Investigation of the dynamic characteristics and decaying behavior of SF₆ arcs in high voltage circuit breakers during current-zero period: a review

Whether a high voltage SF₆ circuit breaker can successfully interrupt a fault current relates closely to the dynamic characteristics and decaying behavior of SF₆ arcs and their residual plasma during the current-zero periods. The change of the gas in the contact gap from a conductor to a strong dielectric material involves a large number of fundamental scientific problems. Arc phenomenon is a complex process coupled with multiple physical fields. Its research is truly interdisciplinary. The understanding of the dynamic characteristics and decaying behavior of SF₆ arcs during the current-zero period is far from adequate because of the difficulties encountered in both experimental and theoretical investigations, forming a bottleneck towards quantitative prediction of the interruption capability of SF₆ circuit breakers. In the present work, a review was carried out on the calculation and measurement of the parameters of SF₆ arcs in high voltage circuit breaker from the macroscopic and microscopic perspectives, especially their dynamic characteristics and decaying behavior under non-equilibrium conditions during the current-zero periods. Appropriate conclusions were drawn and future work was suggested.