The erosion of electrical contacts under the effect of a high-intensity electric arc

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Abstract
Experimental studies of the erosion of contacts submitted to the action of an electric arc carrying currents whose mean values are less than 2000 A, enable the mass loss Delta m to be expressed as a function of the total amount of energy involved, integral ui dt. For the materials under investigation, a statistical survey enables a linear relationship between these two values to be shown, and an erosion rate to be defined as a function of the power dissipated at breaking arc level. A table of the results obtained quantifies the behaviour of alloys in circuit-breaking devices, and shows that adding nickel or carbon to silver contacts tends to make erosion symmetrical at anode and cathode.

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