Numerical analyses on the interaction of arc and flow field for SF/sub 6/ circuit breaker

Combined electric field and flow field are numerically simulated based on the computation of the N-S equation and turbulent model, taking the influence of temperature, pressure, and the effect of gas flow on the dynamic arc into consideration. In computing, self-adaptive adjustment of the current has been considered for reflecting the variation of the dynamic arc during the whole interrupting course. Moreover, the gas flow field of high voltage SF/sub 6/ circuit breakers (HVCBs) with complex flow path, supersonic nozzle, source, viscous, compressible and variable boundaries has been solved. Consequently, the interaction of dynamic arc and gas flow has been simulated. The feature of dynamic arc-gas flow interaction has been numerically analyzed, and the arc choke varying with the pressure of gas flow, velocity, and the flow flux has been simulated. The theoretical foundation for further studying the utilization of arc energy and improving interrupting performance has been established.