Frequency spectra of the arc current due to opening electric contracts in air

Frequency spectra of the electromagnetic noise due to arc current caused by Ag contacts upon opening in air at atmospheric pressure are described. To take into consideration the fast transients and high-frequency discharge phenomena at the contacts, a distributed constant model consisting of relay contacts and a coaxial distributed constant line is introduced. An experiment carried out under conditions of low circuit current (3.84 A) and low source voltage (48 V) is reported. The results indicate that the frequency spectra of the arc currents depends on the length and terminal conditions of the line connected to the contacts. >