Numerical simulation of HCVA with considering the micro process of anode vapor

Abstract

When the arc current is high, the heat flux density injecting into anode will be large and lead to the higher anode temperature, driving the evaporated atoms into arc column. In this paper, the MHD model of vacuum arc considering ionization and recombination of anode vapor is built. The influence of the anode vapor and the micro processes on the arc column is obtained. In the model, the mass, momentum and energy exchange are considered. Additionally, the influence of ionization and recombination process on the electromagnetic process of VA is also considered. In the simulation results, the anode vapor, cathode plasma and VA distribution are all obtained. When the anode temperature is high enough, the anode neutral vapor will enter into arc column, and the strong ionization happens at the interface of anode vapor and cathode plasma. The anode neutral vapor has obviously cooling effect on the arc column. Whether the anode neutral vapor will enter into the arc column or not, is related to the balance between the anode neutral vapor and the cathode plasma.