Vacuum interrupter assembly, switchgear including vacuum interrupter assembly, and method of configuring vacuum interrupter assembly

A method of configuring a vacuum interrupter assembly, the vacuum interrupter assembly comprising a vacuum interrupter (VI), having a stationary contact on a stationary contact potential, a moveable contact on a moveable contact potential, the stationary contact and the moveable contact defining a contacting area, and the VI comprising a vapor shield disposed around the contacting area, wherein the moveable contact is moveable relative to the stationary contact along an axis of the VI, wherein the stationary contact and the vapor shield have a predetermined stationary contact-vapor shield capacitance with respect to each other, wherein the moveable contact and the vapor shield have a predetermined moveable contact-vapor shield capacitance with respect to each other, and wherein the method comprises:

• determining, by simulation, a configuration and arrangement of a field coupler comprising an electrically conductive material such that the field coupler adds a field coupler capacitance to at least one of the stationary contact-vapor shield capacitance and the moveable contact-vapor shield capacitance to make the stationary contact-vapor shield capacitance and the moveable contact-vapor shield capacitance substantially equal, wherein substantially equal includes a deviation from perfect equality of 20% or less.