Master's Thesis: Magnetic Instabilities for Accelerated Arc Extinction

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R&D Team Lead

Normally, instabilities in electrical arcs are seen as a defect (e.g., welding, fusion plasma reactors). However, in electrical switchgear, instability is a feature. Different types of instabilities in electrical arcs (e.g., kink, helical, and sausage) can be used to extinguish electrical arcs. The thesis aims to investigate how these instabilities accelerate arc extinction in DC circuit interrupters.

Details:

Period: January - June 2027

Number of credits: 30 hp / ECTS

Number of students: 1

Location: Västerås

Tasks

Literature survey of electrical arcs under magnetic field
Simulation-based evaluation of geometry-dependent magnetic field distributions
Design and experimental implementation of the magnetic configuration
Experimental characterization of arcs subjected to different magnetic instabilities

Preferred background

Master's student with a background in Electrical Engineering, Plasma Physics, or a related field
Knowledge of electromagnetics and Multiphysics Finite Element tools.
Familiarity with current interruption phenomena in electrical grids is advantageous.
The ideal candidate will be self-motivated, analytical, well-organized, and possess a strong curiosity for research and innovation.

More about us

In case you have questions, please contact Mrunal Parekh, PhD, mrunal.parekh@se.abb.com

A future opportunity

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How we rate this

Master's Thesis: Magnetic Instabilities for Accelerated Arc Extinction at ABB rates 29 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Little AI. AI is not part of the work.

●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Open the description and count.

Key facts

Master's Thesis: Magnetic Instabilities for Accelerated Arc Extinction is an open job at ABB.
Level rates this role AI Level 1 of 4: Little AI.
The role is based in Vaesteras, Vastmanland County, Sweden.
The job was posted on October 6, 2026.
Applications are handled by ABB. Apply on ABB