Analysis of Switching in an AC Hybrid Contactor

This paper presents a theoretical and experimental analysis of a hybrid contactor mounted in an alternating current circuit. The hybrid contactor combines the advantages provided by the static switching and by the electromechanical switching. In the opening and closing of the contactor, the load current is taken over by the semiconducting devices mounted in parallel on each mechanical contact. Thus, the semiconducting devices take over the transient regimes and the effects of the arc on the mobile contacts are minimized. Thyristors are used for the experiments performed within the work as semiconducting devices.