Arc dynamic in a low voltage circuit breaker

This study is related to the presentation of a 3D model of a low voltage circuit breaker. The model based on the commercial Fluent software uses the finite volume method. The arc created between two contacts, submitted to the pressure effects, to the self induced magnetic field and to the magnetic field due to the current circulation in the wires is described in a simple geometry. Under the influence of the forces, the arc moves towards the cutting chamber constituted by several splitters. In this study, we present a model which describes the arc behaviour after the phase of the arc ignition. A specific attention is given to the magnetic formulation to gain calculation time and a specific method is proposed to describe the arc movements. Simulation results in various homogeneous air-PA6 mixtures are presented and the mean arc velocity is confronted with the one obtained in some experimental studies of the literature.