Simulation of the thermal radiation effect of an arc on polymer walls in low-voltage circuit breakers

A model of sputtering (ablation) of polymer walls caused by the thermal effect of an arc in low-voltage circuit breaker is suggested. The model takes into account heating, volume thermal decomposition, and fusion of the polymer, as well as the screening action of the vapor from the surface. The ablation of the walls is due to the UV component of the arc radiation, most of which is absorbed in the vapor. It is shown that the ablation conditions change drastically with distance to the center of the arc. The parameters of the reaction zone and of the area occupied by the melted polymer are estimated.

[1]  L. Niemeyer,et al.  Evaporation Dominated High Current Arcs in Narrow Channels , 1978, IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems.

[2]  J. Troe,et al.  Ultraviolet laser ablation of polymers: spot size, pulse duration and plume attenuation effects explained. , 1998 .

[3]  Sylvain Lazare,et al.  Ultraviolet Laser Photoablation of Polymers: A Review and Recent Results , 1989 .

[4]  R. Srinivasan.  Photokinetic etching of polymethyl methacrylate films by continuous wave ultraviolet laser radiation , 1991 .

[5]  T. Chong,et al.  Models for laser ablation of polymers. , 2003, Chemical reviews.

[6]  R. W. Nicholls,et al.  Radiative properties of high temperature air , 1961 .

[7]  L. Niemeyer,et al.  Ablation Controlled Arcs , 1986, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[8]  P. Chevrier,et al.  Arc - wall interaction modelling in a low-voltage circuit breaker , 1997 .

[9]  P. Kovitya.  Ablation-Stabilized Arcs in Nylon and Boric Acid Tubes , 1987, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[10]  Nikita M. Bityurin,et al.  Model for laser-induced thermal degradation and ablation of polymers , 1999 .

[11]  P. Chevrier,et al.  Industrial applications of high-, medium- and low-voltage arc modelling , 1997 .

[12]  P. Chevrier,et al.  Optical diagnostics and numerical modelling of arc re-strikes in low-voltage circuit breakers , 1997 .

[13]  R. Srinivasan,et al.  Ablation of polymethyl methacrylate films by pulsed (ns) ultraviolet and infrared (9.17 μm) lasers: A comparative study by ultrafast imaging , 1993 .

[14]  A. Samarskii.  The Theory of Difference Schemes , 2001 .

[15]  Alexandre A. Radzig,et al.  Handbook of Physical Quantities , 1997 .

[16]  P. André.  Composition and thermodynamic properties of ablated vapours of PMMA, PA6-6, PETP, POM and PE , 1996 .

[17]  E Z Ibrahim,et al.  The ablation dominated polymethylmethacrylate arc , 1980 .

[18]  L Muller,et al.  Modelling of an ablation controlled arc , 1993 .

[19]  Thomas Lippert,et al.  Chemical and spectroscopic aspects of polymer ablation: special features and novel directions. , 2003, Chemical reviews.