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The Taipei metros are powered by dc power, with their positive terminals connected to the collector and their negative terminal connected to the track. Each depot utilizes an electric isolation switch to insulate from the main line tracks to prevent stray currents efficiently. However, different earth systems exist between the main line and the depot tracks. When the metros are dispatched, some of their steel wheels step over both systems’ tracks simultaneously and generate electric arc currents due to the potential differences, in turn causing track corrosions and clamping IRJ (Insulating Rail Joint) flamed. In this condition, the main line tracks and the depot tracks are shorted to issue false alarms signaling the tracks are occupied. Hence, track corrosions are significantly related to the existing potential differences between the two different earth systems when the wheels are crossing the two systems. The author established a Taipei MRT system circuit model, and implemented measured potential differences of all the tracks into the model to carry out necessary simulations. Then, the simulation results verified the experimental data and assured the researchers of the circuit analysis, which is employed to solve the the track corrosion problems. Suggestions to improve the MRT boundary track corrosion conditions between the main line and depot track systems are as following: (1) Change the depot track road bed design from ballast material to concrete material, and it would significantly improve the insulation factor. (2) Rearrange the main line work schedule to dispatch the metro from or to the depots, and it should avoid metro dispatching when suddenly raised potential differences between the tracks and the earth occur. (3) Set up ARC suppressive equipments at the IRJ locations with the devices exercised ahead of the depot dispatching the metros in and out, and the designed snuffers should quench the arcs to improve the IRJ damage conditions efficiently.
Keywords: MRT, track, electric corrosion, IRJ.
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