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Influence of power supply on continuity of vacuum arc with Al cathode and N 2 flow under medium vacuum
Author(s) -
Takikawa Hirofumi,
Tanaka Kuniyasu,
Sakakibara Tateki
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
electrical engineering in japan
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.136
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1520-6416
pISSN - 0424-7760
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1520-6416(199908)128:3<9::aid-eej2>3.0.co;2-#
Subject(s) - vacuum arc , cathode , arc (geometry) , mechanics , power (physics) , flow (mathematics) , materials science , electric arc , current (fluid) , electrical engineering , physics , mechanical engineering , electrode , thermodynamics , engineering , quantum mechanics
The continuity of a steered vacuum arc with Al cathode and N 2 flow at a pressure between 0.1 and 5 Pa is investigated. Two constant‐current power supplies (60 V open‐circuit voltage/30 V load voltage and 310 V/240 V) and a constant‐voltage power supply with open‐circuit voltage 550 V are used. The arc current is 30 A, the N 2 flow rate is 20 ml/min, and the transverse magnetic field density at the cathode edge is 1.2 mT. The following results are obtained. (1) When the power supply with lower open‐circuit and load voltages is used, a decrease in pressure causes the arc to lose sustainability. (2) When the power supply with high open‐circuit and load voltages is used, the arc can continue even at lower pressure. (3) When the power supply with higher load voltage is used, abnormal discharge behind the magnet field guide‐disk may occur at lower pressure. The above‐mentioned influence of power supply on arc continuity is interpreted in terms of column fall and generation of a new cathode spot. © 1999 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 128(3): 9–15, 1999