Magnetohydrodynamic modeling of direct current arc interruption in a low-voltage switch

Authors

  • S. Kimpeler AEW at RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3249-2596
  • F. Mingers AEW at RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
  • V. West AEW at RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
  • D. Fuhrmann Pierburg GmbH, 41460 Neuss, Germany
  • A. Tönnesmann Pierburg GmbH, 41460 Neuss, Germany
  • W. Leterme IAEW at RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14311/ppt.2025.3.176

Keywords:

direct current arcs, computational magnetohydrodynamics, arc interruption modeling, low voltage switch, DC connector

Abstract

This paper proposes a magnetohydrodynamic arc model for direct current arc interruption simulation in a low-voltage switch with a contact bridge design. Arc voltage and current for the interruption of an initial current and voltage in the 800 V and 800 A range are compared and differences discussed between the simulation and an experiment. The arc is successfully quenched in the simulation, but discrepancies between simulation and experiment may be attributable to erosion modeling.

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Published

2025-12-30

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 3 (2025)

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 S. Kimpeler, F. Mingers, V. West, D. Fuhrmann, A. Tönnesmann, W. Leterme

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