Title :
Arc mobility on bouncing contacts
Author :
Hetzmannseder, E. ; Rieder, W.
Author_Institution :
Eaton Corp., Milwaukee, WI, USA
Abstract :
The arc mobility on eroded Ag/CdO and three different Ag/SnO/sub 2/-contacts during bounces simulated in a model switch was investigated with the aid of a two-dimensional optical arrangement. The high fictitious arc mobility observed on two of the Ag/SnO/sub 2/-materials investigated was caused by arc commutation inside the contact gap. Ag/CdO and another Ag/SnO/sub 2/-material showed both arc creeping and arc commutation-but only very close to the site of arc ignition. No continuous fast arc motion occurred in short bounce gaps (0.18 mm, corresponding to bounce values in modern contactors) whether or not a magnetic blast field has been applied. There was no correlation between the amount of contact erosion at make and the fictitious arc mobility observed on certain materials.
Keywords :
arcs (electric); cadmium compounds; circuit-breaking arcs; commutation; electrical contacts; particle reinforced composites; silver; switches; tin compounds; wear; 0.18 mm; AgCdO; AgSnO/sub 2/; arc commutation; arc creeping; arc ignition; arc mobility; bounce gaps; bouncing contacts; contact erosion; contact gap; magnetic blast field; model switch; two-dimensional optical arrangement; Contactors; Contacts; IEC standards; Magnetic materials; Optical devices; Optical recording; Optical sensors; Optical switches; Testing; Voltage;
Conference_Titel :
Electrical Contacts, 1996. Proceedings of the Forty-Second IEEE Holm Conference on ??. Joint with the 18th International Conference on Electrical Contacts
Conference_Location :
Chicago, IL, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-3578-3
DOI :
10.1109/HOLM.1996.557183
