Experimental investigation of arc characteristics in medium-voltage DC circuit breaker

Within this paper, the arc characteristics in a typical air DC circuit breaker (DCCB) are studied through experimental approach. A specially designed experimental setup is employed to observe the dynamic process of arc evolution. The phenomena of arc commutation and arc stagnation under fault currents are revealed according to the high-speed photography and arc voltage curves. The influence of arc currents on the detailed arc behaviors is preliminary discussed. It is found that the arc would burn continuously between the contacts when the arc current decreases to a relatively small value. Assisting measures should be employed to help the switch interrupt the small arc current. Finally, a simple magnetic system is designed to increases the magnetic driving force of arc motion. And the interruption characteristics of the switch with the external magnetic field are investigated.

[1]  Fei Yang,et al.  Numerical analysis of the influence of splitter-plate erosion on an air arc in the quenching chamber of a low-voltage circuit breaker , 2010 .

[2]  M. Lindmayer,et al.  The process of arc splitting between metal plates in low voltage arc chutes , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Components and Packaging Technologies.

[3]  C. Weindl,et al.  Arc Movement Inside an AC/DC Circuit Breaker Working With a Novel Method of Arc Guiding: Part I—Experiments, Examination, and Analysis , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[4]  Pierre Freton,et al.  Advances in low-voltage circuit breaker modelling , 2004 .

[5]  P. Weaver,et al.  Arc root commutation from moving contacts in low voltage devices , 2000, Electrical Contacts - 2000. Proceedings of the Forty-Sixth IEEE Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts (Cat. No.00CB37081).

[6]  Pierre Freton,et al.  Thermal plasma modelling , 2005 .

[7]  J. Paulke,et al.  Arc motion and pressure formation in low voltage switchgear , 1996, Electrical Contacts - 1996. Proceedings of the Forty-Second IEEE Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts. Joint with the 18th International Conference on Electrical Contacts.

[8]  Arc motion and wave propagation in arc chambers with lateral chinks , 2001 .

[9]  W. Rieder,et al.  Arc lengthening between divergent runners: influence of arc current, geometry and materials of runners and walls , 1996, Electrical Contacts - 1996. Proceedings of the Forty-Second IEEE Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts. Joint with the 18th International Conference on Electrical Contacts.

[10]  Fei Yang,et al.  Numerical analysis of arc plasma behaviour during contact opening process in low-voltage switching device , 2007 .