2008 Volume E91.C Issue 8 Pages 1255-1260
Motion of break arcs driven by external magnetic field is observed using a high-speed camera. The magnetic field is applied with a permanent magnet. Experimental circuit is DC42 V-10A resistive circuit. Material of electrical contacts is silver. Following results are shown. The break arcs are driven in the direction according to Lorentz force. The arc duration decreases with decrease of the distance between the electrical contacts and the magnet. When the external magnetic-flux density at the position of the break arc is lower than a certain value, the effect of the magnetic field to drive the break arc becomes ineffective to shorten the arc duration. The result is explained with a relationship between the motion of break arc and the distribution of the external magnetic field.
