ELECTRIC AND THERMAL ANALYSIS OF 33kV DC VACUUM CIRCUIT BREAKERS USING 3D MODEL

This article deals with the study of the electric field during restrike process in the 33 kV DC vacuum circuit breaker during the passage of the fault current. For this purpose, the 3D models are built by the aid of COMSOL Multiphysics program. The paper investigates the performance of the DC vacuum circuit breakers, emphasizing electric analyses. The study introduces focusing on the arc extinction process and critical parameters influencing circuit breaker functionality. Various factors are investigated to analyse key aspects such as electric field distribution, contact radius effect, contact geometry influence on the field and contact resistance. The findings demonstrate that the enhancements in model simulation can significantly improve the efficiency and reliability of vacuum circuit…