真空电弧在燃烧过程中的形态变化对真空开关的开断性能有着重要的影响。为了实现对真空开关电弧形态燃烧过程的定量分析,提出了真空开关电弧图像面积概念,并对影响电弧面积变化的真空间隙、电压、磁场三因素进行了实验研究分析。结果表明:①真空间隙越大,电弧面积分布区域越广,减轻了电弧对触头表面的烧蚀;②开断容量越大,电弧的面积分布区域越大,同时对电弧表面的烧蚀越严重;③纵磁场的存在使电弧在真空间隙中分布更加均匀,有利于提高真空开关的开断能力。
The concept of the arc image area was proposed to quantitatively study the time evolution of, and variations in the arc images of the vacuum switching arc in the course of burning. The impacts of various factors, such as the vacuum gap, voltage, and magnetic field, on the variations in the arc image area were experimentally evaluated. The results included: a)A wider vacuum gap leads to faster spreading speed and broader distribution of the are area, lowering the risk of burning contact; b) A higher voltage across the capacitor results in wider and faster spreading of the arc area, increasing the risk of serious burning, and c) The axial magnetic field promotes the uniform distribution of the arc in the vacuum gap.