ARC-Circuit Interaction Near Current Zero and Circuit-Breaker Testing

This paper reviews the phenomena of the interaction between switching arcs and electric circuits around current zero and indicates the consequences for high power circuit-breaker testing. The merits and limits of the voltage race theory are discussed and the interaction theory is used to explain current chopping, thermal reignition and short-line fault severity. This provides the basis of a better understanding of test requirements, especially of synthetic testing, and also the subsequent special papers.