Author(s)

L. Spronck, P. Scarpa & W. Legros

Abstract

Arc-electrode interactions play an important role during current interruption in a circuit breaker. This paper describes a method for estimating the thermal diffusivity of the electrode material on the wide range of temperatures encountered during operation. The principle of the proposed method consists in heating one end of a small cylindrical material sample with a powerful pulsed laser, and in measuring the temperature rise on the other end. The shape and delay of the measured temperature evolution can then be directly linked to the thermal diffusiv

Keywords