Simulation analysis of influence of electrode separations on vacuum arcs characteristics under different states

The influence of electrode separations on vacuum arc characteristics under different states in vacuum interrupters is simulated and analyzed. For low current diffused state vacuum arc, the diffused state of vacuum arc increases and ion temperature, electron temperature, plasma pressure all increase with the increase of electrode separations; For supersonic constrictive state vacuum arc, with the increase of electrode separations, constrictive state of vacuum arc increases and ion temperature, electron temperature, plasma pressure all increase, and the distributions of anode axial current density and heat flux density to anode become more nonuniform; For subsonic state (ion) high current vacuum arc, with the increase of electrode separations, the loss of interelectrode plasma increases. For above three kinds of vacuum arcs under different states, with the increase of electrode separations, arc voltage and heat flux density to anode both increase. Simultaneously, It is found that modeling and simulation is the effective method understanding microscopic process of vacuum arc.