The voltage, self-generated magnetic field and current distribution in a high-current vacuum arc

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Abstract
Measurements of the anode-cathode voltage of a high-current (>2 kA) vacuum arc are presented, attention being restricted to conditions which result in a smoothly varying voltage. It is found that under these conditions the voltage/current characteristics can be divided into three regions, namely linear, non-linear and irreproducible. The current distribution within the arc is derived from magnetic probe measurements, attention being further restricted to reproducible and axisymmetric conditions. Annular current distributions are found and a simplified theory of the current conduction process is based on an idealised annular current distribution. This theory leads to an expression for the arc voltage which is in reasonable agreement with the voltage measurements in the linear region.

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