The physics of high-power arcs

Jones, G.R.; Fang, Michael

doi:10.1088/0034-4885/43/12/002

Cited by 75 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 124 publications

(114 reference statements)

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“…This approach has been reported by such authors as Lindmayer [5], Jones [6], Jones and Fang [7], Lee [8], and Sharkh [9]. Good agreement has been found with experimental data from circuit breakers [10], [11].…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Modeling of energy transport in arcing electrical contacts to determine mass loss

Swingler

McBride

1998

IEEE Trans. Comp., Packag., Manufact. Technol. A

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This paper presents a model which calculates the amount of erosion of an electrical contact undergoing arcing for a range of contact opening conditions. The model assumes all vaporized material is lost from the contact and that the material lost is related to the energy received by the contact. It is proposed that two processes occur which transport energy to the contact surface from the arc discharge. These have been called the radial transport process and the channeled transport process. Calculations at different ratios of the transport processes are compared to experimental data at 9 A, 64 V DC.The modeling procedure consists of several stages: 1) the arc discharge is divided into three regions which generates energy for dissipation; 2) the energy from each region is dissipated through the arc and delivered to the contact surface by radial/channeling transport processes; 3) heat flow through the contact from the surface is calculated using an explicit numerical finite difference scheme dependant upon energy input, contact dimensions, and material properties. This is then used to determine the temperature gradient of the surface and any phase changes; 4) knowing the condition of the contact surface, and contact separation, the mass loss is calculated assuming all evaporated material is removed from the surface.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Modeling of energy transport in arcing electrical contacts to determine mass loss

Swingler

McBride

1998

IEEE Trans. Comp., Packag., Manufact. Technol. A

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“…This paper was recommended for publication by Guest Editor M. Braunovic upon evaluation of the reviewers' comments. This paper was presented at the 42nd IEEE Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts, Chicago, IL, September [16][17][18][19][20]1996.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anode and cathode arc root movement during contact opening at high current

McBride

Jeffery

1999

IEEE Trans. Comp. Packag. Technol.

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Abstract-This paper presents experimental research into the behavior of short circuit break arcs ignited between opening contacts. The investigation is applied to arc chamber geometries commonly used in miniature circuit breakers (MCB). The movement of the anode and cathode roots are individually plotted from optical data, allowing the relative motion to be compared. The effect of a range of MCB configurations on the arc root motion has been investigated. The experiment was configured so that the fixed contact was always the cathode. The results show that the two arc roots do not move away from the contact region simultaneously. Often the cathode root moved off the fixed contact and away from the contact region before the anode root commutated from the moving contact. The delay in anode root commutation leads to a delayed cathode root movement. These events are explained in terms of arc root emission processes.

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“…A large number of studies (Jones and Fang 1980;Finkelnburg and Maecker 1956) on these aspects have been undertaken in the past. These studies highlight the phenomenal features and constraints associated with an electric arc.…”

Section: The Electric Arc Phenomenonmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Measurements and calculations of temperatures of arc columns in various configurations have been performed by a number of researchers (Maecker 1964;Jones and Fang 1980).…”

Section: ·1 Plasma Column 3·1·1 Plasma Temperature and Column Sizementioning

confidence: 99%

Technological Challenges in Thermal Plasma Production

Ramakrishnan¹

1995

Aust. J. Phys.

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Thermal plasmas, generated by electric arc discharges, are used in a variety of industrial applications. The electric arc is a constricted electrical discharge with a high temperature in the range 6000-25,000 K. These characteristics are useful in plasma cutting, spraying, welding and specific areas of material processing. The thermal plasma technology is an enabling process technology and its status in the market depends upon its advantages over competing technologies. A few technological challenges to enhance the status of plasma technology are to improve the utilisation of the unique characteristics of the electric arc and to provide enhanced control of the process. In particular, new solutions are required for increasing the plasma-material interaction, controlling the electrode roots and controlling the thermal power generated by the arcing process. IntroductionA thermal plasma is often considered as a plasma in which local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). conditions prevail. Under LTE conditions, the heavy particles in the plasma have approximately the same temperature as the electrons and hence the plasma has a high temperature. This allows the plasma to be used in a number of industrial processes requiring process heat at a high temperature (Pfender 1988). Typical applications of thermal plasmas in industry include joining of metals, plasma cutting, plasma spraying, arc wire spraying, plasma surfacing and material processing.Thermal plasma technology is essentially a process technology that enables the development of an industrial process to manufacture a product that meets market demands. The success of an application of plasma technology in industry will depend upon the technical suitability and advantages the process offers and the cost of the final product.Thermal plasma technology is based on the physical phenomenon of electrical discharges. The basic properties and generic features of the phenomenon create a unique position for the industrial applicability of the process. On the other hand, the limitations and the constraints imposed by the phenomenon on the application process have a strong bearing on the total cost and hence on the acceptance of the process by industry. In this paper, the advantages of plasma technology, its phenomenal constraints and future challenges for technology developments are highlighted.

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The physics of high-power arcs

Cited by 75 publications

References 124 publications

Modeling of energy transport in arcing electrical contacts to determine mass loss

Modeling of energy transport in arcing electrical contacts to determine mass loss

Anode and cathode arc root movement during contact opening at high current

Technological Challenges in Thermal Plasma Production

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