Vacuum circuit breaker arc extinguisher - uses current pulse via cathode to produce magnetic field that drives arc away from cathode

摘要

The arc extinguisher for vacuum switches, or thyratrons, generates a rapid-build up magnetic field between the cathode and the arc plasma whose interaction with the arc causes it to move away from the cathode. The magnetic field may be generated by a current pulse passed through the two-pole cathode or by a pulsed electromagnet near the cathode surface. The advantage lies in simplicity and in very low extinguishing power compared to the power being switched.