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Electrode processes and arc form in miniature circuit breakers

Electrode processes and arc form in miniature circuit breakers
Electrode processes and arc form in miniature circuit breakers
The electric arc in current limiting circuit breakers is often depicted as a well defined region of current flow. During a short circuit fault the current through the arc in a current limiting miniature circuit breaker can range from 100 to 10000 Amps. This range of current, along with varying electrode conditions, will lead to variation in both the form of the arc and the processes occurring at the electrodes. These electrode processes, in particular the emission mechanism at the cathode root, dominate the mobility characteristics of the arc. Previously proposed electrode processes are reviewed and the interaction of the mechanisms discussed. Using data recorded on a high speed Arc Imaging System observations about the arc behaviour at different intervals of the arc event are related to possible electrode processes. The variation of arc form in miniature circuit breakers is also discussed.
0780349253
93-99
IEEE
McBride, J.W.
d9429c29-9361-4747-9ba3-376297cb8770
Jeffery, P.A.
bdb955dd-715d-41c2-821a-8122e05aea8b
Weaver, P.M.
649cbff1-3909-4d09-bab6-79ef325089d0
McBride, J.W.
d9429c29-9361-4747-9ba3-376297cb8770
Jeffery, P.A.
bdb955dd-715d-41c2-821a-8122e05aea8b
Weaver, P.M.
649cbff1-3909-4d09-bab6-79ef325089d0

McBride, J.W., Jeffery, P.A. and Weaver, P.M. (2002) Electrode processes and arc form in miniature circuit breakers. In Proceedings of the Forty-Fourth IEEE Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts, 1998. IEEE. pp. 93-99 . (doi:10.1109/HOLM.1998.722433).

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)

Abstract

The electric arc in current limiting circuit breakers is often depicted as a well defined region of current flow. During a short circuit fault the current through the arc in a current limiting miniature circuit breaker can range from 100 to 10000 Amps. This range of current, along with varying electrode conditions, will lead to variation in both the form of the arc and the processes occurring at the electrodes. These electrode processes, in particular the emission mechanism at the cathode root, dominate the mobility characteristics of the arc. Previously proposed electrode processes are reviewed and the interaction of the mechanisms discussed. Using data recorded on a high speed Arc Imaging System observations about the arc behaviour at different intervals of the arc event are related to possible electrode processes. The variation of arc form in miniature circuit breakers is also discussed.

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More information

Published date: 6 August 2002
Venue - Dates: Forty-Fourth IEEE Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts, Arlington, USA, 1998-10-26 - 1998-10-28

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 21243
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/21243
ISBN: 0780349253
PURE UUID: 9b56a4ef-919b-40f5-911f-f077ecbc9e88
ORCID for J.W. McBride: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3024-0326

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 06 Dec 2006
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 02:37

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Contributors

Author: J.W. McBride ORCID iD
Author: P.A. Jeffery
Author: P.M. Weaver

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