Thermal characteristics of high-current vacuum arcs of the axial magnetic field contacts
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Date
Authors
Hwang, J.–H.
Lee, J.-C.
Choi, M.–J.
Kwon, J.–R.
Kim, Y.–J.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics
Abstract
Paper presented at the 5th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, South Africa, 1-4 July, 2007.
The capabilities and advantages of vacuum interrupters (VIs) have been widely recognized on switching and controlling the fault currents in medium voltage level. Due to its environmental friendliness, there were various research and developments for using VIs in transmission and distribution lines. An axial magnetic field (AMF) electrode has more advantages of the switching capability than other contact designs such as reducing the arc voltage, securing higher current value for transferring from the constriction arc to the diffused arc and regulating the arc current distribution. The arc constriction should increase the heat flux and the local temperature on the electrodes and result in the surface melting, which has undesirable influences on the characteristics of vacuum arc and surroundings. In the present study, we considered two different types of AMF electrodes used widely in industries, one is coil type and the other is cup type, to investigate the effective arc area and the thermal characteristics by high-current vacuum arcs through three-dimensional FEM analysis. Calculated results were compared with the results by a commercial package, MAXWELL 3D, which is a reliable analysis tool for the electro-magnetic fields, to validate the present calculation.
The capabilities and advantages of vacuum interrupters (VIs) have been widely recognized on switching and controlling the fault currents in medium voltage level. Due to its environmental friendliness, there were various research and developments for using VIs in transmission and distribution lines. An axial magnetic field (AMF) electrode has more advantages of the switching capability than other contact designs such as reducing the arc voltage, securing higher current value for transferring from the constriction arc to the diffused arc and regulating the arc current distribution. The arc constriction should increase the heat flux and the local temperature on the electrodes and result in the surface melting, which has undesirable influences on the characteristics of vacuum arc and surroundings. In the present study, we considered two different types of AMF electrodes used widely in industries, one is coil type and the other is cup type, to investigate the effective arc area and the thermal characteristics by high-current vacuum arcs through three-dimensional FEM analysis. Calculated results were compared with the results by a commercial package, MAXWELL 3D, which is a reliable analysis tool for the electro-magnetic fields, to validate the present calculation.
Description
Keywords
Vacuum interrupters, Transmission and distribution lines, Axial magnetic field, Regulating the arc current distribution, Surface melting, Vacuum arc, Electro-magnetic fields
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Citation
Hwang, J-H, Lee, J-C, Choi, M–J, Kwon, J–R & Kim, Y–J 2007, Thermal characteristics of high-current vacuum arcs of the axial magnetic field contacts, Paper presented to the 5th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, South Africa, 1-4 July 2007.