Radiation Transfer in SF6+Cu Arc Plasmas

conference paper

English

An electric (switching) arc between separated contacts is an integral part of a switching process. For any kind of high power circuit breakers, the basic mechanism is the extinguishing of the switching arc at the natural current zero by gas convection. The switching arc is responsible for proper disconnecting of a circuit. In the mid and high voltage region, SF6 self-blast circuit breakers are widely used. Radiation transfer is dominant energy exchange mechanism during the high current period of the switching operation. Detailed information about the local arc structure can only be given by mathematical models, which allow the calculation of the distribution of emission and absorption throughout the entire arc plasma volume. Recently, we have used an approximate method of partial characteristics to evaluate the radiation properties of pure SF6 and various mixtures of SF6 with PTFE (material of ablation nozzle) [1], [2]. In this paper, method of partial characteristics has been used to extend previous data for Cu vapour contribution. Resulting data could be used for a modelling of the radiation transfer in the switching arc, including vaporization from Cu contacts. REFERENCES [1] V Aubrecht and J J Lowke, “Calculations of Radiation Transfer in SF6 Plasmas Using the Method of Partial Characterstics”, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys., Vol. 27, pp. 2066-2073, 1994. [2] V Aubrecht and M Bartlova, “Radiation in SF6+PTFE Arc Plasmas“, In Proceedings of the XIV International Conference on Gas Discharges and their Applications, pp. 47 – 50, Liverpool, 2002

plasma radiation, SF6, partial characteristics

AUBRECHT, V., BARTLOVÁ, M.

2003

22. 9. 2003

UVEE FEKT

Brno

80-214-2307-2

Proceedings of XVth Symposium on Physics of Switching Arc

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12

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