Abstract
In this paper, the voltage characteristics of short air arc with high average current density arc root were studied at atmospheric pressure. Cu-W electrodes with diameter of 5-14mm and gap length of 0.2-3 mm were used in the experimental study. The experimental current varies from 1,000A to 16,600 A. The average current density of the arc roots in the experiment was up to 245 A/mm2. In the scope of this study, the arc voltage is a function of the average current density of arc root when the electrode gap length is fixed. For same average current density of arc root, the arc voltage is approximately the same even if the experimental currents are different. And the arc voltage increases with the increment of the average current density of arc root. Theoretical analysis and experimental results show that the electrode fall voltage almost doesn’t change with the average current density of arc root. However the arc column voltage increases with the increment of the average current density of arc root.
Highlights
In modern air circuit breakers, it is generally necessary to cut the long arc between the contacts into a series of short arcs by metal plates, and use the arc voltage of series short arcs to achieve fault current limiting and breaking
The arc voltage Varc at the time of peak current is used for characteristic analysis
When the experimental current reaches thousands of amps, the smaller the diameter of the electrode is, the higher the Varc is at the same experimental current
Summary
In modern air circuit breakers, it is generally necessary to cut the long arc between the contacts into a series of short arcs by metal plates, and use the arc voltage of series short arcs to achieve fault current limiting and breaking. There are many studies on the voltage-current characteristics of air arc.. The average current density of the arc root on plate surface can reach 200-300 A/mm2 In this condition the arc voltage characteristics are different with that in free arc root condition. Literature 9 and 10 reported that the smaller the diameter of the electrode is, the higher the arc voltage is at the same experimental current, but did not reveal the laws behind physical phenomena. The short arc voltage characteristics under high current density arc root conditions are studied by experimental and theoretical analysis. The short arc voltage is a function of the average current density of arc root when the electrode gap length is constant
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