Arc Splitter Plates

Arc splitter plates are precision-engineered metallic plates installed within arc chambers of circuit breakers, contactors, and switchgear. Their primary function is to split a single high-energy electrical arc into multiple smaller arcs, increasing the total arc voltage beyond the system voltage, thereby forcing arc extinction. These plates are arranged in parallel stacks with insulating barriers to create arc chutes that cool, elongate, and deionize the plasma, preventing arc re-ignition and protecting electrical equipment from thermal damage.

When an electrical fault occurs, contacts separate and create an arc. The arc is magnetically or thermally driven into the stack of splitter plates. Each plate acts as an additional anode/cathode pair, dividing the arc into series segments. This segmentation increases the total arc voltage drop, while the plates absorb heat and promote cooling through radiation and convection. The metallic plates also emit metal vapor that deionizes the arc path, increasing dielectric strength and preventing restrike.