An investigation of the total radiated power of pantograph arcing measured in a reverberation chamber

Pantograph arcing is the main electromagnetic interference source in electric railways. A series of measurements of the radiated power of pantograph arcing has been taken in a reverberation chamber by using a laboratory replica designed to simulate the arcing pantograph. The radiated power properties are investigated in different resolution bandwidths, arc gap lengths and train speeds. The results show that pantograph arcing is a broadband signal compared to GSM-R bandwidth; the radiated power decreases when the arc gap gets bigger or the speed of train goes higher.