Experimental analysis of rotating arc behaviors in a rotary arc gap switchfor a 500 kJ capacitor bank

Usually art phenomena are not easily characterized due to unstable behavior , very short existence-times, high temperature and the required isolation o f measurement instruments. This paper presents some are-behaviors in a rota ry are gap-switch (RAG) using a 500 kJ capacitor bank. It includes the spee d variations of the rotating are, the impacts of the oscillating current on the are initiations and re-ignitions. Changes in the are-dimension with re spect to time and current magnitudes are also analyzed.