Spectroscopic Investigation of DC-arcs between Parallel Rails under the Influence of External Magnetic Fields

The effect of transverse magnetic fields on the spectral characteristics of low current DC-arcs on air was investigated. The setup consists of two parallel copper rails. The arc radiation with or without external magnetic field was analyzed using high-speed spectroscopy as well as high-speed imaging. Results confirm further changes of the arc geometry and arc behavior as well as changes on its radiation characteristic, voltage and duration under the influence of the external magnetic field. The observed strong influence of the external magnetic fields lead to conclusions regarding its further application for arc-extinction and limiting of fault currents.