The carbon brushes in metro or railway grounding systems serve the primary purpose of ensuring a good grounding connection and electrical contact. Here are some important functions of carbon brushes in the metro or railway grounding system:
- Electrical Contact: Carbon brushes are typically connected to the grounding cable to establish reliable electrical contact. The grounding cable connects the metallic parts of the train or vehicle to the ground system, ensuring electrical safety and normal operation.
- Grounding Protection: As part of the grounding system, carbon brushes help ensure a solid grounding connection for the electrical system of the train or vehicle with the ground. They assist in reducing static electricity, charge accumulation, or other abnormal conditions in electrical equipment, protecting passengers and equipment from electrical shocks and other electrical faults.
- Current Conduction: Carbon brushes effectively conduct electric current to provide a low-resistance path in the grounding system. Through good electrical contact, carbon brushes help ensure that current can flow efficiently from the metallic parts of the train or vehicle to the ground, preventing current overload or other electrical issues.
- Friction and Wear Reduction: Carbon brushes commonly experience friction with the grounding device, which helps maintain the proper functioning of the grounding system. The material of carbon brushes exhibits good frictional properties, enabling stable electrical contact during the friction process and reducing wear with the grounding device.
In summary, the main purpose of carbon brushes in metro or railway grounding systems is to ensure a good grounding connection and electrical contact, protect passengers and equipment from electrical faults, and provide a reliable path for current conduction.