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.     

Influence of a Pulsed Axial Magnetic Field on a High-Current Arc of a Vacuum Circuit Breaker

Russian Physics Journal - The effect of a relatively short external axial magnetic field on the characteristics of a vacuum arc discharge in a vacuum circuit breaker is studied. A pulsed magnetic...     

The Investigation of Copper-Chromium Contacts in Vacuum Interrpters Subjected to an Axial Magnetic Field

The characteristics of a vacuum arc between CuCr contacts under an axial magnetic field have been investigated. Test samples were made of CuCr contacts, and the arcing voltage was measured. The arcing voltage of the CuCr contacts under an axial magnetic field is lower than that of pure copper contacts by 10-20 V. From the measurement of the post-arc current and interruption test results, it was found that the arc concentrates and a part of the electrode melts at a rather low current, but that the electrode melting does not affect the interrupting capability. Also, the insulation characteristics were measured. With respect to voltage conditioning, high-current conditioning improved the breakdown voltage by 50 percent for a 20-mm gap and by 100 percent for a 3-mm gap. These test results show that CuCr contacts, used with axial magnetic fields, are promising for use in high-voltage and high-power vacuum interrupters.     

Current and Voltage Distribution in the Diffuse Vacuum Arc

On the basis of extensive measurements, a model is developed of the diffuse plasma of the high-current vacuum arc. The model shows that the current constriction and the voltage distribution in the diffuse vacuum arc prior to anode-spot formation are caused by the pressure source to which the charged and the neutral particles contribute.     

Behavior of a High Current Vacuum Arc between Hollow Cylindrical Electrodes in a Radial Magnetic Field

Experimental observations were conducted on the behavior of a high current vacuum arc on cylindrical electrodes in a radial magnetic field. The arc was sustained between the ends of two cylindrical Cu electrodes, 54-mm diam and 1.5-mm wall thickness separated by 5 mm. Arc current pulses with peak values in the range 4-15 kA with a half amplitude full width (HAFW) duration of 8 ms were investigated with radial magnetic fields proportional to the instantaneous current with proportionality constants of 4.0 and 6.5 × 10-6 T/A. The arcs were photographed simultaneously with a streak camera and by a high speed framing camera and the arc voltage was recorded on a digitizing transient recorder. The results indicated that the arc in this geometry, both with and without an imposed radial magnetic field, can be characterized by three development stages: a) arc formation, b) diffuse arc along the electrode perimeter, and c) simultaneous existence of several concentrated arc columns. When a radial magnetic field was imposed two changes were noted: 1) the arc appeared somewhat more distributed in that a greater number of constricted columns were observed, and they were distributed more evenly; and 2) the constricted columns moved in the J? × B? direction with velocities in the range 5-35 m/s.     

Measurement of the Current Distribution at the Anode in a Low-Current Vacuum Arc

The distribution of the current collected by a multiring anode is measured in a diffuse vacuum arc for several values of the arc current and the electrode separation. It is found that the distribution widens as the electrode separation increases. Comparison with previous measurements suggests an influence of the electrode geometry on the results.     

Influence of a Non-Stationary Magnetic Field on the Charge Composition and Energy Distribution of Ions of the Cathode Plasma of a Vacuum Arc

Russian Physics Journal - The influence of an external non-stationary axial magnetic field on the charge composition and energy distribution of ions of various charge states in the cathode plasma...     

Critical Current of the Ionization Waves and Anomaly of the Positive Column in an Axial Magnetic Field

Influences of an axial magnetic field on the ionization wave and the positive column in rare gas discharges are studied experimentally. The upper critical current I_c for the appearance of ionization waves in the magnetic field B is newly found. As B is gradually increased, the value of I_e slightly increases from the Pupp's value and after passing a prominent maximum, finally become very small. In addition an anomaly takes place in the axial electric field E of the positive column stable for helical instabilities. With increasing the magnetic field the value of E goes through a weak maximum before decreasing. It is concluded that this anomaly, apparently incompatible with classical diffusion theory, is closely related to the appearance of ionization waves in the positive column.     

Magnetic Field Structure and Induced Electric Current Distribution on a Cylindrical Model： Application to Magnetic Nerve Stimulation

We study the relation between the magnetic field structure and the induced electric-current distribution based on a cylindrical model composed of a uniform electrically conductive medium. When the time-varying magnetic fields are axisymmetrically applied in the axial direction of the model, the electric fields are induced around the central axis in accordance with Faradays law. We examine the eddy-current distributions generated by loop-coils with various geometries carrying an alternating electric current. It is shown that the radial structure of the induced fields can significantly be controlled by the loop coil geometry, which will be suitable for practical use especially in magnetic nerve stimulation on bioelectromagneties, if we appropriately p/ace the exciting coil with optimum geometry.     

Temperature Field Measurements of the Electric Arc Plasma in a Longitudinal Magnetic Field

Two methods are described to determine local parameters of the unsteady asymmetric plasma. The basis of one method is the parametric approach. This method is used to determine plasma parameters in the case when an assumption can be made on the shape of the intensity isolines. The temperature field was calculated according to the intensity distributions in X direction obtained simultaneously from two lines of sight. The second method was applied for measurements in arbitrary plasma configuration. In this case the temperature fields were calculated according to measurements from lines of sight simultaneously, and the obtained data were used in the Radon transformation inversion.     

Electron-Cyclotron Laser Using Free-Electron Two-Quantum Stark Radiation in a Strong Uniform Axial Magnetic Field and an Alternating Axial Electric Field in a Voltage-Supplied Pill-Box Cavity

We consider the radiation from the beam electrons traveling in a strong uniform axial magnetic field and an axiai alternating electric field of wavelength λ_w generated by a voltage-supplied pill-box cavity.The beam electrons emit genuine laser radiation that propagates only in the axial direction through free-electron twoquantum Stark radiation.We find that laser radiation takes place only at the expense of the axial kinetic energy when λ_wc/(ω_c/γ),where ω_c/γ is the reiativistic electron-cyclotron frequency.We formulate the laser power based on quantum-wiggler electrodynamics,and envision a laser of length 10 m with estimated power 0.1 GW/(kA) in the 10~(-4) cm wavelength range.     

Investigations of the Current Density in the Cathode Spot of a Vacuum Arc

A short review is given on the problem of the current density in the cathode spot of a vacuum arc, theoretical models and experimental results are discussed. A new measuring method is presented which is directly related to the current carrying area of the spot. It leads to current densities of 10¹² A/m² at clean surfaces (comparable with results obtained from crater measurements) and 10⁹?10¹⁰ A/m² with contaminated surfaces.     

螺线型爆磁压缩发生器的初始瞬态磁场分布

研究了螺线管型爆磁压缩发生器中金属套筒的一维磁扩散模型,分别导出了不同边界条件下的近似解析表达式,分析了瞬态磁场分布的特点,指出了经典趋肤深度计算公式的高频局限性,得出了能够同时反映高频与低频特性的磁场分布与相应趋肤深度的近似解析结果.     

The Influence of an External Coaxial Magnetic Field on the Characteristics of a High-Current ARC in a Vacuum Switch

Russian Physics Journal - The influence of an external synchronous axial magnetic field on the characteristics of a vacuum-arc discharge is investigated within the range of discharge currents from...     

A Particle in a Magnetic Field of an Infinite Rectilinear Current

We consider the Schrödinger operator H=(i+A)² in the space L ₂(R ³) with a magnetic potential A created by an infinite rectilinear current. We show that the operator H is absolutely continuous, its spectrum has infinite multiplicity and coincides with the positive half-axis. Then we find the large-time behavior of solutions exp(–i H t)f of the time dependent Schrödinger equation. Our main observation is that a quantum particle has always a preferable (depending on its charge) direction of propagation along the current. Similar result is true in classical mechanics.     

On Current Distribution through the Cross-Section of an Arc Moving in a Narrow Insulating Slot

Current distribution across the arc plasma cross-section constructed in a narrow slot between isolating walls and other factors affecting the distribution are considered. Experimental data on current density distribution of the arc moving at subsonic velocity are analyzed. Data available on the mean current density in an arc moving at supersonic velocity and under phase transition conditions on an active surface of the walls (gas-gen erating) are summarized. Possible influence of conditions of heat transfer with walls and pressure inside the column on the extent of non-uniformity of current distribution on the arc cross-section are shown. The problems under consideration are of practical application for avoiding thermal overload of arc chambers of magnetic-blast breakers.     

轴向磁场对分离结晶熔体中热毛细对流的影响

为了了解磁场对分离结晶过程中熔体内热毛细对流的影响,利用有限差分法进行了数值模拟.假定熔体为不可压缩流体,熔体深径比为1,自由表面无因次宽度为0.1,研究了哈特曼数分别为0、25,50和75时的碲锌镉晶体生长过程.结果表明:轴向磁场能够抑制熔体内部的流动,并随磁场强度的增加,抑制作用增强.     

Influence of Magnetic Confinement on the Yellow Excitons in Cuprous Oxide Subject to an Electric Field

We study the spectrum of the yellow exciton series in crossed electric and magnetic fields. The electric field, applied along the optical axis, tilts the Coulomb potential between electron and hole, so that at sufficiently high fields exciton dissociation becomes possible, roughly when the electric dipole interaction energy exceeds the binding energy of an exciton state with principal quantum number n. For an applied voltage of U = 20 V all excitons above n = 6 are dissociated. Additional application of a magnetic field normal to the optical axis introduces magnetic confinement, due to which above a threshold field strength around B = 2.5 T the exciton lines re-emerge. The complex dispersion with increasing fields suggests quantum chaotic behavior in this crossed field configuration, so that the search for exceptional points may be promising.     

Instabilities Driven by an Intense Beam in a Plasma-Filled Dielectric-Lined Waveguide Immersed in a Finite Axial Magnetic Field

A linear analysis is described on stabilities driven by an intense relativistic electron beam in an infinitely long, plasma-filled, and dielectric-lined circular waveguide immersed in a finite strength axial magnetic field. A dispersion equation is derived from the cold fluid theory and solved numerically. Beam-plasma instabilities due to interaction between beam modes and the Trivelpiece-Gould modes appear as well as the Cherenkov and the cyclotron Cherenkov instabilities. Parametric researches are carried out varying magnetic field strength, plasma density, and dielectric constant. Effects of a finite magnetic field and plasma filling are discussed in connection with the possibilities of using this system as a microwave radiation source.