Characteristic investigation of permanent magnet actuator for vacuum contactors operating with an intrinsically safe low voltage

Abstract

This paper reports a new application of permanent magnet actuator for vacuum contactors. A novel permanent magnet (PM) actuator to drive a vacuum contactor with intrinsically safe and low supply voltage is proposed. PM is mounted on the static iron of the contactor to enhance its holding force and reliability. While only one coil is used to break the vacuum contactor, two series coils are deployed to yield a high magnetomotive force to realize the making operation. The electrical circuit equation, mechanical equation and magnetic field are all coupled in the simulation. A prototype is manufactured and tested to validate and showcase the performance of the contactor which is equipped with the proposed PM actuator.