High-current Arc Research Articles

Generation of multiply charged metal ions in a high current short pulse vacuum arc

We have studied the plasma composition of a high current short pulse vacuum arc discharge with different cathode materials: lanthanum, gadolinium, lead, silver, and tin. We find that for optimal vacuum arc discharge parameters – arc current pulse duration about 2 μs and amplitude about 3 kA – the maximum ion charge state is 11+ and mean ion charge state from 7.8+ for tin to 9.6+ for lanthanum. The mean ion charge state for different materials depends on the discharge voltage and the energy required for ionization to maximum charge state. The cathode surface heats to a temperature of 700 °C–1100 °C in the course of the arc current pulse, depending on the cathode material, and the cathode surface of low melting point metals such as lead and tin melts to a depth of 5 μm and 10 μm, respectively. Surface melting does not lead to change in plasma ion composition, since the ion flux from the cathode considerably exceeds the evaporated atom flux.

Thick-wire GMAW for fusion welding of high-strength steels

The paper describes a high-current Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) process using wire electrodes with diameters up to 4.0 mm for single-pass full penetration butt joint welding of 20 mm thick steel plates. Fundamental research aims to develop thick-wire GMAW into a high-efficiency method by identifying the limits of welding performance and achievable deposition rates. Current gaps in understanding include equipment requirements, process properties, application fields, and weld quality. The research project addresses these gaps through systematic investigations of basic technological analyses, application sample welding, and quality evaluations. The objective was to create a robust, cost-efficient gas-shielded high-performance welding technology with deposition rates comparable to Submerged Arc Welding. The fully mechanized, automatic welding setup included two parallel-connected welding power sources, one wire feeder and one high-power welding torch. Welding parameters and conditions were evaluated with the aim of achieving a high-quality weld. Optimal parameters were identified for one-sided single-pass welding on 20 mm thick plates. Validation of thick-wire GMAW for 20 mm thick high-strength steels was conducted via two-sided single-pass welding on S690Q grade plates. Testing of the weld joint included static tensile strength test (3x tensile specimen), a Charpy impact test at −40 °C (6x Charpy V-notch specimens respectively with notch position in weld metal, base material and heat-affected zone (HAZ)), microstructure examination and a hardness test. The lowest recorded impact energy was observed to be 50 J within the weld metal, in combination with hardness peaks in the HAZ reaching 415 HV1, and all tensile specimens failing outside the HAZ within the base material. The process achieved reliable, reproducible, and economical joint welding, meeting necessary mechanical-technological quality standards. The paper enhances the understanding of selected welding techniques tor thick plate joining and offers valuable industrial insights, demonstrating the technique's applicability and feasibility for high-strength applications.

Effect of welding current on the mechanical properties of Al 5083 alloy processed using high-current gas metal arc welding

This study investigated the effect of welding current during gas metal arc welding (GMAW) on the microstructure and composition of an Al 5083 alloy. As the welding current increased from 650 to 950 A, several changes were observed in the heat-affected zone (HAZ): grain coarsening and the formation of liquation cracks, and in the weld zone (WZ): increasing average secondary arm spacing and Mg loss. Therefore, the welding currents above 800 A are likely to cause liquation cracks in the HAZ and deterioration of the alloy's mechanical properties. Thus, welding condition with low heat input must be applied to improve the mechanical properties of the welds. This study provides a correlation between the weldability of Al 5083 alloy and welding current, offering a competitive advantage of liquid hydrogen storage containers.

Model of non-equilibrium near-cathode plasma layers for simulation of ignition of high-pressure arcs on cold refractory cathodes

The introduction of secondary ion-electron emission into an approximate model of non-equilibrium plasma layers on hot (thermionic) cathodes of high-pressure arc discharges allows extending the model to low cathode surface temperatures. Analysis of evaluation results shows that the extended model describes glow-like discharges on cold cathodes and thermionic arc discharges on hot cathodes, as it should. In the course of glow-to-arc transitions on cold cathodes, a transient regime occurs where a hot arc spot has just formed and a significant fraction of the current still flows to the cold surface outside the spot, so that the near-cathode voltage continues to be high. The power input in the near-cathode layer is very high in this regime, and so is the electron temperature in the near-cathode region. The mean free path for collisions between the atoms and the ions in these conditions exceeds the thickness of the layer where the ion current to the cathode is generated. A new method for evaluation of the ion current under such conditions is implemented. The developed model is applicable for cathode surface temperatures below the boiling point of the cathode material and may be used for multidimensional simulations of ignition of high-current arcs on refractory cathodes.

Characteristic simulation of underwater microsecond high-current pulsed arc discharge plasma

Modeling analysis of underwater pulsed arc discharge can predict the characteristics of plasma channels, providing theoretical guidance for the practical application of underwater pulsed discharge. Due to the complexity of experimental diagnostics for ‘kA’-level underwater pulsed discharge, there is currently a lack of precise experimental data to support the initial value selection and result optimization of the modeling. This paper established a plasma channel model for underwater pulsed arc discharge. In conjunction with the Saha ionization equilibrium equation, the model was capable of simulating the current, pressure, temperature, and electron density of the channel after gap breakdown. By utilizing spectroscopic diagnostic data and a multi-objective optimization algorithm, the initial values and key parameters of the model were reasonably determined. The simulation results were in good agreement with the experimental diagnostic results, reasonably representing the trends in electron density and blackbody radiation temperature. Moreover, the model was applicable for reasonably explaining the emission spectral mechanism of the arc channel and shock waves prediction under different discharge conditions.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of 308L steel wall fabricated using high-current manual GMAW-based additive manufacturing

This study investigates the impact of high arc current on the mechanical properties and microstructure of thin-walled material fabricated using manual GMAW wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM). The ER308L electrodes were used to fabricate samples using high currents of150A, 170A, and 190A; voltages of11 V, 11.5 V, and 12 V; and travel speeds of400 mm/min, 435 mm/min, and 450 mm/min. It was found that increasing the current improves the mechanical properties, with optimal value in 170A. The ultimate tensile strength (UTS) increases by around 3 % from 605 ± 9 to 623 ± 8 MPa at 190A. The yield strengths (YS) are 370 ± 6, 384 ± 5, 371 ± 8, corresponding to 3.8 % increase at 170A then decrease 3.6 % at 190A. The microhardness increases 3.7 % with higher current, from 212.00 HV0.5 at 150A to 293.33 HV0.5 at 190A. The Elongation are 42.07 %, 41.8 %, and 41.3 %, slightly reduce for 150A, 170A, 190A respectively. The Microstructure analysis revealed δ-ferrite and γ-austenite dendrites, with lathy and skeletal morphology variations.

High-current gas tungsten arc welding of Ni-base superalloy Haynes 282: correlating heat input with weld profile, microstructure, hardness and indentation size effect

High-current gas tungsten arc welding of Ni-base superalloy Haynes 282: correlating heat input with weld profile, microstructure, hardness and indentation size effect

Motion behavior of a high-current fault electric arc occurred in the dead zone of protection in a substation

Since the dead-zone fault in substations often has a relatively long removal time, it may damage the insulation of power equipment and even threaten the stability of the power system. In this paper, the movement of the dead-zone fault electric arc in a 220-kV substation is investigated. The arc chain model for the dead-zone fault electric arc is developed; the influences of electromagnetic force, thermal buoyancy, and the air resistance stressed on the electric arc are comprehensively considered. The electric arc velocity and displacement are computed. Then, the spreading characteristics of the dead-zone electric arc under various conditions are studied. The spreading trend of the dead-zone fault electric arc is summarized. Finally, measures to inhibit the spreading of the electric arc are suggested. The study indicates that the movement of the electric arc in the dead zone during the early stage is primarily influenced by the electromagnetic force resulting from the overpass and conductor, and the arc is concave and has an irregular trajectory. The inclination angle of the conductor significantly affects the direction of the electromagnetic force. If the conductor is laid horizontally, the electric arc is subjected to a smaller force. The electromagnetic force stressed on the electric arc is mainly attributed to the fault phase conductor and the electric arc body itself, whereas those from the other phase conductors are minor. The initial position of the arc root has a certain impact on the movement of the electric arc. The use of the insulating materials restricts the arc root movement.

Numerical Study of Large Contact Diameter and Gap High Current Vacuum Arc

Numerical Study of Large Contact Diameter and Gap High Current Vacuum Arc

Sustainable Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) Of Inconel 718 When Using RBD Palm Oil Based Dielectric Fluid

Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) is the process of removing metal from a workpiece by discharging a sequence of discrete sparks from a highcurrent and voltage electrical arc. Using a sustainable electrical discharge machining (EDM) technique using vegetable basedor conventional dielectric fluid, the objective of thisworkwasto evaluate the material removal rate (MRR), and surface roughness (Ra) ofInconel 718 and electrode wear rate (EWR) of copper (Cu) electrode, respectively. To attain the same viscosity concentration as kerosene fluids, refined, bleached, and deodorized (RBD)palm oil was trans-esterified.In this study, the influence of peak current from 6A to 12A and Pulse duration from 50μsto150μsonthe machinability performance were investigated. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used to examine the surface topography of Inconel 718. The outcome demonstrates that for RBD palm oil, modified RBD, and kerosene dielectric fluid, the highest MRR, EWR and Rawereproduced at the highest Ip=12A and ton=150s. When compared to kerosene at the same parameter settings, MRR for RBD palm oil and modified RBD as a dielectric fluid improved by about 49% and decreased by almost 9%.The lowest EWR and Ra, however, are produced by machining with RBD palm oil, modified RBD, and kerosene at Ip=6A and ton=150s.When compared to kerosene and modified RBD, the value of EWR and Ra for RBD palm is marginally greater.Overall, within selected parameters, RBD palm oil yields the greatest outcomes when EDM machiningofInconel 718.

Simulation of High Current Vacuum Arc with Hybrid Cathode Attachment

Simulation of High Current Vacuum Arc with Hybrid Cathode Attachment

Diffusion of Collisional Plasma by the Example of a High-Current Arc in He: Binary and Trinary Ionized Mixtures

Diffusion of Collisional Plasma by the Example of a High-Current Arc in He: Binary and Trinary Ionized Mixtures

Electrical Characterization and Modeling of High Frequency Arcs for Higher Voltage Aerospace Systems

Arcing in future high-voltage aerospace systems could occur more frequently and cause irreversible damage to electrical components, system structure and increase the risk of fire. While arcs seen in low-voltage aerospace systems tend to be long-duration and low-energy events, higher power but short-duration arcs may occur in high-voltage aerospace systems if they are readily detectable by system protection. This paper investigates the characteristics of high current arc faults generated at the AC frequencies expected in future rotating machines used for higher voltage aerospace systems. As such, arcs with a peak current up to 4.6 kA are generated at frequencies in the range of 0.5-2 kHz using an underdamped RLC circuit, under pressures of 0.2-1 bar absolute. High frequency arcs exhibit a similar characteristic to lower frequency arcs. A reduction in pressure results in lower arc voltage and arc power. Arcing tests at atmospheric pressure may therefore represent a worst-case scenario and the development of a low-pressure test environment may not be necessary. A black box model is developed to provide good agreement with experimental arc voltage waveforms for different parameters investigated in this study. This is a generalized modeling approach to estimate high-frequency high-voltage arcing characteristics without recourse to experiment.

Dependence of electron and neutral vapor density distributions on anode mode of high current vacuum arc

The vacuum arc discharge makes transition to a footpoint mode, anode spot type 1 (type 1) mode and anode spot type 2 (type 2) mode under high current conditions. The mode dependence of the electron and metal vapor densities were experimentally quantified using dichroic Shack–Hartmann type laser wavefront sensors. In the type 1 mode, the electron and metal vapor densities were about 2.5 times higher than the footpoint mode. The electron density of the type 2 mode was three times higher than that of the type 1 mode, while significant difference was not found in the metal vapor density. Such higher electron density for the type 2 mode than the type 1 mode was coherent with a previous result obtained by Stark broadening. The present electron and metal vapor density measurement demonstrated that the amount of the electrode erosion was in the following order: footpoint mode < type 1 mode < type 2 mode, which agreed with a previous study.

Effect of Spraying Power on the Tribological Properties of Alumina and Alumina-Graphite Coatings

Atmospheric plasma spraying is used to deposit alumina and alumina-graphite composite coatings. The influence of arc current (plasma temperature) on the microstructure, roughness, elemental composition, and phase composition of the coatings is analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), surface roughness testing, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The tribological properties of the sprayed coatings are analyzed using a tribometer with a ball-on-flat configuration. The roughness of the as-sprayed coatings increases and the size of the granules decreases with the increase in plasma temperature. The results demonstrate that the friction coefficients and wear rates are slightly reduced for Al2O3 coatings sprayed at higher arc currents. The Al2O3-graphite coatings register lower friction coefficient values than the Al2O3 coatings under dry sliding conditions.

Frequency spectrum of radiation transfer in high voltage circuit breaker arcs for polymer nozzle ablation in C4F7N and CO2 gas mixture

Arc radiation-induced polymer nozzle ablation plays a crucial role in the operation of self-blast circuit breakers. Up to now, there is no study specifically on the spectral distribution of radiated power from a switching arc towards the nozzle surface and its implication to nozzle ablation. Three-dimensional radiation transfer calculation has been performed in this study for arcs burning in the mixture of , a gaseous environment that is under significant focus in the development of SF6 free switching technology to aim net-zero by the middle of this century. Results show that photons from infrared to extreme ultraviolet (UV, up to 5 × 1015 Hz) are emitted from the core of high current arcs. However, the high-frequency photons are mostly absorbed within the arc column, especially at the arc edge, and only photons up to (far UV, 7 eV) can penetrate the arc edge and cold gas and reach the nozzle surface. The spectral distribution of the radiative energy at different instantaneous currents (15 kA, 28 kA and 60 kA peak) and different locations of the nozzle is presented and compared in detail. The location of the radiation absorption zone at the arc edge and the radiative power reaching the nozzle wall as a function of the instantaneous current is, in particular, purposely considered.

Numerical simulation and analysis of contact erosion by high-current and low-voltage air arc considering the movement of arc

When a low-voltage circuit breaker (LVCB) breaks a high current, the contact erosion caused by the arc greatly reduces the LVCB’s breaking performance and service lifetime. Therefore, this paper uses AgW alloy contacts as a research object, which are commonly used for breaking high currents, and establishes a contact erosion model for an LVCB with a breaking current of 14 kA. The model considers the energy balance of a contact surface and uses a solidification and melting model and a dynamic mesh model to deal with the phase transition problem of the contact material and introduces the arc movement into this model. Using this model, the contact melting and evaporation width, erosion depth, erosion rate, and erosion mass are calculated when Ag and AgW30 and AgW70 alloys are used as contact materials. The influence of W-content on the erosion characteristics of a contact is analyzed. The results show that, although the introduction of element W significantly reduces the erosion mass, it advances the time when the melting point and boiling point are reached. The position, width, and depth of the melting pool and melting layer thickness change with the movement of the arc. In the process of contact erosion considering the movement of the arc, the introduction of W element will increase the width of the molten pool and the solidification time of the molten material. Especially when the mass percentage of element W in the contact material reached 70%, the solidification time of the molten material greatly increased, which weakened the welding resistance of the contact.

Magnetoplasmadynamic acceleration of solid body in a railgun

A physical model and a mathematical approach were developed to describe ponderomotive acceleration a body pushed by plasma column of high-current arc in a railgun. In contrast to the previously published studies, the arc plasma generation was considered by taking into account kinetics of heavy particle fluxes in a non-equilibrium layer near the vaporizating (ablating) rails and the phenomena of heat and mass transfer and electric sheath at rail surfaces. The self-consistent numerical analysis has been conducted for a wide range of arc currents (up to 2MA). It has been shown that the electron temperature was determined mainly by the Joule energy dissipation supporting high degree of ionization. It has been determined that the arc voltage is about 102 V. The rails temperatures are relatively low (~ 3000 K) and therefore, the electron flux emitted from the cathode manly due to thermionic emission enhanced by Schottky effect is lower than the flux of ions from the plasma, which supported the current continuity at the cathode region. The calculated velocity vs of the plasma-solid body increased with the arc current (I) showing tendency to saturation. In range of I = 0.5–2 MA the vs slightly increased from 5 × 105 to 10 × 105 cm/s when the rail length increased from 1 to 3 m respectively. The dependence of the velocity on the arc current and the calculated plasma parameters are in range of those values observed experimentally. The nature of the velocity with arc current saturation is explained by presence of the dynamic pressure resulting in predicted velocity dependence on the arc current as 4-th root.

Three-Dimensional Numerical Study on the Metal Rotating Spray Transfer Process of High-Current GMAW

A three-dimensional numerical model based on the volume-of-fluid (VOF) method is typically preferred for studying high-current gas metal arc welding (GMAW) metal transfer mechanism and then controlling it. It is informed that the rotating spray transfer is extremely complicated, and some researchers have focused on simplified models without considering the energy conservation to make analysis manageable for the unstable metal transfer process. Using our created numerical model, the metal transfer of high-current GMAW with shielding gas of different conductivities has been studied by analyzing acting forces and fluid flows in the metal liquid column, especially for the contributions of the self-induced electromagnetic force, equivalent volume force of the capillary pressure of the surface tension (Named surface tension force in this work), static arc pressure. It is found that the unbalanced electromagnetic force greatly promotes the metal rotating motion in 500 A metal inert gas (MIG) welding with pure argon shielding gas and it pushes the metal liquid column to rotate. Considering the arc constricting effect in active shielding gas by simply changing the arc conductivity, it is found that the metal liquid column no longer rotates, it turns to swing since the unbalanced electromagnetic force is large enough to break the rotating motion. The calculated results of the metal liquid column deflected angle and rotating/swing frequency agree well with the experiment of high-speed camera observations.

Electrical and non electrical characteristics for the fast detection of high current free-burning arcs

To guarantee save and reliable operation of low voltage grid devices and to protect all devices from disturbance or damage, it is absolutely necessary to separate normal operation from fault state. A typical fault state with an enormous hazard potential is the arc fault. Due to the high level of energy involved, it can lead to the total write-off of affected devices and hence interrupt the energy supply (service). To prevent extensive consequences, there is a high demand to detect these error conditions and to terminate the fault state in a period of a few milliseconds. The analysis of typical electrical and non-electrical signals with numerical algorithms enables fast detection of arc faults.