The Current Distribution and the Magnetic Pressure Profile in a Vacuum Arc Subject to an Axial Magnetic Field

The steady-state electric-current distribution and the magnetic pressure in a uniform conducting medium, flowing in a cylindrical configuration between two circular electrodes, was determined by solving the magnetic field transport equation with a superimposed axial magnetic field. This medium models the interelectrode plasma of the diffuse mode metal vapor vacuum arc. The results show the following. a) The electric current and the flux of the poloidal magnetic field are constricted at the anode side of the flowing plasma. Most of the constriction takes place within a boundary layer, with a characteristic length of 1/Rme, where Rme is the magnetic-Reynolds number for axial electron flow. b) The electric-current constriction inversely depends on K?, where K? is the azimuthal surface current density which produces the axial magnetic field. c) The magnetic-pressure profile shows a radial pinch force in most of the interelectrode region, but in the anode boundary layer it is axially directed, thus retarding the plasma flow. d) The peak of the magnetic pressure is at the anode, and its amplitude directly depends on K?. As K? increases, the peak location moves toward the anode center.     

Analytic theory of wall configuration and depinning mechanism in magnetic nanostructure with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

We present an analytic theory of the domain wall depinning in magnetic nanostructure with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The variational principle reveals that the wall is bent in the form of a circular arc which intersects the structure boundaries perpendicularly. The radius is inversely proportional to the magnetic field. With increasing the field the radius shrinks, followed by depinning from the constriction when the arc is not geometrically allowed. The depinning field is proportional to the sine of the constriction angle and the inverse of the constriction width. The validity of the theory is confirmed by comparison with the micromagnetic simulation.     

Thermal Recovery of an Arc Track

The threshold recovery electric field in a heavily affected arc track on a solid dielectric is analyzed using a three-layer approach and the experimentally estimated power flow from the arc. The advantage of the method is the possibility of taking into account the thermophysical properties of the solid for three different material phases. The temperature distributions in the body under the arc and in the arc track for the post-arc period are represented. An equation to estimate the threshold electric field is derived and discussed.     

Nature of convection-stabilized DC arcs in dual-flow nozzlegeometry. II. Optical diagnostics and theory

For pt.I see ibid., vol.18, no.1, p.91-101, 1990. A supersonic flow field with a 5.5-cm-long and ≈2.2-mm-thick cylindrical arc plasma column was observed with a four-mirror Schlieren optical system in dual-flow nozzle geometries. For both the orifice-type nozzle and the two dimensional convergent-divergent nozzle, the arc current was varied from 45 to 110 A. The optical cold-flow-plasma boundary displayed a sharp and laminar character in both nozzles, and a sharply defined, almost-constant-diameter, quiet arc is observed between the nozzles. Downstream of the nozzle throat the arc expands and assumes a conical shape. In this region, the fringe formation inside the arc is still clear, which is an indication of the laminar nature of the plasma. However, the arc boundary is not as distinct. A cooler arc is observed downstream of the nozzle throat. Using the experimentally determined axial static pressure and cold-flow mass flux rate distributions of pt.I and the channel-flow model with constant arc temperature, the energy integral was solved for the arc radius as a function of the axial distance. From this, the arc electric field strength, voltage, resistance, and power were determined, and the total heat transfer was related to the arc power. Good agreement between the calculated values and experimental data was observed     

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利用发射探针诊断了处于扩散等离子体流场中平板两侧的鞘层电势分布并给出鞘层厚度及边界电场。结合Child-Langmuir(CL)定律并利用一维流体模型,分析对比了鞘厚及边界电场。结果显示,上下游的鞘层呈现不对称结构,下游比上游厚,边界电场下游比上游弱,并且下游的预鞘还呈现类似虚阳极的结构。上下游CL鞘的厚度满足线性比例关系,比例系数约为1.2,且实验值与理论值非常接近。上下游CL鞘的边界电场与模型Te/(eλD)比较接近,上游Bohm鞘边界电场的实验结果与过渡区模型 较符合,但下游Bohm鞘的边界电场与现有模型有较大差异。     

电弧增材成形中熔积层表面形貌对电弧形态影响的仿真

电弧增材成形常采用单道多层或多道搭接的熔积方式,不同的熔积方式下对应的熔积层表面形貌不同,从而影响电弧的形态及其传热传质过程.本文建立了纯氩保护电弧增材成形的电弧磁流体动力学三维数值模型,以及不同表面形貌的熔积层模型,并在保持阳极与阴极之间距离和熔积电流不变的条件下,通过模拟计算获得增材成形特有的单道和多道搭接熔积条件下的不同表面形貌对应的电弧形态以及相应的温度场、流场、电流密度、电磁力、电弧压力分布.数值模拟结果表明:平面基板上起弧情况下电弧中心具有较高的温度、速度、电流密度以及压强;单道多层熔积情况下熔积层数对电弧的各个参量影响较小;多道搭接熔积情况下电弧呈非对称分布,电弧中心温度较前两者低,电流密度、电磁力和电弧压强的分布偏向熔积层一侧.     

强电场中的脉冲束流强度测量方法

针对强电场中电场渗透的问题,采用特殊的法拉第筒法测量脉冲束流强度:在法拉第筒入口处用栅网屏蔽强电场,并用在收集板上加正压的方式抑制二次电子。采用解析计算和数值模拟方式对栅网的形状进行了选择,在同样的栅网丝宽和透过率的前提下,通过正六边形栅网的渗透电场最弱,因此选择正六边形栅网。将设计的法拉第筒用于一台真空弧离子源的束流强度测量,获得了该离子源的束流强度波形,其峰值流强约为550 mA;利用测量结果计算了混合离子束在Cu收集板上的二次电子发射系数,约为2.0。     

Inhomogeneous extended hollow cathode discharge for raising the current density in a forevacuum plasma source of a ribbon electron beam

The plasma parameters and the emissivity of a ribbon electron beam source based on a discharge with an inhomogeneous extended hollow cathode are measured. A constriction in the cathode cavity increases the plasma density near the emitting area boundary, which adds to the electron current density in the beam. The reason for the above effect is the formation of the plasma density distribution nonuniform across the cavity with a maximum in the middle. This maximum is caused primarily by a plasma electron flow from the constriction, which is generated by the electric field and is directed toward a slit emission-extracting aperture.     

Air flow control around a cylindrical model induced by a rotating electric arc discharge in an external magnetic field. Part I

The structure and dynamics of a near-wall gas flow produced by a rotating electric arc discharge in an external magnetic field around a cylindrical model without an incoming flow has been investigated. The electric arc on the model has been produced by a combined electric discharge (low-current rf discharge + high-current pulse-periodic discharge). Permanent magnets with induction B ≈ 0.1 T have been placed inside the cylindrical models. Ring electrodes are arranged on the surface of the model. The structure and dynamics of the near-wall gas flow around the cylindrical model have been investigated using high-speed photography, as well as the shadowgraph and particle image velocimetry (PIV) methods.     

The DC Arc in a Supersonic Nozzle Flow

The boundary layer integral method at its second level of approximation has been used to study the DC arc in a supersonic nozzle flow. It is shown that with the inclusion of the arc momentum balance, the critical point of the flow is, generally, not the sonic point of the external flow. The speed, at which a disturbance propagates relative to the external flow, is in general supersonic and is dependent on the arc conditions. The arc model is capable of predicting the axial electric field, the arc size and the axial pressure distribution as a function of current. For affinely related nozzles, the solution is determined by a parameter N, which is related to zt, the stagnation condition and the nominal current density at the throat (I/At). Numerical results are given for a particular nozzle shape although the method of analysis is general. Practical implications as regards nozzle design for a gas blast circuit breaker are briefly discussed.     

滑动弧低温等离子体放电特性的数值模拟研究

滑动弧等离子体的电弧温度场、电场和导电区域尺寸是确定电子温度、电子密度、化学反应速率以及能量效率的重要参数.对气流量为1.43 L/min和6.42 L/min时50 Hz交流滑动弧放电的电参数进行了测量;用瞬态的电弧模型描述滑动弧的能量传递,并用近似的介质电导率和热扩散系数对模型进行简化,解决了由于电弧结构变化所导致的移动边界问题;模拟求得等离子体的电弧结构、电场强度和动态温度场等参数的演化.其中,电弧电场的模拟值与实验值基本符合,计算得到电弧轴心温度可以达到5700—6700 K.研究结果表明,气流直 关键词： 滑动弧等离子体 温度场 电场强度 导电半径     

The Influence of the Self-Magnetic Field on the Steady-State Current Distribution in an Axially Flowing Conducting Medium

The steady-state electric current distribution in a multicathode-spot vacuum arc was determined by a solution of the magnetic transport equation subject to various boundary conditions. The inter-electrode region of the arc is modeled as a uniform plasma flowing from the cathode to the anode. Dimensional analysis shows that three parameters determine the magnetic field, and hence the current density which is derived from it: AR-the ratio of the electrode separation to the electrode radius, Rmm-magnetic Reynolds number of the axial material flow, and Rme-magnetic Reynolds number of the axial electron flow. While the anode side of the conducting medium is described as an equipotential surface, the following three cases of boundary conditions for the cathode side are examined: 1) a known current density distribution is assumed over the entire cathode side of the plasma surface; 2) the cathode side is an equipotential surface; and 3) the current is allowed to cross the cathode surface only through a finite number of ring shaped regions. Numerical solutions of the nonlinear magnetic transport equation show a constriction of the current at the anode side for all boundary conditions mentioned. On the other hand, the current moves to the perimeter of the cathode for boundary condition 2). When AR, Rmm, and Rme equal 0.72,-0.16, and 1.73, respectively, and a uniform current density flows at the cathode side, the on-axis current density at the anode is six times larger than its value at the cathode.     

Effect of Plug Flow on the Stability of Two-Dimensional Arcs

Steady solutions to the governing equations that describe fully two-dimensional arc plasmas in a plug flow have been obtained. The stability of these steady solutions is investigated by calculating the transient created when infinitesmal changes in the electrode potentials are imposed. Comparisons are made with solutions obtained using a one-dimensional electric field. We find that with increasing blowing (Peclet number) the one-dimensional electric field solutions yield increasingly inaccurate results for higher currents. The stability results conform with those given by the classical Kaufmann criterion. We find that convection tends to reduce and eventually to eliminate the declining branch of the current-voltage characteristic. The presence of convection promotes axial temperature gradients in the arc and hastens the transition from the unstable (declining) branch to a stable (increasing) branch of the current-voltage characteristic.     

Quenching Properties of an Arc in a Double Flow with a Vortex

The effect of a vortex in a gas flow on an air-blast arc is investigated. The radial density of a vortex in the compressible flow is evaluated with a simple model. The experiments show that the width of a low pressure channel on the axis of the nozzle is comparable to the theoretical values. The measured electric field strength profile is strongly influenced by the presence of such a vortex. In addition, the thermal interrupting capability is drastically lowered by vortex superimposed on the axial gas flow.     

Vacuum Arc Behavior in a Transverse Magnetic Field

Experimental measurements in a vacuum interrupter have shown that the application of a transverse magnetic field results in substantial increases in arc voltage. Photographic studies of the arc column indicate that strong magnetic fields reduce the effective anode area and may lead to severe arc constriction.     

Numerical model of the anode region of high-current electric arcs

A two-dimensional, two-temperature axisymmetric numerical model has been formulated for the flow-affected region and the boundary layer in front of high-intensity electric arc anodes. The plasma flow is laminar, steady, incompressible, and the plasma composition is found from the diffusion equation because chemical nonequilibrium is expected. Computational results are obtained for an atmospheric pressure argon arc considering two different situations: a free-burning electric arc and an arc with a constrictor tube. The solutions indicate two different anode attachments modes-a constricted and a diffuse attachment. It is found that under the conditions considered in the calculations, the gradient-induced current densities become significant at distances in the order of 1 mm from the anode surface. The thermal anode boundary layer is compressed with increasing current. The thickness of the thermal boundary layer for the constricted mode is approximately three times smaller than for the diffuse mode. A reversal of the electric field strength occurs over the entire thickness of the boundary layer in all calculated cases. A satisfactory agreement is reached between the calculated heat flux values and experimental results obtained for a 200-A free-burning electric arc     

洛伦兹力对自由燃烧弧和壁稳非转移弧流场的影响

通过耦合迭代求解流体力学方程和电磁场方程,数值模拟了转移式自由燃烧电弧和具有细长中间段及突扩阳极结构的壁稳式非转移直流电弧的流场,分析了洛伦兹力对这两种典型直流电弧流场的影响。结果显示:在自由燃烧电弧情况下,电流自感磁场的洛伦兹力对流场特性有显著影响,自磁压缩是约束电弧的主要机制;而在壁稳式非转移直流电弧情况下,相对于强壁面约束和气动力作用而言,洛伦兹力对流场的影响有限。特别在中间段出口以后,洛伦兹力与气动力的比值小于0.010,因此,当主要考虑壁稳式非转移直流电弧发生器出口参数时,为了提高数值模拟效率,可忽略洛伦兹力的作用。     

The influence of unipolar axial magnetic field on the behavior of vacuum arcs

The behavior of vacuum arcs under the influence of unipolar axial magnetic field (AMF) has been investigated. In experimental investigations, the vacuum arc mode is studied at different arc currents by using high-speed charge-coupled device (CCD) video images. In spite of the AMF, first sign of arc constriction appears at relatively small currents of about 15 kA (RMS). Three different arc modes were found. Based on generalized Ohm's law, the current density distribution in the vacuum arc with unipolar axial magnetic field is computed using three-dimensional finite-element method (FEM) software. The calculated current distribution is confirmed by the vacuum arc appearance taken from CCD video film. The distribution of AMF can be optimized by such experiments and theoretical analysis.     

Vacuum breakdown on metal surfaces

The unipolar arc model is described. Experimental proof that unipolar arcing represents a discharge form which easily leads to explosive plasma formation is provided. Using a laser-produced plasma, it has been demonstrated that unipolar arcs ignite and burn on a nanosecond time scale without any external electric field being applied. Similar unipolar arc craters have been observed on the cathode surface of a pulsed vacuum diode with an externally applied field of 0.5 MV/cm. The experimental results show that cathode spots are formed by unipolar arching. The localized buildup of plasma above an electron-emitting spot naturally leads to a pressure gradient and electric field distribution which drives the unipolar arc. The high current density of a unipolar arc provides explosive plasma formation     

Calculation of thermal and spatial characteristics of a longitudinally blown arc

A method is proposed for calculating the thermal and spatial characteristics of the column of an electric arc in the channel of a plasmatron for a given set of averaged electrical and gas dynamical parameters. The method is based on the channel model of a longitudinally blown arc. For given discharge parameters (current intensity in the discharge, power input into the discharge, mean pump rate of the gas through the plasmatron) the method permits quite accurate determination of the temperature in the current conducting channel of the discharge arc, the radius of the channel, and distribution of the temperature fields in the nonconducting zone (heat transfer zone) as a function of the longitudinal flow coordinate z downstream. The results may be used in modeling and engineering calculations for determining the most efficient conditions for heating a gas by pumping through the channel of an arc plasmatron.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 8, pp. 76–82, August, 1991.