Computer simulation of high-voltage SF6 circuit breakers: approach to modeling and application results

Nowadays, computer simulation of processes during current interruption is widely used in design optimization of HV circuit breakers. A simplified physical enthalpy flow arc models provide possibility to get relatively simple, and easy to use, simulation software for HV SF₆ circuit breakers. Such software has been developed and successfully used in development of various SF₆ circuit breakers, based on classical puffer and puffer assisted self-compensated principle. General outline of the computer program, as well as some simulation results and their experimental verification obtained on a real 245 kV SF₆ circuit breaker, are presented. The interrupter is based on puffer assisted selfcompensated principle where arc energy is used to partly compensate compression forces during high current interruptions. It additionally uses a double speed contact stroke created by a simple mechanism placed below the moving contact.