Rotating Constricted Switching Arcs Burning in Gas and in Vacuum

Authors

  • D. Baron Siemens AG, Energy Management, Medium Voltage & Systems, Frankfurt/Main
  • S. Ettingshausen Siemens AG, Energy Management, Medium Voltage & Systems, Frankfurt/Main
  • M. Koletzko Siemens AG, Corporate Technology, Erlangen
  • A. Lawall Siemens AG, Energy Management, Medium Voltage & Systems, Berlin
  • T. Rettenmaier Siemens AG, Corporate Technology, Erlangen
  • N. Wenzel Siemens AG, Corporate Technology, Erlangen

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14311/ppt.2017.2.173

Keywords:

constricted arc, vacuum arc, gas arc

Abstract

The method of controlling high-current switching arcs by transverse magnetic fields (TMF) forcing the constricted arc to rotate in a contact system is being applied successfully to improve the breaking capability of vacuum interrupters and gas circuit breakers. We describe the behavior of magnetically driven switching arcs in vacuum and in gas environment. We report on experiments using high-velocity videography, magnetic probes, and spectroscopy; they deliver the velocity, the temperature and the voltage of an arc. We present models and simulations of the moving constricted arc burning in metal vapor and in air. And we describe a particular switching application of TMF arc control and explain a scaling law of the contact size with the current interruption capability.

References

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D. W. Branston, W. Haas, W. Hartmann, R. Renz, and N. Wenzel. Thermodynamic model of moving vacuum arcs on contrate contacts. In 22nd ISDEIV, volume 1, pages 277–280, Matsue, Japan, Sept 2006. doi:10.1109/DEIV.2006.357285.

T. Delachaux, O. Fritz, D. Gentsch, E. Schade, and D. L. Shmelev. Simulation of a high current vacuum arc in a transverse magnetic field. IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 37(8):1386–1392, Aug 2009. doi:10.1109/TPS.2009.2020403.

O. Fritz, D. Shmelev, K. Hencken, T. Delachaux, and D. Gentsch. Results of 3d numerical simulations of high-current constricted vacuum arcs in a strong magnetic field. In 24th ISDEIV 2010, pages 359–362, Braunschweig, Germany, Aug 2010. doi:10.1109/DEIV.2010.5625802.

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Published

2017-02-12

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 2 (2017)

Section

Articles

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