The Influence of Arc Parameters of DC Air Circuit Breakers on the Transient Recovery Voltage

Abstract

The interruption reliability of DC circuit breakers hinges on the competition between transient recovery voltage (TRV) and dielectric recovery, with TRV being highly sensitive to arc parameters. To investigate this post-arc voltage recovery process, we develop a two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) arc model that accounts for metal vapour diffusion from splitter plate ablation. Simulations of TRV under varying arc conditions reveal that the temperature field, flow field, and vapour concentration-each dependent on the interruption current level-exert a significant and nonlinear influence on TRV. These findings underscore the strong coupling between arc behaviour and recovery voltage, which is critical for assessing breaker performance.