Dynamic Analysis of Contact Bounce of Aerospace Relay Based on Finite Difference Method

Contact bounce of relay, which is the main cause of electric abrasion and material erosion, is inevitable. By using the mode expansion form, the dynamic behavior of two different reed systems for aerospace relays is analyzed. The dynamic model uses Euler-Bernoulli beam theory for cantilever beam, in which the driving force (or driving moment) of the electromagnetic system is taken into account, and the contact force between moving contact and stationary contact is simulated by the Kelvin-Voigt viscoelastic contact model. Analytical results have been complemented by the finite difference calculation of the nonlinear partial differential equations of reed system. The calculation results indicate that with the driving force (or driving moment) being increased, the closing time of contact is decreased, but the maximum bouncing displacement and bouncing time tend to be decreased first and then increased, which means that there are minimum values of maximum bouncing displacement and bouncing time. The closing time of contact, the maximum bouncing displacement, and bouncing time all tend to be decreasing with the pushrod being approaching the contact. The model can be used as design tool to improve relay performance and reduce contact bounce.