Advanced Magneto-Optical Arc Analysis

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Volker Hinrichsen; Professor Dr.-Ing. Michael Kurrat
• Subject Area: Electrical Energy Systems, Power Management, Power Electronics, Electrical Machines and Drives
• Term: since 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 405688862

Complex grids consisting of decentralized generation and smart consumers must continue to be managed safely in the future. Vacuum circuit breakers are a sustainable solution for modern power transmission. The key feature of circuit-breakers is the interruption of current from normal operating currents to fault events such as short-circuits. Here, vacuum interrupters offer the advantages of energy-efficient contact systems and low erosion for many switching operations while maintaining constant dielectric strength. To cope with the higher stresses in high-voltage networks, the switching plasma, its movement and its footpoints need to be studied. The MOLiBoA project combines two measurement methods from vacuum interrupter research in a common test setup. The optical measurement method of the TU Braunschweig and the magnetic measurement method of the TU Darmstadt are used. The validity of the measurement methods is to be verified by simultaneous comparison. The location of the current path between switching contacts during short-circuit breaking is the subject of the investigation. A model will be developed from the combined data recorded and validated by comparing the measurements. The goal is a macroscopic description model with electrical, optical and magnetic input and output quantities as well as their interrelationships under disturbing influences. This systematic investigation and international exchange will enable the applicability of vacuum interrupters at higher voltage levels. International publications report on new individual observations of vacuum plasmas on special contact systems and individual test vessels. Complex experimental procedures and measurement methods make it difficult to pass on sufficient information and thus the necessary generalization of the experimental results. The results obtained and the underlying raw data will therefore be made available to the international research community in a data standard to be developed. A prototypical database is to be created in which the appearance and dynamics of the switching plasmas from different arrangements will be gathered.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Professorin Dr. Myriam Koch