Vacuum interrupter model obtained by measurement of breaking capacity at high currents

In this paper, a model is presented of a HOLEC make commercially available vacuum interrupter. This model can be used to determine the breaking capacity under various current switching conditions. It is shown how the model is derived from switching tests at a synthetic test circuit. The measured data consist mainly of short-circuit currents, arc-voltages, TRVs and arcing times from which other important information, e.g. the critical arc-energy and the amount of transferred electric charge, can be determined. The calculated results obtained by the theoretical model and the measured data are shown in various graphs. Furthermore, de-rating curves of this type of vacuum interrupter and a comparison between different types of electrode configurations are presented