Analysis of Fire Accidents on Power Line for DC Electric Traction Vehicles

전기철도 전원계통에서의 화재 사고사례 분석

This paper describes a cause of fire accidents on power system for DC electric traction vehicles. We investigated fire scene of power line for DC electric traction vehicles. From analysis results, the cause of fire on power line turned out line to ground fault between a feeder of electric power services(pantagraph) and DC electric traction vehicle roof. Fire accidents of DC electric traction vehicles be assumed that electric sparks had been produced between the pantagraph and the power line conductor by repetitively making contact and separation, maybe if some material like branches get in between connecting rod it make progress line to ground fault. ZnO arresters are widely used to protect DC electric traction vehicles against overvoltages caused by lightning or switching surges. However, the arresters are deteriorated by commercial frequency overvoltages and/or lightning one. Deteriorated arresters could lead power failures, such as line to ground fault by a thermal runaway resulting from the increases in leakage current even in a nominal power system voltage. The power failures, such as line to ground fault would be causative of the fire accidents.