical couplers; pantographs; railway electrification; railway safety; reliability; strain measurement; strain sensors; Michelson\´s interferometer; current collection; dynamic collector strain detection; electromagnetic immunity; high-speed railway line reliability; high-speed railway pantograph; optical communication component; optical coupler; optical fiber sensor; pantograph-catenary interaction; static strain detection; strain measurement; temperature variation; wavelength 1550 nm; Capacitive sensors; Electromagnetic measurements; Employment; Optical coupling; Optical fiber sensors; Optical interferometry; Rail transportation; Strain measurement; Temperature measurement; Temperature sensors; 3$,times,$ 3 optical coupler; Fiber interferometer; high-speed railway; optical sensor; pantograph collector strain;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Sensors Journal, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1530-437X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JSEN.2009.2020244

Filename

4897231