A theoretical study of the impact of magnetic field of Hall current on the parameters of a high-current vacuum-arc discharge

Abstract

It is demonstrated that the magnetic field of Hall current in a short high-current vacuum-arc discharge significantly distorts the external axial magnetic field and affects the distribution of current density in the discharge gap. This effect decreases with increasing external magnetic field, with decreasing arc current, and with decreasing ratio of the length of discharge gap to its transverse dimension. A 2D magnetohydrodynamic mathematical model is used to calculate the discharge parameters for different values of induction of external magnetic field. The calculation results are compared with similar results obtained using a 1.5D model in which the impact made by magnetic field of Hall current is ignored. It is inferred that the simpler 1.5D model may be employed in calculations of parameters of vacuum arc in a wide range of variation of arc current and of induction of external magnetic field.