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Arc erosion reduction on electrical contacts using transverse current injection

  • Naum Parkansky*
  • , Raymond L. Boxman
  • , Samuel Goldsmith
  • , Yuri Rosenberg
  • *Corresponding author for this work
  • Tel Aviv University

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Electrical contact lifetime is often directly determined by arc erosion. A method for reducing arc erosion was developed consisting of injecting from an external current source an additional electrical current flowing parallel to the contact surface. This method was examined in three arc environments using the additional transverse electrical current with a density less than 1 A/mm2: 1) automobile ignition contacts; 2) pulsed air arc; and 3) low pressure (P = 100 mTorr) arc in nitrogen. SEM and X-ray examination showed that application of a transverse current in a contact during arcing changed the phase composition and microstructure of the contact surface. Under optimal conditions, the microstructure which is formed is significantly more erosion resistant than without the transverse current injection.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)543-547
Number of pages5
JournalIEEE Transactions on Plasma Science
Volume25
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1997

Funding

Funders
Israel Ministry of Absorption
Friends of Tel Aviv University

    Keywords

    • Arc erosion
    • Electrical contacts
    • Transverse current

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