Effect of different gaps in the conductor rail joints on the current-carrying wear performance of carbon skateboards/conductive rail contact

The interconnection of the conductive rail for intercity trains involves multiple sections of steel rails. The presence of gaps in the joints between these steel rails greatly impacts the efficacy of current transmission in collector–conductor rail systems. A total of nine joints with different inclined angles and widths were devised to investigate the influencing characteristics of gaps on the current–carrying friction of carbon skateboards/conductive rail contact. The nine joints were tested by using a pin-disc current–carrying friction tester to evaluate the wear performance of different contact pairs. The findings indicated that the presence of gaps in conductor rail joints resulted in a decrease in the coefficient of friction, but an increase in the electrical contact resistance. Furthermore, these gaps substantially impacted the wear rate of carbon skateboards. Specifically, when the gap width was 1.5 mm, the influence of the inclined angle of the gaps on the electrical contact resistance diminished. Additionally, the gap characterized by a width of 0.5 mm and an inclined angle of 90° exhibited a comparatively reduced influence on the wear performance of the contact pairs.