Study on the Arc Motion Characteristics of Multi-Chamber Arrester Based on 3D Model

In ultra HVDC transmission system, arcing horn gap breakdown makes the arc hard to extinguish, threatening transmission safety. Multi-chamber arrester (MCA) is applied in extinguishing the arc to ensure safety. Here, we investigated the arc motion characteristics of the MCA to analyze its arc extinguishing ability. First, a three-dimensional model of the arc plasma in a single chamber was established based on magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) theory, and the arc motion inside and outside the chamber were analyzed. Next, changes of temperature, velocity and pressure field were simulated. The results showed that the time required for arc totally exiting the chamber is approximately
$96~\mu \text{s}$
, the airflow maximun velocity is about 865 m/s, and the highest pressure is more than 4 atm. Particularly, there is a flow reflux at the outlet, as the air flows inward from the outside and form an “oscillation”. Moreover, the arc motion characteristics of different discharge currents within different chamber structure were analyzed. It was found that the spacing between anode and cathode, the radius of electrodes and the outlet radius are the key factors regulating the airflow velocity, and the outlet radius of the chamber has the greatest influence. At last, the accuracy of our model was validated with experimental data.