Motion and Splitting of Vacuum Arc Column in Transverse Magnetic Field Contacts at Intermediate—Frequency

Arc motion and splitting of vacuum arc at intermediate frequency（400-800 Hz） were investigated under transverse magnetic field（TMF）.The experiment was performed on cup-type TMF contacts with contact diameter of 40 mm and a contact gap of 4 mm in a single-frequency circuit.With high-speed photography we characterized the arc appearance at different arc currents from 3.3 kA-rms to 10 kA-rms at intermediate frequencies.As arc current increases from3.3 kA-rms to 10 kA-rms the arc appearance changes obviously.When current value is 3.3 kArms（current frequency 400-800 Hz）,there is almost no splitting arc;when the current exceeds5 kA-rms（current frequency 400-800 Hz）,the arc rotates at a speed above 20 m/s,accompanied by an observable splitting arc.The splitting arc could be observed at different frequencies and the arc-voltage had no noises when splitting occurred.The motion direction and the velocity of arc column were studied.Finally,the formation of a split arc was discussed.     

Interruption Phenomenon in Intermediate-Frequency Vacuum Arc

In the condition of the 3 mm gap, experiments for 360 Hz intermediate-frequency vacuum arc are carried out in interrupters with the diameters being 41 mm and with the contact materials being CuCr50 and Cu-W-WC alloy respectively. The results indicate that the contacts material is closely related to the breaking capacity of the vacuum interrupters and characteristics of an intermediate-frequency vacuum arc. For contacts with the same diameter, the breaking capacity of CuCr50 is better than that of Cu-W-WC. When the current fails to be interrupted, the arcs overflow the gap and present irregular performances in the first half wave. Consequently a voltage spike appears. More macroscopic metal droplets can be seen in the arc column between CuCr50 contacts because of the lower melting point. It is observed that the droplet emission is much more severe during arc reignition than that in the first half wave. It is much more conspicuous that the high frequency arc voltage noises appear in Cu-W-WC contacts when the vacuum arcs reignite, for higher temperature and stronger electronic emission ability of Cu-W-WC contacts.     

Investigation of Vacuum Arc Voltage Characteristics Under Different Axial Magnetic Field Profiles

Characteristics of the arc voltage under different profiles of axial magnetic field were investigated experimentally in a detachable vacuum chamber with five pairs of specially designed electrodes generating both bell-shaped and saddle-shaped mafnetic field profile. The arc column and cathode spot images were photographed by a high speed digital camera. The dependence of the arc voltage on arcing evolution is analyzed. It is indicated that the axial magnetic field profile could affect the arc behaviors significantly, and the arc voltage is closely related to the arc light intensity.     

Arc characteristics during the instability stage on transverse magnetic field contacts

The arcing process greatly affects the breaking ability after current zero. The instability stage is the transition stage from the ignition to the movement stage, which affects the arc movement characteristics. In this paper, the arc characteristics during the instability stage on spiral-type contacts were investigated using a high-speed video camera. A multi-column parallel instability mode and a single-column instability mode were found during the instability stage. The arc appearance and constriction degree changed rapidly. The arc voltage usually increased accompanied by fluctuations. In addition, it was found that the current significantly influenced the arc mode and duration in the instability stage. With increased peak current, the probability of a single-column instability mode increased, and the fluctuation range and average time decreased.     

Arc Behaviours in Vacuum Interrupters with Axial Magnetic Field Electrodes

To improve the limiting current interruption capability and minimizing vacuum interrupter with axial magnetic field （AMF） electrodes, it is significant to investigate the vacuum arc behaviours between the contacts. AMF distributions of the slot type electrodes were studied by both numerical analysis and experiments. Furthermore, the behaviours of vacuum arcs for different parameters of the slot type AMF electrodes were investigated by using high-speed CCD camera. The influences of gap distance, contact diameter and phase shift time between AMF and arc current on the vacuum arc were investigated. The results provide a reference for research and development of vacuum interrupters with slot type or other types of AMF electrode.     

Distribution of Cathode Spots in Vacuum Arc Under Nonuniform Axial Magnetic Fields

Recent results on the distribution of vacuum arc cathode spots （CSs） in nonuniform axial magnetic field （AMF） are presented. Based on previous studies, we deem that two contrary influences of AMF, inward effect and outward effect, are attributed to CSs distribution. With this notion, we have analyzed the controlling effectiveness of nonuniform AMF on CSs distribution. Experiments were conducted in a detachable vacuum chamber with iron-style AMF electrodes. Images of vacuum arc column and the distribution of CSs were photographed with a high-speed charge coupled device （CCD） camera. Experimental results agreed well with the theoretical analysis.     

Simulation Research of Magnetic Constriction Effect and Controlling by Axial Magnetic Field of Vacuum Arc

Based on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model of vacuum arc, the computer simulation of vacuum arc was carried out in this paper. In the MHD model, mass conservation equation, momentum conservation equations, energy conservation equations, generalized ohm‘s law and Maxwell equation were considered. MHD equations were calculated by numerical method, and the distribution of vacuum arc plasma parameters and current density were obtained. Simulation results showed that the magnetic constriction effect of vacuum arc is primarily caused by the Hall effect. In addition, the inhibition of axial magnetic field (AMF) on constriction of vacuum arc was calculated and analyzed.     

过滤管道磁场在改进真空弧沉积系统中的作用

在90°磁过滤管道和MEVVA源阴极之间加30～60V的正偏压可使磁过滤管道起到阴极弧放电第二阳极的作用.在此情况下,就磁过滤管道磁场对MEVVA源阳极-阴极和磁过滤管道-阴极两个回路弧放电和磁过滤管道等离子体传输效率的影响进行了实验研究.研究结果表明随磁过滤磁场升高,磁过滤管道和阴极之间的弧放电规模降低,系统的等离子体传输效率升高,但对MEVVA源阳极和阴极之间的弧放电规模影响不大.     

Investigation of cathode spot characteristics in vacuum under transverse magnetic field (TMF) contacts

With the continuous improvement of current levels in power systems,the demands on the breaking capacity requirements of vacuum circuit breakers are getting higher and higher.The breaking capacity of vacuum breakers is determined by cathode spots,which provide electrons and metal vapor to maintain the arc.In this paper,experiments were carried out on two kinds of transverse magnetic field (TMF) contacts in a demountable vacuum chamber,the behavior of the cathode spots was recorded by a high-speed charge-coupled device (CCD) video camera,and the characteristics of the cathode spots were analyzed through the image processing method.The phenomenon of cathode spot groups and the star-shaped pattern of the spots were both discovered in the experiment.The experimental results show that with the condition of TMF contacts the initial expansion speed of cathode spots is influenced by some parameters,such as the tested current,contact gap,the structure of the contact,the contact diameter,the number of slots,etc.In addition,the influence of the magnetic field on the formation of the cathode spot groups,the distribution,and the dynamic characteristics of the cathode spots were analyzed.It is concluded that the characteristics of the cathode spots are due to the effect of the magnetic field on the near-cathode plasma.The study of the characteristics of cathode spots in this paper would be helpful in the exploration of the physical process of vacuum arcs,and would be of guiding significance in optimizing the design of vacuum circuit breakers.     

Simulation of Vacuum Arc Characteristics Under Four Kinds of Axial Magnetic Fields and Comparison with Experimental Results

Based on a two-dimensional axisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic （MHD） model, the vacuum arc characteristics under four kinds of axial magnetic fields （AMFs） are ana...     

Influence of Transverse Magnetic Field on Heat Transport Characteristics of Potassium Heat Pipe

The influence of a transverse magnetic field on the heat transport characteristics of a potassium heat pipe was experimentally studied in the range of field strength 0~0.6 T. The wick was constituted of a multilayer mesh screen, and the adiabatic section, to which the magnetic field was applied, was made up of a concentric double-wall rectangular tube, with the inner wall completely separating the vapor and liquid flows.

The magnetic field was applied perpendicularly to the heat pipe, upon which the axial temperature distribution of the heat pipe was observed to be affected, and the heat transport rate to be reduced with increasing field strength.

The effect of the magnetic field on the heat transport rate is analyzed in terms of the liquid pumping ability of the wick and of the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effect on the liquid flow through the wick. The MHD effect on the flow through wick is shown to be expressible by a formula similar to that for flow between parallel plates.

The heat transport rate measured in magnetic field are compared with values calculated assuming that the wick pumping ability was not influenced by the magnetic field but that it was the MHD effect on the liquid flow through the wick that affected the heat transport. The calculated results well explained the experimental data.     

Discharge Characteristics of SF6 in a Non-Uniform Electric Field Under Repetitive Nanosecond Pulses

The characteristics of high pressure sulphur hexafluoride (SF ₆ ) discharges in a highly non-uniform electric field under repetitive nanosecond pulses are investigated in this paper. The influencing factors on discharge process, such as gas pressure, pulse repetition frequency (PRF), and number of applied pulses, are analyzed. Experimental results show that the corona intensity weakens with the increase of gas pressure and strengthens with the increase of PRF or number of applied pulses. Spark discharge images suggest that a shorter and thicker discharge plasma channel will lead to a larger discharge current. The number of applied pulses to breakdown descends with the increase of PRF and ascends with the rise of gas pressure. The reduced electric field (E/p) decreases with the increase of PRF in all circumstances. The experimental results provide significant supplements to the dielectric characteristics of strongly electronegative gases under repetitive nanosecond pulses.     

Surface Treatment of Polypropylene Films Using Dielectric Barrier Discharge with Magnetic Field

Atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma is of interest for industrial applications. In this study, polypropylene (PP) films are modified by a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) with a non-uniform magnetic field in air at atmospheric pressure. The surface properties of the PP films before and after a DBD treatment are studied by using contact angle measurement, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The effect of treatment time on the surface modification with and without a magnetic field is investigated. It is found that the hydrophilic improvement depends on the treatment time and magnetic field. It is also found that surface roughness and oxygen-containing groups are introduced onto the PP film surface after the DBD treatment. Surface roughness and oxygen-containing polar functional groups of the PP films increase with the magnetic induction density. The functional groups are identified as C-O, C=O and O-C=O by using XPS analysis. It is concluded that the hydrophilic improvement of PP films treated with a magnetic field is due to a greater surface roughness and more oxygen-containing groups.