Simulation of the temperature field distribution in medium-voltage vacuum interrupter and experimental verification

• Published in: IOP conference series. Materials Science and Engineering Vol. 292; no. 1; pp. 12042 - 12051
• Main Authors: Sun, W, Liu, H L, Cai, Y G, Li, Y L, Zhou, H Y, Zhou, Y
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.01.2018
• Subjects: Electric contacts; Electric potential; Finite element method; Interrupters; Ohmic dissipation; Resistance heating; Simulation; Steady state; Temperature distribution; Thermal stability; Voltage
• ISSN: 1757-8981; 1757-899X
• DOI: 10.1088/1757-899X/292/1/012042

The temperature field distribution in the medium-voltage vacuum interrupter decides the thermal stability of it. In this paper, the simulation model of a kind of 12kV/3150A/40kA medium-voltage vacuum interrupter is constructed, and conductive bridge model is used. This paper simulates current contraction and Joule heating between contacts, and solves relevant problems using the function of the thermal-electrical coupling in the finite element software ANSYS. Steady-state temperature rise of vacuum interrupter at rated current and transient temperature rise of vacuum interrupter at short-time withstand current are calculated. Influence of the contact situation on vacuum interrupter temperature rise is analyzed. Steady-state temperature rise experiments for the interrupter are carried out, and experiment results verify the accuracy of simulation results. The results are useful in the designing and optimizing of medium-voltage vacuum interrupter.