Extinction properties of electric arcs in high voltage circuit breakers

Abstract

This paper is devoted to the development of a 0D model of the electric arc extinction in SF6 high voltage circuit breakers taking into account the thermal radiation of the plasma, in addition to the conduction and convection phenomena. The Stefan–Boltzmann equation is coupled with the heat equation, and both equations are solved simultaneously in order to follow the evolution of the arc voltage and the conductance of the thermal plasma as functions of time. The obtained results are found to be in good agreement with experimental recordings.