Der Smart Current Collector - ein Werkzeug zur Überwachung mechanischer Defekte an 0berleitungen

In a deregulated EU rail market, monitoring of the vehicle and infrastructure interface is mandatory for enhanced availability and reducing operation costs. Infrastructure managers need a tool for condition monitoring of the Overhead Contact Line (OCL). A sensor system was introduced, named "Smart Current Collector" (SCC), which can be used in regular trains. It is based on fibre optic sensors, which are integrated inside a usual current collector (CC). For this sensor, no additional electrical insulation arrangements are required. The measuring system is designed to monitor hard and soft hits on the current collector in both horizontal (driving) and vertical directions. It has been investigated systematically in the laboratory, and it discovered in test runs on commercial railways in different countries a variety of small and also serious defects at the CC/ OCL interface. The defect sites have been localised by GPS for repeated monitoring and decision of maintenance. Fast force impacts in driving direction proved to be most significant for such mechanical OCL defects, which may lead into serious operational disruption.