Numerical Simulation for Analysis Electron and Heavy Particle Temperature Variation before Re-strike Occurrence in Parallel Electrode

For decreasing the interruption times of direct current circuit breaker, it is important to find out the trigger of re-strike phenomenon occurrence for improving the arc plasma velocity. In this research, the variation of electron and heavy particle temperature were analyzed by numerical simulation, which solves the energy conservation equations of electron and heavy particle respectively. It obtained that the temperature distribution of electron barely changed, while the peripheral of heavy particle temperature distribution extended forward. The reason of above differentce is the electron restricted by the strong electromagnetic field of arc plasma, and the arc plasma peripheral and forward location are dominated by heavy particles. As a result, the electrical conductivity of the re-strike point area is decided by the existed heavy particles on this area, which were transported by the synthesis flow derived from electrode jets. Therefore, it is elucidated that the occurrence of re-strike phenomenon is caused by the existence of heavy particles on re-strike point area which leads to the thermionic discharge.