Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/J45039/01
Title:	ARC BEHAVIOUR AND EXTINCTION DURING REACTOR SWITCHING (ERCOS)
Principal Investigator:	Spencer, Professor J
Other Investigators:	Jones, Professor G R Fang, Professor M
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	Electrical Engineering and Electronics
Organisation:	University of Liverpool
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	24 October 1993	Ends:	23 April 1997	Value (£):	126,230
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Power Systems Plant
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Energy No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
Switching low current reactive loads has led to severe failure of interrupters which have been designed to interrupters 63 kA successfully. The onerous conditions which exist during low current interruption in reactive circuit have led to the occurrence of high frequency arcing within the interrupter unit. Investigations into high frequency arc at Liverpool show that the structure inside the circuit breaker and the materials used coupled with this type of switching leads parasitic arcing at high frequencies not only in electrode/nozzle area but also in remote places elsewhere in the interrupter. The precise mechanisms which influences this phenomena are not known. The purpose of this research programme is to examine the fundamental mechanisms which can contribute to such parasitic arcing events in geometries not too dissimilar to that used in 425 kV puffer interrupters. The experimental investigations would simulate low current reactive switching in the research laboratory and examine fundamentally the contribution of interrupter structures and materials to parasitic arcing. The influence of EHV would also be investigated. Computer models would be developed in parallel with the experimental programme to help in the understanding of the precise contribution of fundamental mechanisms which lead to parasitic arcing and also to simulate probable remedies before experimental implementation.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.liv.ac.uk