Experimental Study of Breaking Devices Arcs Using Coupled Optical and Magnetic Measurements

Performances of breaking devices are closely linked to the electrical arc dynamics: The arc has to move from the ignition area to an extinction place, and this motion must respect the technical and physical constraints. It is so particularly important to get reliable and precise information on the arc dynamic during a breaking process. In this paper, two complementary means of diagnostics have been implemented to better understand the phenomena implied in breaking arc displacement. A high-speed camera allows the detection of both arc and hot gas surrounding the arc, and magnetic measurements allow one to get more precision on the actual arc shape.