The impact of capacitor bank inrush current on field emission current in vacuum

Field emission current measurements during the recovery voltage are investigated to understand the origin of restrikes in vacuum interrupters in case of the interruption of capacitive loads. Measurement and analysis of very small field emission currents (0.01 - 1 mA) from the current zero crossing until the restrike are performed both in an experimental circuit as well as in a full-power test-circuits with commercially available vacuum circuit breakers (up to 36 kV rated voltage). Furthermore, the influence of pre-arcing at contact closing under inrush currents in the range of some kA and kHz on the field emission characteristics after capacitive current switching is investigated. The number of making operations as well as the amplitude of the inrush current is varied. A clear relation between inrush current during closing and field emission current after interruption was established.