Study of Arc Interruption Characteristics under Rated Current in Low Voltage Circuit Breakers

The breaking capacity of rated current is one the important indexes to evaluate performance circuit breakers, which usually measured experimentally and cannot be analyzed in terms arcing characteristics opening process. Simulation methods based on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model arc can used obtain macroscopic motion within interrupter interaction with contacts, walls, splitter plates. Therefore, this paper focuses interruption characteristics’ underrated low voltage breakers by MHD simulation. A more accurate effective field-circuit coupling simulation breaker products developed paper. nonlinear conductivity sheath layer considered better simulate near-pole drop bending processes after has been cut splitter. time-dependent magnetic field generated calculation. Additionally, real-time parameters external are coupled reflect evolution under action circuit. results intuitively clearly show during Through this, an extinguishing chamber designed effectively regulate characteristics, thereby improving breaker. accuracy efficiency proposed method verified experiments. This extended analysis AC/DC breakers.