Computation of the self-induced magnetic field in circuit-breaker arcs

Author

Pellegrin, Hervé ; Trepanier, Jean-Yves ; Camarero, Ricardo ; Zhang, Xu Dong

Author_Institution

Dept. of Mech. Eng., Ecole Polytech. de Montreal, Que., Canada

Volume

25

Issue

5

fYear

1997

fDate

10/1/1997 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

974

Lastpage

981

Abstract

This paper applies the computational fluid dynamics methodology to compute arc-flow interaction in circuit breakers. The compressible Euler equations are used as the basic flow model, and source terms are added to represent the ohmic heating, the radiation transport, and the self-induced magnetic pressure in the plasma. The equations are solved by a finite-volume scheme for unstructured triangular grids. Numerical solutions are obtained for a transient 32 kA arc-flow interaction In a geometry investigated experimentally by Jones et al.(1982). The experimentally measured pressure at the cathode tip is compared to computations performed with and without the inclusion of the magnetic pressure term. The importance of these terms for high-current arc-flow interaction cases is confirmed and quantified

Keywords

arcs (electric); circuit breakers; circuit-breaking arcs; compressible flow; magnetic fields; 32 kA; arc-flow interaction; circuit-breaker arcs; compressible Euler equations; computational fluid dynamics methodology; finite-volume scheme; high-current arc-flow interaction; ohmic heating; plasma; radiation transport; self-induced magnetic field; self-induced magnetic pressure; transient 32 kA arc-flow interaction; unstructured triangular grids; Circuit breakers; Computational fluid dynamics; Equations; Heating; Magnetic circuits; Magnetic fields; Magnetohydrodynamics; Plasma measurements; Plasma sources; Plasma transport processes;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/27.649609

Filename

649609