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PIC/MCC simulation of post-arc plasma diffusion considering TRV, initial drift velocity and metal droplets.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: PIC/MCC simulation of post-arc plasma diffusion considering TRV, initial drift velocity and metal droplets.
Authors: Wang, Lijun1 (AUTHOR) lijunwang@mail.xjtu.edu.cn, Wang, Hongjian1 (AUTHOR), Chen, Zhuo2 (AUTHOR), Hu, Runze1 (AUTHOR), Li, Xianzhe1 (AUTHOR), Shi, Ruibo1 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics. 2026, Vol. 59 Issue 1, p1-22. 22p.
Subjects: Plasma diffusion, Vacuum circuit breakers, Plasma arcs, Diffusion kinetics, Metal clusters, Plasma boundary layers, Voltage
Abstract: The phenomena of post-arc gap breakdown and the dielectric recovery process are crucial to the performance and reliability of vacuum interrupters and related equipment. In this paper, a two-dimensional particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision (PIC/MCC) simulation model is comprehensively used to study the diffusion process of the residual plasma in the post-arc stage of a vacuum circuit breaker. The research results show that under the action of the transient recovery voltage (TRV), the number of gap particles decreases, electrons dissipate faster than ions, an ion sheath layer is formed near the cathode, and the post-arc current first rises, then stabilizes, and then decreases. As the rise rate of the TRV increases, the speed of decrease in the number of electrons and ions accelerates, the current peak value increases, and the residual plasma dissipates faster. The introduction of the initial drift velocity accelerates the diffusion velocity of the post-arc plasma. Due to the opposite directions of the initial drift velocities of electrons and ions, the diffusion direction of ions is changed. After metal droplet is introduced, the diffusion speed of the post-arc plasma also slows down, the dissipation time of electrons and ions is delayed, the metal droplet hinders the plasma diffusion, and the gap electric field is distorted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Engineering Source
Description
Abstract:The phenomena of post-arc gap breakdown and the dielectric recovery process are crucial to the performance and reliability of vacuum interrupters and related equipment. In this paper, a two-dimensional particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision (PIC/MCC) simulation model is comprehensively used to study the diffusion process of the residual plasma in the post-arc stage of a vacuum circuit breaker. The research results show that under the action of the transient recovery voltage (TRV), the number of gap particles decreases, electrons dissipate faster than ions, an ion sheath layer is formed near the cathode, and the post-arc current first rises, then stabilizes, and then decreases. As the rise rate of the TRV increases, the speed of decrease in the number of electrons and ions accelerates, the current peak value increases, and the residual plasma dissipates faster. The introduction of the initial drift velocity accelerates the diffusion velocity of the post-arc plasma. Due to the opposite directions of the initial drift velocities of electrons and ions, the diffusion direction of ions is changed. After metal droplet is introduced, the diffusion speed of the post-arc plasma also slows down, the dissipation time of electrons and ions is delayed, the metal droplet hinders the plasma diffusion, and the gap electric field is distorted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:00223727
DOI:10.1088/1361-6463/ae2b81