Transition from constricted to diffuse vacuum arc modes during high AC current interruption

Research on Vacuum Arc Characteristics of a New Electrode Structure Applied in High Voltage Vacuum Interrupter

“…And the cathode spots start to concentrate at the edge of the cathode. The arc exhibits APJS [4]. Soon after that, the anode 186 -plasma jet moves to the origin location again at 1.Oms.…”

Experimental Investigation on the Vacuum Arc Behaviors of the Axial Magnetic Field (AMF) Electrode with Single Coil Structure

“…The concentration of arc column near the anode occurred up to 7.75 ms. After 7.75 ms the arc transited into a high current diŠuse arc 1) . The APJS and APJ 7) were unstable because the position and intensity of anode or cathode spots always varied and would change into other arc modes with arc current increasing, according to the arc photographs while amplitude of arc current 2.75 kA, 5.7 kA and 8.0 kA. The vacuum arc could be kept in diŠuse arc modes in most of time during semiwave of current ‰ow, which would result in successful current interruption.…”

“…Two groups of arc modes were founded: 1) diŠuse arc modes including multi-cathode spot arc, high current diŠuse arc and high current diŠuse column arc 1) . 2) constricted arc modes including APJS, APJ 7) and intense arc mode 6) . With the amplitude of arc current increasing, the arc modes developed sequentially from the high current diŠuse arc, high current diŠuse column arc 1) and intense arc mode 6) .…”

“…To study the vacuum arc modes and their transition, we will have a brief review upon various vacuum arc modes as follows: 1) DiŠuse arc modes, which include multi-cathode spot arc 1) , low current diŠuse arc 7) , high-current diŠuse arc 1,7) , high current diŠuse column arc 1) , and transient foot-point mode 6) .…”

“…2) Constricted arc modes, which include anode jet and anode spot 8) , anode spot mode 8) , anode plasma jet with local concentration of many cathode spots (LCMCS) and group of autonomous cathode spots (APJS), anode plasma jet with LCMCS (APJ), anode and cathode plasma jets (ACPJ) 7) ; and intense arc mode 5) /constricted column and jet column 8) /column arc 7) .…”