Electrodynamic Contact Bounce Induced by Fault Current in Low-Voltage Relays

Andrzej Ksiazkiewicz, Grzegorz Dombek, Karol Nowak and Jerzy Janiszewski
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Andrzej Ksiazkiewicz: Institute of Electric Power Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3A, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
Grzegorz Dombek: Institute of Electric Power Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3A, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
Karol Nowak: Institute of Electric Power Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3A, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
Jerzy Janiszewski: Institute of Electric Power Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3A, 60-965 Poznan, Poland

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 20, 1-13

Abstract: Due to fault currents occurring in electrical installations, high electromagnetic force values may be induced in current paths of low-voltage electromagnetic relays. This force may lead to an electromagnetic bounce that will further result in an electric arc ignition between contacts, and under some circumstances, it will result in contact welding. For the proper exploitation of relays, the threshold value of the maximum current, and thus the electrodynamic force, should be known. This force depends on several factors, including: contact materials, dimensions of relay current paths, relay electromagnetic coil, etc. This paper presents the results of calculations and an experiment on electromagnetic forces, which cover these factors. A static closing force, acting on the contacts, and the fault current were measured. As a result, values of the force and current threshold were obtained, which inform when an electrodynamic bounce may occur. The obtained result may be used in designing contact rivets and relay current paths together with the selection of adequate fault protection devices.

Keywords: relays; contact materials; contact bounce; electric arc; contact welding (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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