Modeling and Measurement of the Initial Anode Heat Fluxes in Pulsed High-Current Arcs

An anode heat flux model has been developed for pulsed high-intensity dc arcs. The model is based on temperature-time-history measurements of the rear face of a very thin plane anode and high-speed streak photographs of the arc. The arc heat flux model is derived from a comparison of experimental data with an analytical solution of the one-dimensional heat conduction equation and the arc intensity and timing information obtained from high-speed photographs. A simplified input heat flux model consisting of connected segments of linearly varying heat fluxes with respect to time is used. Duration of the individual segments is determined from the streak photographs and the graphical match of measured rear-face temperature history and the numerical solution. Results using argon gas at atmospheric pressure indicate an initial transient heat flux regime of 100-?s duration with a peak heat flux of 2 × 109 W/m2 followed by a quasi-steady heat flux regime with a heat flux of 1 × 108 W/m2.     

Contact barriers in a single ZnO nanowire device

The contact potential between a single ZnO nanowire and Ti/Au contacts was estimated to be ∼30 meV by considering the Arrhenious plot of the two-probe resistance, the thermionic emission conduction, and the Fowler–Nordheim tunneling model. The net voltages applied to the contacts were calculated by subtracting the four-probe voltages from the two-probe voltages at the same currents. The activation energy of the four-probe resistance was about 2.4 mV which was 1/11th of that of the two-probe resistance. The Fowler–Nordheim plot clearly showed the crossover of the conduction mechanism from thermionic emission to tunneling regime as lowering the temperatures below T<100 K.     

Experimental investigations of the currents collected by metalshields in high-current vacuum arcs

This paper presents experimental results of currents collected on the three-element condensation shield connected to the cathode potential in high-current vacuum arcs. The arc current had 900 Hz, 150 Hz, or 50 Hz half-cycle sinusoidal shapes and was conducted between the CuCr40 contacts with a diameter of 50 mm (cathode) and 30 mm (anode) spaced 10 mm apart. Most of the measurements were made for the current of 900 Hz with peak values up to 9 kA. Arc voltage, floating shield potential, and distribution of shield currents were measured. It was found that the current collected by the shield and also the arc voltage and floating shield potential are greater for higher frequency currents, and that they are affected by the arc mode. Considerable shield current is observed during a high-amplitude (HA) oscillation sequence of arc voltage while its mean value is increased. For 900-Hz arcs at the 9-kA peak value (I_am), the ratio of shield current (i_s) to an instantaneous value of arc current (i_a) reaches even 40% near I_am value. In the initial half-cycle period (before the initiation of high-voltage oscillation), the ratio of i_s/i_a increases with i_a and current frequency. A close relationship was found between arc voltage and current distribution on a three-element shield     

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.     

Distribution of Peak Temperature and Energy Flux on the Surface of the Anode in a Multi-Cathode Spot Pulsed Vacuum Arc

The distribution of the peak temperature and energy flux on the surface of a steel anode in a pulsed high-current vacuum arc was determined by studying the spatial location of the borderline separating the region of hardened steel, produced by the pulse of energy flux to the anode, and the region of the anode which did not undergo a phase transition. The arc was run between a 14-mm-diameter stainless steel cathode and a 25-mm 4340 steel anode, separated by a 4-mm gap, with peak currents up to 1000 A and 71 ms full-width half-amplitude (FWHA) duration. The phase transition of the steel occurs at 727°C and the above-mentioned borderline is thus the geometrical location of all points which reached a peak temperature of 727°C. The peak anode surface temperature was calculated from the borderline position by approximate solution of the three-dimensional heat conduction equation. The effect of an axial magnetic field on the anode surface temperature and energy flux distribution was also studied showing that with no magnetic field the distribution had a pronounced maximum on the axis of the arc, while with the presence of a magnetic field the distribution became annular with a maximum at about mid-radius. In comparison, the shape of the distribution of the cathode mass deposited by the arc on the anode was uniform without a magnetic field. The peak of the anode temperature and the energy flux amplitude also depended on the magnetic field, first decreasing and then increasing almost linearly with it.     

Dielectric Recovery of Vacuum Arcs after Strong Anode Spot Activity

Recovery of dielectric strength and post-arc currents after diffuse and constricted vacuum arcs were measured for filat OFHC-Cu contacts (D = 25 mm, d = 7.5 mm) enclosed in a bakable UHV chamber. The arc current pulse had a trapezoidal shape of 5.5-ms duration with peak values up to 11 kA. In comparison with the fast recovery of diffuse arcs, the recovery of constricted arcs with gross melting is considerably retarded. Post-arc currents are simulated using the Andrews-Varey model extended to include the effects of secondary electron emission due to ion bombardment of the cathode and loss of the plasma due to thermal motion. The flow of charge carriers to the anode and the shield, which is at the anode's potential, are registered separately. The amount and decay of the residual plasma is evaluated from the measurements of post-arc current. The decay times of a few tens of a microsecond give evidence of ions with energies below 1 eV. The origin and effect of slow ions on recovery is discussed.     

Investigation of arc roots of constricted high current vacuum arcs

The anodic and cathodic arc roots of constricted high current vacuum arcs were investigated with a fast framing charge-coupled device camera of 1 μs exposure time. The experiments were performed with cup-shaped contacts, with sinusoidal currents of amplitudes between 20 and 100 kA, and a sine halfwave duration of 10-12 ms. The arcs were drawn by contact separation and accelerated by the Lorentz force between the arc current and the transverse magnetic field generated by the contrate contact. The anode and cathode arc roots behave reproducibility and arc scaleable within the range of currents investigated. Both types of arc roots are elliptical, with a major to minor axis ratio of 1.4. The major axis points are in the direction of arc propagation. Anodic and cathodic arc root cross-sectional areas as a function of current can both be described by a potential law with a common exponent of 0.76. For currents of 20-100 kA, mean current densities of 81-121 and 41-60 kA/cm ² were found in anode and cathode arc roots, respectively. Estimations of their temperature and vapor densities were performed. For the investigated current range T_A≈3300-3600 K, n_A ≈1.6*10¹⁹-2.2*10¹⁹cm^-3 and T _C≈3200-3400 K, n_C≈0.8*10¹⁹-1.2*10 ¹⁹ cm^-3 were found for anode and cathode, respectively     

Numerical simulation of anode heat transfer of nitrogen arc utilizing two-temperature chemical non-equilibrium model

A detailed understanding of anode heat transfer is important for the optimization of arc processing technology. In this paper, a two-temperature chemical non-equilibrium model considering the collisionless space charge sheath is developed to investigate the anode heat transfer of nitrogen free-burning arc. The temperature, total heat flux and different heat flux components are analyzed in detail under different arc currents and anode materials. It is found that the arc current can affect the parameter distributions of anode region by changing plasma characteristics in arc column. As the arc current increases from 100 A to 200 A, the total anode heat flux increases, however, the maximum electron condensation heat flux decreases due to the arc expansion. The anode materials have a significant effect on the temperature and heat flux distributions in the anode region. The total heat flux on thoriated tungsten anode is lower than that on copper anode, while the maximum temperature is higher. The power transferred to thoriated tungsten anode, ranked in descending order, is heat flux from heavy-species, electron condensation heat, heat flux from electrons and ion recombination heat. However, the electron condensation heat makes the largest contribution for power transferred to copper anode.     

Interaction between Vacuum Arcs and Transverse Magnetic Fields with Application to Current Limitation

The interaction between diffuse vacuum arcs and magnetic fields applied transverse to the electrode axis has been investigated both theoretically and experimentally. For arc currents < 6 kA, Hall electric fields, generated by the interaction, bow the plasma out of contact with the anode and raise the arc voltage. In the presence of a parallel capacitor, the arc current falls to zero and the arc is extinguished. For arc currents of 6 to 15 kA, arc extinction can be achieved with an oscillatory magnetic field; during such extinctions the arc voltage remains in phase with the magnitude of the field. Arc extinction via magnetic field/vacuum arc interaction could have applications to ac-current limiters and dc breakers. The fault current limiter application is discussed in this paper.     

Stability of Field Emission from a Single Carbon Nanotube

It has been found experimentally that the field emission current passing through a single multiwall carbon nanotube heats it up and generates a thermionic component. The nanotube is heated by the Joule heat that releases on its series resistance, through which the current passes. From the solution to the heat conduction equation, the overheating temperature of the emitting end has been estimated. Conditions for field emission stability and for the onset of thermal field emission have been found.     

Anode Melting in a Multicathode-Spot Vacuum Arc

Melting of the anode surface in a multicathode-spot vacuum arc is expected when the incident energy flux is not balanced. The anodic energy influx is proportional to the arc-current collected by the anode and melting of the anode should be observed when peak arc-current exceeds a critical value. In this work, the critical peak arc-current Ipt was measured, and its dependence on anode and cathode materials was determined. The arc was sustained between two parallel cylindrical electrodes, 14 mm in diameter and spaced 4 mm apart. The almost critically damped current pulse lasted for 30 ms with a 6-ms rise time to peak value. Peak currents were in the range of 500-2300 A. In most of the experiments the anode material differed from that of the cathode. In the runs where the cathode-anode materials were Cu-Al or Mo-Cu, respectively, the time dependence of a spectral line intensity radiated by the anode atoms located in the plasma near the anode surface was recorded. We found that Ipt depended on both the anode and cathode materials. Thus for an Al anode and Al and Cu cathodes, Ipt equaled to 1100 and 900 A, respectively. In arcs with a peak current larger or equal to Ipt, a sudden jump of the spectral line intensity was observed. In all experiments, even when strong melting of the anode was observed, the arc-voltage stayed quiescent and in the range 15-35 V, suggesting that no anode spot was formed.     

神龙二号注入器阳极杆内电子束包络测量技术

在注入器段阳极杆内不同位置进行电子束包络的测量可以为多脉冲电子束在注入器段的传输磁场配置调试提供最直接的支撑,也是研究热阴极发射性能的重要手段,测量工作具有极为重要的意义。神龙二号采用热阴极作为多脉冲电子束源的发射体,对真空的要求极高,且加热及降温周期较长,不适合频繁地破坏真空进行测量位置的调整;针对这样的特点,设计了一套可伸缩式的测量装置,结合多幅分幅相机,在不破坏真空的情况下,可以完成多个位置的束包络的时间分辨测量,在提高测量效率的基础上进一步提高了注入器的调试效率。     

Zur Druckabhängigkeit der Anodenfallspannung von Hochdrucklichtbögen

The dependence of the anode fall voltage of freely burning high pressure arcs was investigated on the basis of a simplified arc model. It was found that the anode fall voltage does not contribute to the observed increase of arc voltage with pressure. The analysis was based on experimental investigations carried out with an argon arc. Due to the self-magneticly produced plasma flow a stagnation point flow pattern developed at the anode. The experiments were conducted at currents of I = 100 A and I = 150 A. The pressure was varied between p = 1 atm and p = 50 atm. The applied method necessitated the determination of the anode energy balance. As a side result of the investigation it was found that radiation contributes at p = 1 atm with appr. 20% and at p = 50 atm with appr. 50% to the total arc energy balance.     

Calculation of the dark current in a quantum well infrared photodetector

Dark currents in a biased quantum well fabricated using Al_0.27Ga_0.73As/GaAs heterojunctions are calculated at two different temperatures including thermionic field emission currents arising from the electron scattering with phonons and plasmons. In the electron–phonon scattering process several modes due to heterojunctions such as the confined, half-space and interface longitudinal optic phonons are taken into account. It is found that the confined phonon scattering process results in maximum currents compared to those obtained in the half-space and interface scattering modes. However, the magnitude of the currents that resulted from the electron–plasmon scattering process is found to be higher than that found from the electron scattering with confined phonons. Comparison of the calculated dark currents with experiments shows that the thermionic emission currents due to phonon and plasmon assisted processes are essential to get better agreement with experiments than the previously employed bulk phonon scattering process.     

Time-spatial structure of an electric arc anode region

This paper studies the anode region of an eroding anode with a nonstationary arc-root attachment. High-current free-burning short as well as long arcs at atmospheric pressure are investigated. A technique to study the anode region of the arc is suggested. An anode moving perpendicular to the arc axis was used for estimating parameters of the anode jets at a given moment of their development. The mechanism of current transfer in the anode region is considered on the basis of electrophysical and optical-spectroscopic investigations of the arc attachment traces and plasma parameters both of the anode jet and arc column. The anode jet was found to be of importance in the stationary arc operation. The near-anode plasma parameters depend on the effect of the cathode jet. In short arcs (L_a~2 mm), the plasma temperature at the anode exceeds 20000 K, while in long arcs (L_a >50 mm), it falls below 7000 K. At plasma temperature T_a >11000 K, the total arc current in the anode region is transferred through the arc plasma, while at lower temperatures, both the arc column and the anode jet take part in the current transfer     

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.     

On the dominant transport mechanism in very thin dielectric films

It is shown that the ratio between tunneling and Schottky thermionic emission currents in MIM structures exhibits a minimum at an applied voltage determined by the structure parameters. For appropriate parameters, the dominant transport mechanism can change from tunneling to Schottky thermionic emission and back to tunneling with increasing applied voltage.     

Pseudospark discharge in long time current pulse: electricalcharacterization and recovery phenomena

At high currents, the performance of triggered vacuum gaps is limited by the constriction of the arc discharge on the anode. In a symmetrical system within flat electrodes, a motionless anode spot appears in front of the trigger spark. A pseudo-spark system within electrode cavities and specific gas pressure provides a good mechanism for avoiding anode spot phenomena. It appears possible to obtain a high intensity diffuse discharge. In this paper, we present the experimental measurements of the instantaneous voltage and discharge current, (peak current less than 50 kA, discharge time between 20 and 300 μs). These measurements allow us to determine the dynamical resistance, mean voltage and energy lost during the conduction phase. Consequently, we refine our knowledge of discharge development. Additionally, we present a complementary investigation on quenching behavior     

Influence of Cooling Conditions on Anode Behavior in a Nitrogen Plasma Jet Design

Some characteristic data are recorded for a nitrogen plasma jet design of the wall stabilized type incorporating a strongly and a poorly cooled tungsten hollow anode insert for currents between 133 and 175 A and mass flow rates between 0.94 and 1.54 g/s N₂. From the characteristic data, conclusions are drawn relative to the anode behavior in dependence from the cooling conditions. The results especially of the calorimetric measurements and of the survey spectrum photographs indicate that the anode root area is greater in the case of the poorly cooled anode with the higher mean working temperature, and that in this case more heat at a lower level of heat flow density is transferred from the plasma to the anode body. The voltage oscillogramms indicate that even in the case of the poorly cooled anode the anode root is of the moving spot type, and that a transformation into the spotless immovable anode root has not yet been arrived. This will be attributed to the relative low level of the mean anode temperature even in the case of the poorly cooled anode for which estimations give values of below 2000 K.     

The behavior of vacuum arcs between spiral contacts with small gaps

The application of small gaps in high-current vacuum interrupters highlights the interdependence of the contact design, the contact gap, and the arc behavior. In this investigation, a framing camera was used to record the appearance and motion of drawn vacuum arcs between spiral-petal contacts with final gaps of 2 to 3 mm. After the rupture of the molten metal bridge, a high-pressure arc column formed and expanded across the width of the spiral arm. With a single arc column for the duration of the half-cycle, an intense anode spot formed if the peak current exceeded ~15 kA. Compared to results previously obtained at larger gaps, the arc motion was greatly reduced, and severe contact damage was observed at lower currents