Influence of contact contour on breakdown behaviors in vacuum under uniform field

We experimentally investigated influence of contact contour on breakdown characteristics in vacuum under uniform field. Four vacuum interrupters are used and their contact contours are designed to obtain effective area Seff from 211 mm2 to 550 mm2. The contact parameters are contact diameter -42.76 mm, contact gap - 6 mm, contact thickness 16 mm and contact material -CuCr50. Basic impulse level (BIL) voltage (1.2times50 mus) voltage is applied. The experimental results show that 50% breakdown voltage U 50 decrease 11% from 248 kV to 221 kV when effective area increase from 211 mm2 to 550 mm2. O n the other hand, the effective area Seff has a significant influence on conditioning process. The larger the effective area, the slower the conditioning process.

[1]  Paul G. Slade,et al.  The Vacuum Interrupter: Theory, Design, and Application , 2007 .

[2]  Y. Murai,et al.  Statistical Property of Breakdown Between Metal Electrodes in Vacuum , 1981, IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems.

[3]  Y. Murai,et al.  Numerical modeling to evaluate the withstand voltage of a HV vacuum interrupter , 1989 .

[4]  E. Kaneko,et al.  Insulation characteristics of vacuum interrupter for a new 72/84 kV C-GIS , 1999 .

[5]  Michael G. Danikas,et al.  Influence of electrode area on the conditioning effect in vacuum , 1996 .

[6]  H. Okubo,et al.  Optimization of Electrode Contour for Improvement of Insulation Performance of High Voltage Vacuum Circuit Breaker , 2006, 2006 International Symposium on Discharges and Electrical Insulation in Vacuum.

[7]  M. Kurrat,et al.  Breakdown voltage of electrode arrangements in vacuum circuit breakers , 2003 .

[8]  Hitoshi Okubo,et al.  Insulation optimization by electrode contour modification based on breakdown area/volume effects , 2001 .

[9]  Hitoshi Okubo,et al.  Feasilbility study on application of high voltage and high power vacuum circuit breaker , 2002, 20th International Symposium on Discharges and Electrical Insulation in Vacuum.

[10]  Satoru Yanabu,et al.  Area effect on electric breakdown of copper and stainless steel electrodes in vacuum , 1988 .

[11]  H. Saitoh,et al.  Research and development on 145 kV/40 kA one break vacuum circuit breaker , 2002, IEEE/PES Transmission and Distribution Conference and Exhibition.

[12]  Satoru Yanabu,et al.  Dielectric breakdown probabilities for uniform field gap in vacuum , 2000, Proceedings ISDEIV. 19th International Symposium on Discharges and Electrical Insulation in Vacuum (Cat. No.00CH37041).

[13]  Satoru Yanabu,et al.  Recent technical developments in high-voltage and high-power vacuum circuit breakers , 1989 .

[14]  H. Okumura,et al.  Impulse Voltage Field Emission Characteristics and Breakdown Dependency Upon Field Strength in Vacuum Gaps , 1982, IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems.