The　vacuum　interrupter-based　DC　circuit　breaker　is　one　of　the　most　important　equipments　in　the　DC　power　system.　The　dielectric　recovery　(DR)　of　vacuum　interrupter　(VI)　is　essential　for　breaking　reliability,　especially　on　some　occasions　with　ultra-large　fault　current　such　as　the　outlet　of　generator.　To　measure　the　DR　of　VI　under　high　arcing　current,　an　experiment　circuit　is　designed　and　the　DR　under　arcing　current　from　20　kA　to　60　kA　is　presented　in　this　paper.　The　influence　of　arcing　current,　contact　separation,　di/dt　before　current　zero　and　arcing　time　on　the　DR　is　investigated.　Particularly,　it＇s　found　that　under　a　specific　arcing　current,　there　exists　an　optimal　arcing　time　for　DR,　and　it　shows　a　negative　correlation　with　the　arcing　current.　©　1986-2012　IEEE.