Erosion of Electrodes in a Switchboard of a High-Voltage Electrophysical Plant

Abstract

An engineering approach to the approximate calculation of the thermal energy in the flash plasma channel and on the massive metallic electrodes of an air heavy-current switchboard (HCS) of atmospheric pressure, as well as the electric erosion of HCS electrodes that are part of a high-voltage electrophysical plant (HVEP) with a powerful capacitive storage, was proposed. The specific difference of this approach is that, for determination of the energy release and erosion of electrodes in an air HCS, it is necessary to have the data on the electrical and thermal and physical characteristics of metal of the electrodes, specific conductivity of the low-temperature plasma in the flash channel and peak and time parameters of the pulse current in the discharge circuit of an HVEP with a CS. The concept of equivalent active impedance of the plasma channel of a high-current flash stable within the whole CS discharge period on the electric load was introduced and determined mathematically. The electrophysical transference process of the ionized atoms of the melted metal of the switchboard electrodes on the cathode of the studied HCS was approximately considered. The proposed approach allows making a quick evaluation of the electrical energy balance in the HVEP discharge circuit with a CS taking into account the thermal losses in the switchboard. Experiments prove the reliability of the obtained design ratio for estimation of the energy release and erosion of metal electrodes in an air switchboard.