Field emission method of pressure dynamics registration in vacuum interrupters

A new method of pressure dynamics registration in vacuum circuit breakers (VCBs) is described. It is based on dependence of field emission parameters on the pressure in VCB. It was noticed that position of current-voltage characteristic in the Fawler-Nordheim (F-N) coordinates depends on the pressure in vacuum chamber. Having made some assumptions, the authors could register pressure dynamics by registering the change of current-voltage characteristic´s intercept calculated at constant slope. This value was named as the parameter. On measuring dependence of the parameter on time during a comparatively short period, one can forecast the alteration of the pressure in vacuum interrupter for a long time period.