A Review of Anode Phenomena in Vacuum Arcs

This paper discusses arc modes at the anode, anode temperature measurments, anode ions, transitions of the arc into various modes (principally the anode-spot mode), and theoretical explanations of anode phenomena. A vacuum arc can exhibit five anode discharge modes: 1) a low-current mode in which the anode is basically passive, acting only as a collector of particles emitted from the cathode; 2) a second low-current mode that can occur if the electrode material is readily sputtered (a flux of sputtered atoms will be emitted by the anode); 3) a footpoint mode, characterized by the appearance of one or more luminous spots on the anode (footpoints are much cooler than the true anode spots present in the last two modes); 4) an anode-spot mode in which one large or several small anode spots are present (such spots are very luminous, have a temperature near the atmospheric boiling point of the anode material, and are a copious source of vapor and ions); and 5) an intense-arc mode where an anode spot is present, but accompanied by severe cathode erosion. The arc voltage is relatively low and quiet in the two low-current modes and the intense-arc mode. It is usually high and noisy in the footpoint mode, and it can be either in the anode-spot mode. Anode erosion is low, indeed negative, in the two low-current modes, and it is low to moderate in the footpoint mode. Severe anode erosion occurs in both the anode-spot and intense-arc modes.     

Vacuum Arc Anode Phenomena

This paper briefly reviews anode phenomena in vacuum arcs, specially experimental work. It discusses, in succession, arc modes at the anode, anode temperature measurements, anode ions, transitions of the arc into various modes (principally the anode spot mode), and theoretical explanations of anode phenomena. The two most common anode modes in a vacuum arc are a low current mode where the anode is basically passive, acting only as a collector of particles emitted from the cathode, and a high current mode with a fully developed anode spot. Characteristically this anode spot has a temperature near the atmospheric boiling point of the anode material and is a copious source of vapor and energetic ions. However, other anode modes can exist. A low current vacuum arc with electrodes of readily sputterable material may emit a flux of sputtered atoms from the anode. Usually this sputtered flux will have little effect upon the vacuum arc, but in certain circumstances it could be significant. A vacuum arc doesn't always transfer directly from a low current mode to the anode spot mode. In appropriate experimental conditions, formation of an anode spot may be preceded by the formation of an anode footpoint. This footpoint is luminous, but much cooler than a true anode spot. Finally, (again in appropriate circumstances) several small anode spots may form instead of one large anode spot. With sufficient increase in arc current or arcing time these will usually combine to form a single large active spot.     

Discharge Modes at the Anode of a Vacuum Arc

Five possible discharge modes can exist at the anode of a vacuum arc. The two most common anode modes are a low current mode, where the anode is basically inert; and a high current mode with a fully developed anode spot. This anode spot is very bright, has a temperature near the boiling point of the anode material, and is a copious source of vapor and energetic ions. Three additional anode modes can occur in appropriate circumstances. A low current vacuum arc with electrodes of readily sputterable material will emit a flux of sputtered atoms from the anode. At intermediate currents, an anode footpoint can form. This footpoint is luminous, but much cooler than a true anode spot. Finally, a high current mode can exist where several small anode spots are present instead of a single large anode spot.     

Arc voltage of a fast triggered vacuum gap

At high current, the performance of triggered vacuum gaps (TVGs) is limited by constriction of the vacuum arc. Several concentrated modes can be defined, i.e., foot point, anode spot, and intense arc mode. In all cases, small, luminous, high-temperature spots (from melting to boiling temperature) appear on the anode surface. In accordance with the anodic mode, the arc voltage has different characteristics (quiet and low or with high-frequency noise). The arc voltage is measured for different electrode configurations for a conduction time of 27 μs and for peak current up to 45 kA. For small gap distances (1-1.5 mm), the arc voltage is quiet and low (20 to 30 V) and almost independent of the peak current. For greater distances, the arc voltage increases with the distance and the peak current. If the peak current is higher than the threshold interruption current, the arc voltage is high and noisy. These overvoltages, with a frequency of about one megahertz, can reach more than 1000 V. These overvoltages disappear completely after about 15 μs, and the voltage decreases     

Photographic appearance of high-current vacuum arcs prior to and during anode spot formation

This article presents the results of research on the photographic appearance of a highcurrent vacuum arc between butt type copper electrodes a of 30–80 mm diameter and a fixed gap of 10 mm. Current pulses of up to 30 kA peak amplitude at an initial value of (di/dt)₀ from 1–10kA/ms and a duration of approximately 14 ms were applied. Arcs were photographed with a high-speed framing camera, mostly at 10⁴ frames/s. A detailed study of discharge modes in phase transition from a high-current diffuse arc to a constricted arc with an anode spot was conducted. Most of the measurements were obtained at a peak current slightly in excess of 10 kA for electrodes of 55 mm diameter. It was found that at peak current exceeding moderately the threshold value of the onset of anode spot formation, the arc is characterized by the following main features: the formation of an anode spot and an anode plasma jet occurs concurrently with a local concentration of cathode spots; the anode spot is, most often, formed on the electrode edge; the coexistence of very varied structures of spots on the cathode; the lack of considerable constriction of the cathode discharge; the pseudo-periodic shrinking and expansion of the area occupied by cathode spots; the existence of a relatively dark space separates the anode plasma jet from the plasma sheath near the cathode surface; the plasma space distribution in the interelectrode gap is non-uniform and non-stationary.This work was supported by State Committee for Scientific Research within the research project No. 3 P40101507.     

Anode-Spot Formation and Motion of Vacuum Arcs

This paper reports about experimental investigations on high-current vacuum-arc phenomena, especially anode-spot formation, arc states, and motion. The presented work was stimulated by lack of information about the transition process from the diffuse low-current mode to the high-current mode characterized by anode spot(s). Optoelectronic measurements, streak photographs, high-speed movies, and correlated arc voltage/current records yielded remarkable results on power-frequency vacuum arcs. Three different high-current vacuum arc modes can be observed beyond a certain threshold current. Which mode appears depends mainly on the momentary electrode distance. The modes are characterized by different anode-spot behavior and interelectrode phenomena. The transition between different arc modes is continuous. The arc modes observed on ring electrodes producing a magnetic blast field are the same as those appearing on butt-type electrodes. Anode-spot formation is preceded by congregations of cathode spots and may be initiated by thermal overload of the anode surface opposite to these cathode-spot clusters.     

Vacuum Arc Anode Phenomena

This paper presents a brief review of anode phenomena in vacuum arcs. It discusses in succession the transition of the arc into the anode spot mode; the temperature of the anode before, during, and after formation of an anode spot; and anode ions. Characteristically the anode spot has a temperature of the order of the atmospheric boiling point of the anode material and is a copious source of vapor and energetic ions. The dominant mechanism controlling the transition of the vacuum arc into the anode spot mode appears to depend upon the electrode geometry, the electrode material, and the current waveform of the particular vacuum arc being considered. Either magnetic constriction in the gap plasma or gross anode melting can trigger the transition, indeed a combination of the two is a common cause of anode spot formation.     

Erosion of tube electrodes in vortex plasmatorches

The stationary modes of the end-face tube electrodes operation are under consideration. The formation of cathode and anode jets which cause dramatic increase in the electrode erosion at the arc current growth has been explained. We have considered the ways to increase the life-time of the continuous operation of tube electrodes. The analysis of the thermophysical interaction of the arc spot and electrode surface has enabled us to choose the optimum metal for the electrode.     

Small-Scale Anode Activity in Vacuum Arcs

Coordinated high-speed movies, streak photographs, and voltage/current oscillograms have been taken for vacuum arcs on copper-based electrodes at peak currents up to 70 kA in half-cycle pulses. These results show that small-scale transient luminous anode-spot activity is associated with the strong voltage noise that precedes the establishment of the conventional large anode spots. The characteristic dimensions of the small-scale spots go below a millimeter, and may be less than 100 ?m. Unlike cathode spots of that size, these small anode spots always move in the I × B direction. This small-scale activity is especially pronounced in experimental systems initially containing surface films of volatile matter. Good correlations have been established between bursts of anode light and corresponding bursts of arc voltage noise, both of which appear to be associated with variations in the small luminous structures. The practical importance of the small transient luminous anode activity reported here is in its clear tendency to advance the formation of electrode jets, particularly under experimental conditions favoring the evolution of gas or vapor from anode surfaces. It has theoretical significance as a precursor to the formation of the usual large anode spots and jets, and as a possible source of structure within large anode spots.     

The Time-Resolved Characterization of Erosion Products from High-Current, Copper Vacuum Arcs

A vacuum arc at high enough current can produce gross melting on electrode surfaces as a consequence of anode spot formation and other high-current electrode phenomena. Erosion from the electrodes under this condition is much more rapid than at low-current (where material loss occurs principally from the cathode) and is a process that is presently poorly understood. The present work is aimed at characterizing the erosion products from cathode and anode surfaces during high-current arcs on copper electrodes for single half cycles (60 Hz) arcs having peak currents of 30 kA. Fully open gap lengths were approximately 18 mm. Among the findings were the following. a) Erosion rate determined by electrode weight loss was approximately 8 mg/C of arcing. b) Droplets ejected from the electrodes had masses varying from a few tenths to a few tens of micrograms and velocities typically up to 40 m/s, although higher velocities are seen. c) The greatest number of droplets are produced at, or just after the current peak, and higher droplet velocities are seen in this same time interval. d) Erosion in vapor form detected in the plane of the cathode surface and moving radially is a maximum just after the peak of current and is relatively abundant. Such vapor is essentially absent in the anode plane.     

氘化物阴极真空弧放电光斑分布

氘化物真空弧放电在许多领域均有应用,如无损检测、石油探井、中子活化分析等。和金属阴极不同,氘化物阴极放电时会释放大量的气体分子,表现出许多不同性质。采用放大镜头和ICCD相机观察了氘化物阴极真空弧放电光斑分布。测量系统的空间分辨率约为5 μm,时间分辨率最小2 ns。放电脉冲半高全宽（FWHM）0.9 μs,弧流波形为半周期正弦波。实验结果表明,氘化物真空弧放电时,所有阴极斑聚集为一个群落,表现为一个大光斑;在液滴作用下,阴极斑群落偶尔也会分裂为两个或多个群落;光斑形状不受弧流影响,但面积和亮度会随弧流增加而增大。氘化物阴极放电斑点聚集有利于产生高密度等离子体,提高放电效率。     

含氢电极真空弧放电等离子体时空分布特性研究

真空弧离子源在真空镀膜、材料表面改性、真空大电流开关、加速器离子注入等领域有广泛应用,目前国内外对真空弧放电等离子体的研究主要针对纯金属或合金电极,对含氢电极的研究和公开报道较少.本文利用高时空分辨的四分幅图像诊断系统,结合氢和钛原子特征线单色器件,研究了含氢钛电极的真空弧微秒级脉冲放电等离子体的轴向和径向时空分布特性.研究表明:在真空击穿阶段,阳极区域发光更为明显,阳极电极解吸附释放的氢原子是引发击穿的主要放电介质;在真空弧阶段,阴极-绝缘-真空三结合点处产生圆锥状阴极斑,喷射出大量的等离子体以维持弧放电,同时电极内壁非阴极斑区域也有少量等离子体产生,等离子体中H原子的轴向和径向空间分布均比Ti原子均匀.     

On the Nature and the Motion of Arc Cathode Spots in UHV

Cathode spot types and spot motion of arcs in ultra high vacuum have been investigated with large area cathodes that consisted of two adjacent pieces of Mo and Cu. Arc currents were 20–60 A dc and 8–20 kA pulse (duration about 1 ms). Two spot types occured with different velocities and surface erosion: Type 1 spots are typical for surfaces covered by oxides or thick adsorption layers, whereas clean surfaces show only type 2 spots. During arc-conditioning both types exist simultaneously in a complex mutual dependence. Type 1 spots react weakly on the cathode material, while type 2 spots burn preferentially on Cu and at the boundary line between Mo and Cu. The motion of type 1 spots is determined by the expanding spot plasma, whereas type 2 spots show a step-by step motion, determined by explosions in the arc craters. Generally a spontaneous formation of type 2 spots beneath the arc plasma takes place only with contaminated surfaces (probably by a transition from type 1 to type 2 spots). Thus a breakdown between plasma and cathode surface requires the presence of contaminations. The observed effects occur in low current dc-arcs as well as in high current pulse arcs. They are discussed for different spot models.     

Observation of tungsten particles in vacuum arcs by laser inducedfluorescence

We have clarified the relation between the decay of tungsten ion density in the vicinity of current zero and vacuum arc mode in high current period by using a laser induced fluorescence method in tungsten vacuum arcs of 60 Hz sinusoidal current with the peak value of 3.3, 6.7, and 9.8 kA. In the case of 6.7 kA, the arc mode was the anode spot mode. Because of the generation of the anode spot, the tungsten ion density near the anode was higher than near the cathode and the density near the anode was about ten times as high as the case of 3.3 kA which was the diffuse mode. In the case of 9.8 kA, which was the intense arc mode, the density near the anode was not significantly different from the case of 6.7 kA. The density near the cathode was higher than near the anode and tungsten ions were observed till about 30 μs after current zero while they disappeared at current zero in the other cases     

Investigation of unstable motion characteristics of vacuum arc cathode spots between transverse magnetic field contacts

With the improvement of the current level of power grids, the requirements of the opening level of the vacuum switches are also increasing. Vacuum arc cathode spots provide steam and electrons and, to a certain extent, determine the opening capacity of the vacuum switch. In this paper, a vacuum arc cathode spot research platform based on the de-mountable vacuum chamber is constructed. The characteristics of the vacuum arc cathode spots under the transverse magnetic field (TMF) contacts are assessed by a high-speed charge coupled device. The experimental results show that the cathode spot diffusion process can be divided into three processes through cathode spot distribution, arc voltage and current: initial diffusion stage of cathode spots, unstable motion stage of cathode spots, and extinguishing stage. The motion mode of cathode spots during unstable motion stage can be divided into cathode spots group stagnation (CSGS) to multi-cathode jet (MCJ) switch mode, cathode spots group motion (CSGM) to MCJ switch mode, CSGM mode, and MCJ mode. The effects of peak current and contact diameter on unstable motion mode were analysed.     

大脉冲电流下钨铜电极水和空气中的烧蚀特性

针对水中、空气中脉冲放电条件下金属电极烧蚀速率及烧蚀机理差异,对脉冲大电流作用下水中、空气中钨铜电极的烧蚀特性进行了对比研究。在保证放电电流波形一致性的前提下,通过采用高精度天平测量并获取了水中、空气中钨铜电极的阴、阳极烧蚀速率及总烧蚀速率,并对电极表面进行了二次电子观察和背散射电子观察分析。结果表明,大脉冲电流作用下,水中钨铜电极烧蚀较空气中更为严重,钨铜电极的烧蚀主要是金属蒸发引起的汽相侵蚀。由于水介质较空气具有不可压缩性,水中放电电弧集中,电极表面电弧斑点处电流密度和电流作用时间较空气中更为严重,同时由于水中脉冲放电时发生的高温物理化学反应,是造成水中电极烧蚀要高于空气中的根本原因。     

Time Dependence of Anode Spot Formation Threshold Current in Vacuum Arcs

The variation of threshold current for the transition between the low current quiescent vacuum arc mode, and the high voltage noisy mode associated with anode spot formation, was measured as a function of peak current, current waveform frequency, and electrode separation on fixed diameter (25 mm) Cu and Ni electrodes. At current waveform frequencies of about 60 Hz on Cu electrodes, the threshold current depends mainly on electrode spacing, as has been observed by other investigators. However, at higher waveform frequencies, the threshold current becomes a strong function of peak current as well. At 347 Hz on 25 mm. diam. Cu electrodes separated by 10 mm, the threshold current rose from approximately 2 kA to 5.5 kA, as the peak current rose from 2 kA to 6 kA. At 543 Hz on 25 mm diam Ni electrodes separated by 9 mm, a saturation in threshold current at about 7.5 kA was observed for peak currents greater than 9 kA. Simultaneous anode temperature measurements indicated that the Ni anode surface temperature immediately prior to transition rose from about 1550° K to 2250° K with variations of peak current from 5 kA to 13 kA. Predictions of the variation of threshold current based on random transitions, and on cathode spot migration over the edge of the cathode, are compared with the experimental data.     

Experimental Investigation of Anode Activities in High-Current Vacuum Arcs

It is well known that the melting of electrodes (mainly anode melting) in vacuum arc can increase the metal vapor density around current zero and even lead to interruption failure. In order to clarify the anode activities and their influence on arc appearance and interruption capacity, series experiments of cup-shaped axial magnetic field copper electrodes were conducted. Obvious anode melting was detected; the liquid copper flowed on the contact plate of anode and formed a clockwise swirl flow. The appearance of anode melting is likely to correlate to the transition of arc mode from high-current diffuse mode to high-current diffuse column mode. The melting of anode was severer than cathode and was influenced by the distribution of cathode spots. Various kinds of copper particles at macroscopic level can be seen in arc column. Even at the interruption limit, the majority of melted copper of anode sputtered out of gap in form of liquid droplets or was pressed into the cup of anode, the copper vapor evaporated into arc column only accounted for a few portion and no obvious anode jets was found due to large plasma pressure in arc column.      

Anode Phenomena in Vacuum and Atmospheric Pressure Arcs

This paper summarizes recent experimental data related to anode phenomena in both vacuum and atmospheric pressure arcs. Currents in the range 10A to 3OkA are discussed, and particular emphasis is placed on the effect of plasma flow from the cathode. For vacuum arcs this plasma flow is the directed motion of metal ions from the cathode spots. These ions reduce the anode voltage drop, and maintain a diffuse anode termination. At atmospheric pressure the ion flow is impeded by gas-atom collisions. However, a plasma flow towards the anode can result from magnetic pinch forces at the constricted cathode termination. In the absence of plasma flow, the anode termination constricts to a vigorously evaporating anode spot. For a typical non-refractory electrode such as copper, the spot operates at a temperature close to the boiling point irrespective of the gas pressure. The spot temperature is dictated by the balance between electrical input power and evaporative losses. These anode phenomena are discussed in relation to vacuum switchgear, arc welding and arc furnaces.     

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.