Physical characterization of the optical transmission path for digital high-speed camera observation of vacuum arcs

The improvement of vacuum interrupters is an ongoing process, where arc characteristics are of special interest. Especially in case of transversal magnet field contacts (TMF) the rotation properties represent one interesting feature. This contribution is part of a research project with the aim to derive information about arc position and arc movement on the contact surface. Therefore, electrical measurements are combined with arc tracking approaches based on magnetic and optical recordings. The improvement of these techniques is of high interest for further investigations with scientific and industrial scope. The purpose of this contribution is to investigate the influence of the optical transmission path during optical investigations using a two side angle arm via a mirror system. Both optical paths of the mirror system have different absorption properties, but have to be used in combination to derive spatial arc information. A characterization of both optical paths is necessary to determine a correction factor for the optical system. Therefore, the setup is characterized using a spectrometer and a calibrated radiation source. Additionally, the optical arrangement is tested in an exemplary breaking operation with pin electrodes. This contribution improves the comparability of optical investigations for vacuum interrupters and increases the reliability during the analysis procedure.