Analysis of Aerodynamic Noise Generation from Pantograph Using Panhead Models of Simple-Geometry and Its Reduction

This study presents a result on aero-acoustic characteristics of pantograph panheads. To analyze the fluid flow around the panhead and resulting sound radiation, simple models of panhead were used in the numerical simulations called Lattice-Boltzmann method. The simulation results were verified using the wind tunnel test. The main aerodynamic noise was generated from the vortex shedding which is characterized by the Strouhal number, flow speed and geometry. The reduction in the radiated noise with simultaneously achieving increased lifting force was implemented for the simple rectangular geometry used in this study. Also, it was shown that the radiated sound power was significantly reduced by minimizing vortex shedding using through-holes or streamline shapes.