The Vacuum Interrupter Contact

A survey of developments in electric contact design for vacuum interrupters is presented. The major emphasis is placed upon those characteristics of contact design that have led to practical vacuum interrupters. A brief description is given of the different modes of vacuum arc that have been observed and how these modes occur during one-half cycle of high current arcing. In the main body of the paper the design philosophy behind vacuum interrupter contact design is presented. It is shown that only two classes of contact have achieved practical utilization. The first of these design classes causes a magnetic field to be impressed at right angles to the arc current and hence, causes the arc to move rapidly over the contact face. The second design class impresses a magnetic field parallel to the arc current. This forces the arc into a diffuse mode with many widely separated cathode spots and a diffuse current collection at the anode even at very high currents. Each of these contact designs is discussed and their advantages and disadvantages are deline- ated.

[1]  S. Yanabu,et al.  Novel Electrode Structure of Vaccum Interrupter and its Practical Application , 1981, IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems.

[2]  P. Slade.  Contact Materials for Vacuum Interrupters , 1974 .

[3]  J. Gorman,et al.  Experiments on Vacuum Interrupters in High Voltage 72KV Circuits , 1980, IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems.

[4]  P. Slade,et al.  The Effect of Electrode Material on the Initial Expansion of an Arc in Vacuum , 1972 .

[5]  Allan N. Greenwood,et al.  Theory for the Cathode Mechanism in Metal Vapor Arcs , 1961 .

[6]  J. Gorman,et al.  The Interaction of Vaccum Arcs with Magnetic Fields and Applications , 1983, IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems.

[7]  E. Tuohy,et al.  Recovery Times of Vaccum Interrupters Which have Stationary Anode Spots , 1982, IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems.

[8]  M. P. Reece.  The vacuum switch. Part 1: Properties of the vacuum arc , 1963 .

[9]  C. W. Kimblin,et al.  Anode Voltage Drop and Anode Spot Formation in dc Vacuum Arcs , 1969 .

[10]  J. G. Gorman,et al.  The High Current Metal Vapor Arc Column between Separating Electrodes , 1980, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[11]  H. Sugawara,et al.  Vacuum Circuit Breaker Electrode Generating Multi-Pole Axial Magnetic Field and its Interruption Ability , 1980, IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems.

[12]  L. M. Burrage.  Vacuum interrupter performance on abnormal voltage/current tests , 1975 .

[13]  Satoru Yanabu,et al.  Vacuum arc under an axial magnetic field and its interrupting ability , 1979 .

[14]  R. E. Voshall,et al.  Interruption ability of vacuum interrupters subjected to axial magnetic fields , 1972 .

[15]  J. C. Sofianek,et al.  Development of a high-power vacuum interrupter , 1981 .

[16]  R. W. Warren.  Vacuum interrupters used for the interruption of high dc currents , 1977 .

[17]  C. W. Kimblin,et al.  Anode Phenomena in Vacuum and Atmospheric Pressure Arcs , 1974 .

[18]  John Samuel Forrest,et al.  A Discussion on recent advances in heavy electrical plant - A review of the development of the vacuum interrupter , 1973, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Mathematical and Physical Sciences.