Search Results (6)

The main component of vacuum interrupters responsible for ensuring the correct flow of current is the contact system. In a vacuum environment, due to the higher values of the mean free path of electrons and particles in the contact gap, the material and condition of the contacts exert the greatest influence on the development of the arc discharge. To accurately analyze the phenomenon of discharge development in vacuum insulating systems, the authors conducted a time-lapse photographic analysis of a vacuum electric arc. For this purpose, they used a test setup comprising a discharge chamber, a vacuum pump set, a power and load assembly, an ultra-high-speed camera, and an oscilloscope with dedicated probes. The measurement process involved connecting the system, determining the power supply, load, and measurement parameters and subsequently performing contact opening operations while simultaneously recording the process using the oscilloscope and ultra-high-speed camera. An analysis of a low-current vacuum arc in a residual helium gas environment, with a pressure of p = 1.00 × 10¹ Pa was carried out. Different phases of vacuum arc burning between electrodes in the discharge chamber were identified. In the stable phase, the arc voltage remained constant, while in the unstable phase, the arc voltage increased. The results of the time-lapse analysis were compared with the characteristics recorded by the oscilloscope, revealing a correlation between the increase in vacuum arc voltage and the intensity of flashes in the interelectrode space. The movement of microparticles ejected from the surface of the contacts—either reflecting or adhering to one of the electrodes—was observed. This analysis provides a deeper understanding of the processes involved in discharge formation and development under reduced pressure conditions. Understanding these mechanisms can support the design of vacuum interrupters, particularly in the selection of suitable contact materials and shapes. Full article

The radiative heat transfer in arc plasma models is considered from the point of view of its description in terms of a net emission coefficient, the method of spherical harmonics in its lowest order, and the discrete ordinate method. Net emission coefficients are computed, applying approximate analytical and numerical approaches and a multi-band representation of the spectral absorption coefficient with three kinds of its averaging and two datasets. Self-consistent access to the radiative heat transfer is applied to a two-dimensional axisymmetric model of a free-burning arc in argon at atmospheric pressure. The results obtained from the models employing the net emission coefficient, the method of spherical harmonics, and the discrete ordinate method are compared. Full article

Renewable energy sources have a multifaceted impact on power grids, ranging from the reliability and quality of electricity to the selective impact on equipment. While renewables used to be distributed in distribution networks, now their capacity is commensurate with thermal power plants and their impact on the grid should not be underestimated. According to the statistics on the interruption of the bulk electric networks, one of the main reasons for emergency shutdowns of extra high-voltage power lines are single-phase short circuits. The problem of mathematical modeling of the limit modes in terms of static stability is very relevant to the design and operation of electric power systems (EPS). Calculations of limit modes have both an independent value and a component of other electrical engineering tasks related to ensuring the required level of reliability and cost-effectiveness of the operation of the united PS. Despite the great degree of development of issues of planning and control of electric modes, system accidents associated with unacceptable loads of network elements occur in the Ukrainian energy industry. Non-phase modes regularly occur in electric power systems, which can lead to an unacceptable load of intersystem network elements, which imposes significant restrictions on their throughput. Single-phase short circuits are more than 95% of other damage that occurs in the line. The use of single-phase auto reclose on the transmission lines allows disconnecting only the damaged phase for a short period of time and not the entire transmission line. This action preserves the transit of electricity along the line and prevents the violation of the stability of parallel operation. To achieve this, the current-free pause of the single-phase auto reclose should last as short as possible. On the other hand, an important task to be solved when using single-phase auto reclose is to choose the minimum duration of the current-free pause necessary for its success. The problem studied in this paper deals with the safety and correct operation of transmission lines (TS) of the Ukrainian bulk power system in special conditions (not predictable, changing due to frequent attacks). For a quickly changing configuration, the power grid uses switches, and in the case of ultra-high voltage, the TS needs to solve the problem of secondary arc currents and recovering stresses in the place of arc burning after its extinction. One of the methods of reducing secondary arc currents and recovering stresses in the place of arc burning after its extinction is the implementation of single-phase automatic reclosing (SPAR). The main theoretical result of the paper is a proposed mathematical model of a compensated power transmission line based on the use of matrix n-poles, which makes it possible to model in detail stationary power transmission modes, including the SPAR mode. The proposed mathematical model of three-phase power transmission has been created using phase coordinates and can be used for the analysis of complex asymmetric modes. The main practical result of the paper is physically interpreted simplified models of three-phase TS, which can be used for the study of resonant overvoltages and currents of the feeding arc in non-full-phase circuit SPAR. The conclusion that can be drawn from the obtained results points out which line lengths must take into account the influence of longitudinal asymmetry when choosing the inductive resistance, i.e., take into account the dependence of the mode parameters on the location of the damaged phase. The observed results show that the largest values of the multiplicity of overvoltages will take place in phase B. The novelty of the work is the developed technique that makes it possible to determine in advance, depending on the disconnected phase of the line, the values of the primary conductivities of the STC (static thyristor compensators) and the corresponding angles of control of the thyristor switches, which satisfy almost complete compensation of the secondary arc at any point of the line in the specific condition (hard) of the bulk power system operation. Full article

This study has been performed to reveal the main characteristics of operating a direct current (DC) plasma-chemical reactor (PChR) designed for hazardous waste treatment. The PChR employs thermal plasma as the operating environment. The investigations presented in this paper were conducted to study the electrical and energy characteristics of the plasma torch and plasma-chemical reactor during the destruction of inorganic waste. The PChR is equipped with a plasma torch with a nominal capacity of 50 kW and a free-burning arc. The zone of heat release from the atmospheric pressure DC arc cathode and arc anode (melted waste) spot is combined with the area of chemical reactions. The plasma torch (PT) parameters vary in the range of arc current I = 120–180 A, arc voltage U = 250–280 V, arc length x = 0–100 mm, and gas flow rate G = 1–3 g/s at atmospheric pressure, using air as the plasma-forming gas. The experimental results confirmed that plasma technology has several advantages over conventional incineration, including higher temperatures, heat source independence from the waste being processed or additional fuel, and a shorter exposure time in the high-temperature area. It was determined that the arc current increases with increasing arc length. With increasing arc length, the initial part begins to operate in a turbulent regime. This study determines the dependence on the heat flux transferred by electrons to the anode on the arc current. The convective heat flux density distribution over the anode heating spot was measured and discussed. Full article

This paper is devoted to investigating the effects of high-speed elongation of arcs inside ultra-fast switches (u_contact$\approx$ 5–80 m/s), through a 2-D time-dependent model, in Cartesian coordinates. Two air arcs in series, one between a stationary anode and a moving cathode and the other between a stationary cathode and a moving anode in the arc chamber, are considered. A variable speed experimental setup through a Thomson drive actuator is designed to support this study. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) equations system is solved for fluid velocity, pressure, temperature, and electric potential, as well as the magnetic vector potential. Electron emission mechanisms on the contact surface and induced current density due to magnetic field changes are also considered to describe the arc root formation, arc bending, lengthening, and calculating the arc current density, as well as the contact temperatures, in a better way. Data processing techniques are utilized to derive instantaneous core shape and profiles of the arc to investigate thermo-electrical characteristics during the elongation progress. The results are compared with another experimentally verified magnetohydrodynamics model of a fixed-length, free-burning arc in the air. The simulation and experimental results confirm each other. Full article

Arcing horns are widely used in high voltage overhead lines to protect insulator strings from being destroyed by the free burning arcs caused by lightening faults. In this paper, we focus on the insulation coordination of arcing horns on the electrode lines of a 5000 MW, ±800 kV high voltage direct current (HVDC) system. The protection performance of arcing horns are determined by the characteristics of not only the external system but also the fault arc. Therefore, the behaviors and characteristics of long free burning arcs are investigated by the experiments at first. In order to evaluate the protection performance of arcing horns, the static stability criterion U-I characteristic method is introduced. The influence factors on the protection performance of arcing horns are analyzed theoretically. Finally, the improvement methods for the protection performance of arcing horns are proposed, and the diversified configuration strategy of arcing horns is recommended for cost saving. Full article