Effect of magnetic field on the behavior and sustaining characteristics of low-current DC vacuum arc

Effects of magnetic field on duration and dynamics of low‐current DC vacuum arcs, less than 20 A, were examined. Without a magnetic field, the cathode spot moves at random on the cathode surface and the arc voltage is constant for increasing gap length up to 30 mm. In the axial magnetic field, the a...

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Published inElectrical engineering in Japan Vol. 161; no. 1; pp. 1 - 9
Main Authors Yanagi, Kengo, Shibata, Satoru, Yanagidaira, Takeshi, Tsuruta, Koichi
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.10.2007
Subjects
axial magnetic field
axially symmetric transverse magnetic field
cathode spot
Lorentz force
low-current DC vacuum arc
retrograde motion
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Summary:Effects of magnetic field on duration and dynamics of low‐current DC vacuum arcs, less than 20 A, were examined. Without a magnetic field, the cathode spot moves at random on the cathode surface and the arc voltage is constant for increasing gap length up to 30 mm. In the axial magnetic field, the arc plasma was constricted and the arc voltage rose with increasing gap length. When a magnet was arranged behind the cathode, the cathode spot rotated in the opposite direction of the Lorentz force (j×B) on the edge of the cathode. On the other hand, when a magnet was arranged behind the anode, the arc column was constricted on the electrode axis and the lifetime of the arcs was extremely extended. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 161(1): 1– 9, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20555
Bibliography:ark:/67375/WNG-K9MB4VWX-W
istex:9F0EC87054924C798E8F4048F5F4520E57C534CE
ArticleID:EEJ20555
ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-1
content type line 23
ISSN:0424-7760
1520-6416
DOI:10.1002/eej.20555