The Development of Third-Rail System Applied to Turn-out Section for Urban Maglev

도시형 자기부상열차 분기기 구간의 제3궤조 전차선 시스템 개발

The third-rail system is an important device supplying power directly to the Maglev train through physical contact with the collecting shoe. It is directly related to safety and reliability for the running of Maglev. However, most the third-rail system used in Korea depend on foreign product or technologies, Korea Urban Maglev in the development of appropriate power feeding is urgent. In particular, the turnout section is the weakness point in the system because bending force by turnout section movement and fatigue caused by repetitive motion as well as the expansion by temperature, the forces by Maglev collecting shoe is added th the third-rail. Therefore, this paper proposes the third-rail system appropriate for Korean Urban Maglev of turnout section. To verify the structural stability of POSCO ICT third-rail system, the finite element analysis and physical testing was performed. The third-rail is fixed on each side of the turn-out section steel structure by epoxy insulation supporter and the integral behaviors are occurred. Therefore, the maximum horizontal displacements of each support are investigated and then, it is applied to finite element model of the third-rail to investigate the moments and stress. Also, the bending test about one million times and Expansion Joint for the third-rail was performed. The third-rail system safety and reliability was identified by test line on Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials in Deajeon for under the actual usage environment such as the Maglev and turn-out operation.