Optical encoders for height control on railwayoverhead lines
The control of the route networks at railways includes many tests. Controlling the height of live overhead lines is part of this.
Now it can be quite tedious to walk a distance with a ruler and to note the height at regular intervals. The simpler solution can only be to automatically record the data, which can then be evaluated at a later point in time in order to initiate corrective measures if necessary.
The automatic recording of measured values when checking the height of overhead lines on railway lines
The electromagnetic environment in which the measuring system is used is critical to the automatic recording of measured values. Here the presence of voltages of several thousand volts and correspondingly high currents must be taken into account, which makes the electrical transmission of data very difficult and the risk of damage from flashovers is very high. As a solution, a potential-free measuring system must be chosen that records and transmits the data unaffected by the existing fields.
Optical rotary encoders as a solution
Purely optical measuring systems are suitable for this, which record the height-related data and transmit them with the help of optical cables. Micronor ‘s fiber optic rotary encoders represent such a measuring system. They are a purely mechanical system for recording measurements, which receives its optical impulses from a controller. This is installed in a protected area inside the train. The connection between sensor and controller is realized via fiber optic cable.
To record the data, the sensors are mounted on specially equipped measuring trains on the middle joints of the pantographs. The movement of the joint is registered while the train is moving. Since the dimensions of the pantograph are known, it is easy to draw conclusions about the height of the overhead line and about changes in height in the measured route sections.
Since the absolute encoders are used here, the height can be determined immediately after a one-off calibration at any time without having to set it up again every time it is switched off.
Conclusion:
The optical absolute rotary encoders are therefore suitable for monitoring the overhead lines during measurement runs. You always have the certainty that no damage can occur due to the electromagnetic environment and that the measured values are transmitted correctly.
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