The influence of electrode erosion on fault arc

A two-dimensional model for fault arc in a closed chamber is developed based on magnetic-hydrodynamic theory to investigate the effect of metal vapour eroded from copper electrodes on fault arc. The conservation equation for mass fraction of copper vapour is added to traditional mass, momentum and energy equations. Different energy transfer mechanisms including melting, evaporation and chemical reaction due to metal vaporization are taken into account. The distributions of temperature, pressure, mass fraction of copper vapour, pressure rise and arc voltage are simulated. Comparisons are made between the calculation results with and without electrode erosion. Results show that the presence of copper vapour has little influence on pressure rise.