Erosion of electrodes due to switching of capacitor-bank discharge circuits

The erosion of the contact surfaces of the electrodes in switches affects not only the service life of the electrodes and their insulation but also the basic characteristics of the switches - there is a variation in static breakdown voltages, operation lag time, and variation in the operation time. One of the main quantitative characteristics of erosion is the mass of metal ejected from the surface of the electrode. This work is devoted to an experimental determination of the mass of metal ejected from the surface of electrodes made from different materials by weighing on a VT-1 balance and visual observation of the surfaces being eroded. The geometry of the electrodes and the size of the gap between them modeled the construction of the electrodes and the conditions of the displacement of craters under the effect of electromotive forces in the switches of the discharge circuits of large capacitor banks.