Study on the influencing factors of vacuum arc erosion based on <i>in-situ</i> optical observation method

Abstract In medium-voltage DC systems, mechanical circuit breakers show great promise due to their strong breaking capacity, low conduction loss, and cost-effectiveness. These breakers employ a vacuum chamber to extinguish the arc, making the electrical arc erosion on the electrodes a significant factor affecting the reliability of the circuit breaker. This paper presents an optical diagnostic platform for studying electrode erosion in vacuum arcs. The arc is generated by Low-frequency AC current between CuCr alloy electrodes. Through experimental investigation under different parameters like breaking current, arcing time, opening speed of breaker and electrode materials. We identify specific influence these factors have on electrode erosion. Which is helpful to enhance the understanding of the erosion characteristics of vacuum arc and offer valuable insights for the design of vacuum circuit breakers.