Master's Thesis: Magnetic Instabilities for Accelerated Arc Extinction

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Normally, instabilities in electrical arcs are seen as a defect (e.g., welding, fusion plasma reactors). However, in electrical switchgear, instability is a feature. Different types of instabilities in electrical arcs (e.g., kink, helical, and sausage) can be used to extinguish electrical arcs. The thesis aims to investigate how these instabilities accelerate arc extinction in DC circuit interrupters.

Period: January - June 2027

Number of credits: 30 hp / ECTS

Number of students: 1

Location: Västerås

Tasks

Literature survey of electrical arcs under magnetic fieldSimulation-based evaluation of geometry-dependent magnetic field distributionsDesign and experimental implementation of the magnetic configuration Experimental characterization of arcs subjected to different magnetic instabilities

Preferred Background

Master's student with a background in Electrical Engineering, Plasma Physics, or a related fieldKnowledge of electromagnetics and Multiphysics Finite Element tools.Familiarity with current interruption phenomena in electrical grids is advantageous.The ideal candidate will be self-motivated, analytical, well-organized, and possess a strong curiosity for research and innovation.

More About Us In case you have questions, please contact Mrunal Parekh, PhD, [email protected]

A future opportunity

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