3D simulation on vacuum arc controlled by external transverse magnetic field

In this paper, a 3D model for vacuum arc controlled by transverse magnetic field (TMF) is built and simulation on its parameters is calculated. In the simulation, only the external TMF is taken into consideration and arc is assumed to contracts itself. Arc is not neutral so that ions and electrons are calculated respectively. According to the simulation results, both ions and electrons are deflected under TMF. When TMF becomes stronger, arc deflection also becomes more significant. As for different particles, electrons have a smaller mass and they are easier to driven deflected when TMF is not so strong. Arc behaves more active under stronger TMF, thus arc temperature is higher. Electron velocity is much higher than ion velocity but TMF does not deflects the distribution of velocity much. As a result, the deflection of current density is largely determined by electron number density deflection.