Abstract

A framing camera was used to study drawn vacuum arcs between spiral-type contacts in vacuum interrupters. This design imposes a transverse (radially directed) magnetic field on the arc column. The fixed electrode was brazed to a cylindrical arc shield. With the fixed electrode and shield as cathode, cathode spots were observed to be produced on the shield by two mechanisms. One of these occurred only for the intense columnar arc modes which had active erosion at both the anode and cathode arc roots (I/sub ARC/>/spl sim/25 kA peak). In this range, the arc column interacted with the shield for brief intervals as it was driven along the edge of the contacts. With the fixed electrode and shield as anode, there was less interaction of the arc column with the shield. In this case, there was no formation of an anodic arc root on the shield at least up to /spl sim/38 kA peak.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.