Investigating the Influence of Splitter Characteristics on DC Air Arc Interruption in a Multi-Physics Coupling Environment
Li Jing, Zhang Longhao, Duan Wei, Ma Chenghao, Fu Si
Key Lab of Special Electric Machine and High Voltage Apparatus College of Electrical Engineering Shenyang University of Technology Shenyang 110870 China
Abstract：The interruption process in a DC air circuit breaker relies on magnetically driving the arc into metallic splitter plates. With the ongoing trend towards miniaturization, the internal structure of breakers has become increasingly compact. Such compactness poses a challenge: during fault current interruption, metal vapor generated by ablation of the splitter plates tends to accumulate locally and dissipate poorly, thereby altering plasma properties and compromising arc-interruption efficiency. Arc interruption is fundamentally a competition between heat generation, determined by arc power, and heat dissipation. Two key factors influence heat dissipation. First, the magnetic field affects arc length, driving velocity, and the establishment of near-electrode voltage drops by altering arc force distribution and airflow patterns, thereby determining the rate of rise of the arc voltage. Second, the metal vapor from arc ablation modifies the heat-transfer and electrical-conductivity characteristics of the gas within the arc chamber, thereby influencing the evolution of the arc temperature field and the ultimate arc extinction time. Thus, the interruption performance is co-determined by magnetic field behavior and metal vapor transport. Crucially, the permeability and melting point of the splitter plate material directly affect magnetic blow strength and vapor dissipation, playing a pivotal regulatory role in the arc interruption process. Based on this understanding, this paper selects various splitter plate materials and establishes a bidirectional coupling model that integrates arc ablation and metal vapor diffusion. The influence of different materials on energy transfer and field distribution during arc extinction is analyzed. A mass concentration equation is incorporated into the traditional magneto hydro dynamic（MHD）arc-interruption model to describe the convective and diffusive behavior of metal vapor generated by plate ablation. Accordingly, bidirectional coupling between the arc plasma and vapor transport is achieved. The dynamic diffusion of metal vapor within the arc chamber and the associated changes in multiple physical fields are simulated. An experimental platform was constructed based on an actual product. The following conclusions can be drawn from simulations and experiments.（1）Metal vapor from arc ablation of the plates increases the temperature inside the arc chamber. It readily accumulates in narrow gaps, increasing plasma conductivity, hindering the formation of the near-electrode voltage drop, prolonging arc extinction time, and thus reducing interruption speed.（2）Iron splitter plates exhibit higher ablation resistance; however, their high magnetic permeability induces magnetic flux concentration and local magnetic short-circuiting, which weakens the magnetic blow force between plates. It causes the arc to stagnate at the plate entrance, exacerbating vapor accumulation.（3）Copper splitter plates, due to their lower melting point, tend to generate substantial metal vapor, which impedes arc stretching. In contrast, non-magnetic steel splitter plates avoid magnetic short-circuiting while maintaining considerable ablation resistance, demonstrating superior interruption characteristics.
李静, 张龙豪, 段薇, 马骋昊, 付思. 多场耦合下栅片特性对直流空气电弧开断性能影响[J]. 电工技术学报, 2026, 41(16): 5651-5662.
Li Jing, Zhang Longhao, Duan Wei, Ma Chenghao, Fu Si. Investigating the Influence of Splitter Characteristics on DC Air Arc Interruption in a Multi-Physics Coupling Environment. Transactions of China Electrotechnical Society, 2026, 41(16): 5651-5662.
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2026, Vol. 41 
