Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Siemens Aktiengesell Schaft

Jan Stroh

Walter Hertz

David-Walter Branston

Werner Hartmann

Ernst-Ludwig Hoene

Klaus-Dieter Rohde

J&ouml;rg Kieser

G&uuml;nter Lins

Jurgen Mentel

Heinz Schwalme

For a low-pressure gas discharge switch, at least two main electrodes are arranged at least a distance d from each other, the electrodes in an arcing chamber forming a cathode and an anode of a discharge path for the low-pressure gas discharge. The gas discharge is triggered by increasing the electron density in a cathode cavity, at least the cathode in its disk-shaped area having at least one aperture, the cathode and anode apertures preferably being opposite and aligned with each other, for triggering the discharge. An arrangement generating a magnetic field superimposed on the discharge between the main electrodes ( ) are assigned to the main electrodes ( ), with which either a predominantly parallel magnetic field is generated or a predominantly perpendicular one, with regard to the direction of current in the discharge. The magnetic field generator may include slot arrangements ( &prime;) in hollow cylinders ( ), which are part of the anode ( ) and cathode ( ) configured as hollow electrodes, or may be realized in the associated current supply lines.

Low pressure gas discharge switch

A gas-discharge switch for a low-pressure gas discharge contains at least two main electrodes. A distance d between the main electrodes and the pressure p of a working gas are selected so as to allow the igniting voltage to diminish with a rising product p.times.d. A hollow electrode, which is connected to a trigger voltage source, is allocated to the discharge gap. This hollow electrode is connected via an an anode resistor to the anode. Preferably, the hollow electrode can be additionally connected via a resistor to the cathode. With this refinement of the firing device, one achieves a pre-ionization inside the hollow electrode and a corresponding simplification of the firing device.

Gas-discharge switch

A gas-discharge switch contains at least two main electrodes for a low-pressure gas discharge. A distance d between the main electrodes and the pressure p of a working gas are selected so as to allow the igniting voltage to diminish with a rising product p.times.d. According to the present invention, a hollow electrode, which is connected to a trigger voltage source, is allocated to the discharge gap. The main electrode facing the hollow electrode is provided with a central opening. Between this opening and the hollow electrode, a baffle plate for the ion current flow of the low-pressure gas discharge is configured with a pre-set clearance from the surface of the main electrode.

A compressed gas circuit breaker, especially a blasting piston ('puffer') circuit breaker having a movable nozzle of insulating material which surrounds the quenching gap and, by means of pressure springs, forms a stop for closing off the gas flow canal, in which a guide is provided coupling at least one pressure spring to the relative motion of the contacts in such a manner that its effect on the insulating material body is cancelled as soon as the minimum quenching distance has been reached during the opening of the breaker, preventing blasting of the arc before the switch contacts have reached their quenching distance.

Compress gas circuit breaker

An apparatus and a method for quenching an arc in a gas flow circuit breaker having both a permanent current contact and an arc contact system, wherein the motion of the contacts is made current dependent, thereby delaying or accelerating the duration of the opening of the contacts of the arc contact system as a function of the current so as to shorten the arc duration and correspondingly to increase the quenching capacity of the breaker.

Apparatus and method for quenching an arc in a gas flow circuit

An improved arc quenching arrangement for a gas-flow circuit breaker apparatus of the type including a housing; a body of electrical insulation material disposed within the housing and forming an arc quenching gap therewithin; at least one gas flow canal disposed within the body of insulation material for directing a quenching gas from a space within the housing to the vicinity of the quenching gap; fixed and movable electrical contacts disposed within the housing adjacent the housing quenching gap; and a check valve disposed in the flow canal for permitting the flow of the arc quenching gas only from the space within the housing to the quenching gap formed by the body of insulation material. The improvement of the invention comprises the extension of the gas flow canal to the arc quenching gap formed by the body of insulation material and the disposition of the check valve at the end of the flow canal at the arc quenching gap. An improved arc quenching effect for large current flow is thereby achieved.

Arc quenching arrangement for a gas-flow type circuit breaker

In a quenching arrangement in a gas flow circuit breaker of the type which has at least one check valve in a flow channel leading through a portion of the insulating material to the quenching gap, at least one overflow channel having therein a pressure relief valve is installed parallel to the quenching gap to couple the higher pressure chamber in which the quenching gas is contained with the low pressure chamber to which gas discharges after quenching.

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Erlangen, Germany

Jan Stroh