Simulation of thermal instability in non-uniformities on the surface of cathodes of vacuum arcs

Cunha, M. D.; Benilov, M. S.; Hartmann, W.; Wenzel, N.

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.13/4557

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Abstract(s)

Instability stemming from the strong dependence of electron emission current on the local surface temperature plays an important role in current transfer to hot cathodes of arc discharges. In the case of vacuum arcs, this instability may lead to micro explosions on cathode surface even if the surface is planar. This work is concerned with numerical simulation of effect produced by surface non-uniformities. It is found that the effect is non-trivial: the presence of surface non-uniformities can not only accelerate the development of the instability, which is what one would expect intuitively, but also slow it down and even suppress.

Keywords

Vacuum arcs Cathodes Thermal instability . Faculdade de Ciências Exatas e da Engenharia

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.13/4557

Citation

Cunha, M. D., Benilov, M. S., Hartmann, W., & Wenzel, N. (2016, September). Simulation of thermal instability in non-uniformities on the surface of cathodes of vacuum arcs. In 2016 27th International Symposium on Discharges and Electrical Insulation in Vacuum (ISDEIV) (Vol. 1, pp. 1-4). IEEE.