An Improved Arc Model for Vacuum Arc Regarding Anode Spot Modes

authored by

Alireza Khakpour, Mohammad Taghi Imani, Stefen Franke, Sergey Gortschakow, Ralf-Peter Methling, Dirk Uhrlandt

Abstract

This paper introduces an improved arc model for vacuum arcs. In this model, the impact of different high-current anode modes is considered. An existence diagram for different high-current anode modes including footpoint, anode spot type 1 and type 2 is determined using emission spectroscopy, high-speed camera, and electrical measurements. During transition from diffuse to the high-current mode the arc voltage will be affected due to high evaporation rate, which can affect dielectric recovery of vacuum interrupter. Conventional arc models cannot trace the corresponding sudden changes in the arc voltage during the transition to anode spot type 2. Therefore, different areas of discharge modes are determined based on the threshold current and gap length for AC 50 Hz and cylindrical contacts made of CuCr7525. The physical parameters of the arc, e.g. the arc temperature, contact geometry and material is considered as implicit parameters in the existence diagrams. The boundaries of the areas are used as a user-defined library in EMTP-RV for a new electric arc model. The voltage behavior of the arc can be predicted well in a larger range of peak currents by the results. The validity of the model is also investigated for AC 100 Hz and pulsed DC 10 ms.

Organisation(s)

High Voltage Engineering and Asset Management Section (Schering Institute)

External Organisation(s)

Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP)

Type

Article

Journal

IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation

Volume

26

Pages

120-128

No. of pages

9

ISSN

1070-9878

Publication date

02.2019

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.1109/TDEI.2018.007587 (Access: Closed)