Asea Brown Boveri Ag

Abb Research Ltd.

Abb Schweiz Ag

Abb Technology Ag

Lukas Zehnder

Kurt Kaltenegger

Thomas Schoenemann

Jean-Claude Mauroux

Christian Dahler

Robert Anderes

Lutz Niemeyer

Martin Lakner

Jochen Kiefer

Olaf Hunger

Martin Seeger

Bernardo Galletti

Daniel Chartouni

Bodo Bruhl

Lorenz Muller

Erwin Manz

Ion Gavrilita

Markus Keller

Leopold Ritzer

Arthouros Iordanidis

Michael Mendik

Emmanouil Panousis

Joachim Stechbarth

Joerg Lehmann

Marc Mollenkopf

Andreas Nohl

J&ouml;rg Peter

Guenter Steding

Jorgen Skindhoj

Klaus-Dieter Weltmann

Mahesh Dhotre

Daniel Over

Manfred Seidel

Hans Wyder

Peter Unternaehrer

Alexander Schmidt

Benedikt Lopfe

Gunter Speckhofer

Monika Abrell

Christian D&auml;hler

Luc Rieffel

Thomas Shoenemann

Vincent Dousset

Werner Sigrist

Franceso Pisu

Stefan Arndt

Christian Dähler

The invention relates to a circuit breaker that can be switched between an ON position and an OFF position, such that in the OFF position an interruption path comprising an arcing space is formed. The circuit breaker comprises a storage volume for a quenching gas, which is in gaseous communication with the arcing space and has an inlet port for the quenching gas. The inlet port also has a valve comprising an obturator, and the obturator has a heat-insulating coating.

Circuit breaker

The circuit breaker system contains a plurality of phase conductors, a circuit breaker having a plurality of breaker poles, and a short-circuit link having a star point and a plurality of link conductors combined at the star point. Each of the phase conductors is electrically conductively connected to in each case one of the breaker poles and each link conductor is electrically conductively connected to in each case one of the phase conductors in each case one of several first disconnectors to which short-circuit current can be applied. In order to avoid expenditure on assembly and downtimes of the circuit breaker system when carrying out simulation experiments with the aid of the short-circuit link, the circuit breaker system contains a second disconnector which, when closed, electrically conductively connects the star point to ground and which is opened when a short-circuit current is applied to the short-circuit current link.

Multiphase circuit breaker system having a short-circuit link

An exemplary high-current switching arrangement in a generator duct arranged between a generator and a transformer is disclosed. This arrangement includes a pole frame which can be positioned on a base surface, a breaker pole of a generator circuit-breaker which is secured to the pole frame, and a drive which is secured to the pole frame. The breaker pole includes an active component arranged along an axis designed for the conduction and interruption of high currents and which incorporates a power switching point, with two axially spaced current terminals. The drive is arranged on a first of two end faces of the pole frame, and includes a linkage mechanism that transmits power from the drive to the power switching point.

High-current switching arrangement

The high-voltage system has at least one feed line and at least one high-power circuit breaker, the at least one feed line having a longitudinally extended feed line inner conductor and a feed line outer conductor surrounding the feed line inner conductor, and the high-power circuit breaker having a longitudinally extended circuit breaker inner conductor and a circuit breaker outer conductor surrounding the circuit breaker inner conductor in the form of a housing, and the inner conductors and the outer conductors being electrically conductively connected to one another. At least one heat pipe is provided for the purpose of dissipating thermal energy from the circuit breaker inner conductor. The heat pipe interacts with a cooling gas flow extending along the circuit breaker inner conductor.

High-voltage system and high-power circuit breaker with cooling

An exemplary isolating tube, and production method thereof, includes a mechanically load-bearing plastic tube composed of a fiber-reinforced polymer for use in a cooling element which can be loaded with high voltage, during whose operation the isolating tube forms an electrical isolation gap and in the tube interior carries an agent which flows as a liquid and/or vapor. The isolating tube can have a diffusion barrier which is held coaxially by the plastic tube. Such an isolating tube can be produced using an exemplary novel method for production.

Isolating tube for a cooling element which can be loaded with high voltage

In order to dissipate heat losses from the inner conductor (), the circuit breaker () having an elongated inner conductor () and an outer conductor () which surrounds the inner conductor () like a housing has at least one heat pipe () which extends from the inner conductor () to the outer conductor () and has an insulating hollow body () in order to form an electrical insulating gap (). The heat pipe () advantageously has a flexibly deformable section (). The heat pipe () can run in a supporting insulator () which supports the inner conductor (). In addition to a working medium, the heat pipe () advantageously also contains an auxiliary gas which results in an enhanced dielectric strength at low temperatures.

High voltage circuit breaker with cooling

A contact zone ( ) of a quenching chamber which is arranged rotationally symmetrical about a central axis ( ) and is filled with an insulating medium, having at least two stationary consumable contacts which are in the form of contact rings ( ) and which, when the quenching chamber is closed, are electrically conductively connected by means of a bridging contact which is arranged centrally and can move axially. The mutually facing end surfaces of the consumable contacts are partially covered by electrically insulating covers ( ). The aim is to provide insulating covers which are designed to have good dielectric characteristics and are easy to install. This is achieved in that a wedge-shaped annular gap ( ) which is open in the radial direction and originates from a contact-making edge ( ), of the cover ( ) is provided between a contact-making surface ( ) and an insulating cover ( ) and in that the edge ( ) is dielectrically shielded by means of an annular bead ( ) which projects beyond the contact-making surface ( ).

Contact zone for a power breaker

The power breaker is provided with at least one arcing chamber ( ) which is filled with SF gas, is rotationally symmetrical, and extends along a longitudinal axis ( ). The arcing chamber ( ) has a power current path with a central contact pin ( ), and has a separate rated current path provided with rated current contacts ( ). The arcing chamber ( ) is operated by a drive linkage ( ) which moves the contact pin ( ) and the rated current contacts ( ). The drive linkage ( ) is designed such that, at the start of the disconnection process, the contact pin ( ) remains in a first dead point position until the rated current path is interrupted. The contact pin ( ) can then be moved in the disconnection direction at a considerably higher speed than the rated current contacts ( ). Toward the end of their disconnection travel, the rated current contacts ( ) run into a second dead point position. The contact pin ( ) does not reach its disconnected position until after the rated current contacts ( ) have ended their disconnection movement. At the start of the connection process, the rated current contacts ( ) remain in this second dead point position until the pre-arcing of the switch-on arc has taken place. The rated current contacts ( ) are in this way advantageously protected against damage caused by an arc.

Power breaker

A switching arrangement having a large burn-up reserve, contact fingers (,) are connected to a first electrical terminal via flexible bands (,) consisting of strips of, for example, copper which lie one above the other. The connecting portion (,) of the band (,), the said connecting portion adjoining the contact fingers (,) and being rigidly connected to them, is reinforced in each case by pressure welding of the strips. In the switch-off state, the bands (,) and, in part, the contact fingers (,) bear on an outwardly pointing supporting face (,), whilst, in the switch-on state, at least the contact fingers (,) and connecting portions (,) are lifted off from the supporting face (,), with the bands (,) being bent at the same time, as a result of contact with the outside of a switching pin (,) displaceable along a switching axis (,). The pressure force caused by electromagnetic attraction between the relatively short contact fingers (,) and the connecting portions (,), which in each case form an angle of approximately 30&deg; with the switching axis (,), approximately compensates the contact lift-off forces, whilst the forces acting on the flexible parts of the bands (,) are absorbed essentially by the supporting face (,).

Burn-off contact arrangement

An automatically resetting safety valve for a generator circuit breaker is to open rapidly and wide, even if the pressure applied to a valve-closing body (,) does not increase substantially over a valve stroke (a) or even falls. In order to ensure this, a valve-closing-body joint (,) of the valve-closing body (,) via a first closing-body lever (H,) and via a first sliding joint (,), is connected in an articulated manner to a first support lever (H,), which is rotatably mounted in a first support lever joint (,) fastened to a lever wall (,). The first sliding joint (,), via a first compression spring (,), is in compressive connection with a spring wall joint (,) fastened to a spring wall (,). The valve-closing body (,) is movable along a plain-bearing axis (A). First and second closing-body levers (H,, H,&prime;) and first and second support levers (H,, H,&prime;), which are arranged in mirror image relative to the plain-bearing axis (A) of the valve-closing body (,), may be provided. Instead of an outer compression spring (,), an inner tension spring (,) may be provided.

Spring-loaded safety valve

In a power switch, power-switch fingers of a rated-current switching arrangement, as well as contact fingers (,) of a tulip contact and a switching pin (,) of an arcing switch arrangement, or other parts, each comprise a base body (,) which, at sections which are subjected to high thermal loads by the arc formation, bears a protective layer (,) which is resistant to contact erosion and has been applied to the base body (,) by plasma spraying in vacuum. This enables even complex and flexible parts to be made resistant to contact erosion. The protective layer (,) which is preferably used is a mixture of at least 10% (by weight), in particular at least 50% (by weight) of high-melting metal, such as W, Mo, Ir, and lower-melting metal, such as Cu, Ag, Ti, Fe, e.g. 80% (by weight) W and 20% (by weight) Cu, while the base body used is preferably made from Cu, Ag. Fe, steel, Al or a flexible copper alloy, such as CuBe, CuCr or CuCrZr.

Switching arrangement and method for its production

Arranged in the continuation of an arcing chamber (16) bounded by consumable rings (32a, 32b) are pressure chambers (25a, 25b) which are connected in each case to a heating volume (18), which concentrically surrounds the arcing chamber (16), via a return channel (28; 28b), which is rotationally symmetrical with reference to the switching axis and is at least initially of increasing cross section, and a non-return valve (29a; 29b). A circumferential blowout slot (19) opening into the arcing chamber (16) between the consumable rings (32a, 32b) issues from the heating volume (18). The pressure chambers (25a, 25b) are, moreover, connected via in each case a plurality of exhaust tubes (34a, 34b) to exhaust volumes (30a, 30b) and to one of them also via a pressure relief valve (37). The pinch pressure produced between the consumable rings (32a, 32b) during formation of an arc (17) leads to a pressure buildup in the pressure chambers (25a, 25b) which contributes via the return channels (28a, 28b) to building up in the heating volume (18) a high blowout pressure which on the occasion of the next zero crossing causes a strong gas flow through the blowout slot (19) into the arcing chamber (16), which quenches the arc (17).

Puffer type circuit breaker with arcing chamber, auxiliary shunting

Extending between a fixed tulip contact (1) and a slide tulip (4) is an arcing chamber (5) which is occupied in the closed position by a movable contact pin (3) which fills up both an exhaust (9) surrounded by the slide tulip (4) and a blowout opening (7) which is surrounded by the tulip contact (1) and connects the arcing chamber (5) to a pressure chamber (6). The arcing chamber (5) is surrounded by an annular heating volume (13) open toward the same. Arranged in the pressure chamber (6) is a charge (10) of explosive which is for the most part converted within approximately 10-30 ms after ignition to extinguishing gas, preferably predominantly nitrogen, the gas pressure moving the contact pin (3) toward the open position. After clearance of the blowout opening (7) and the exhaust (9), the arc drawn between the contact pin (3) and tulip contact (1) is blown out, something which is supported by the pressure buildup, to which the arc contributes, in the heating volume (13). The pressure chamber with the charge can also surround the arcing chamber in an annular fashion. In this case, it is also possible to support the opening movement by the explosion pressure, for example, via pistons.

Circuit-breaker with an explosive charge ignited during opening operation

In the switched-on position, under the influence of contact forces generated by elastic deflection or else by mechanical spreading, or spreading caused by the attraction of parallel currents or repulsion of antiparallel currents, of a switching pin (5) , the switching pins presses against the inner side of a first switching ring (4), which is rigid for the purpose of avoiding mechanical overloading and securing sufficient consumable reserves. By way of example, a support (30) of the switching pin (5) is adjoined by two parallel, elastic extensions (52a, 52b), which are separated by a slot (53) and respectively support a contact member (54a; 54b) by means of a connecting element (55a; 55b) forming half a screw thread, with the result that said contact member is in each case offset by 180.degree. relative to the extension (52a; 52b). In the switched-on position, therefore, the contact members (54a, 54b) are forced apart by the elastic deformation of the extensions (52a, 52b) which is caused by the attraction between the parallel partial currents through said contact members. The switching pin (5) is electrically conductively connected to a second switching ring (6), which is separated from the first switching ring (4) by an arc space.

Consumable switching arrangement

A wreath of contact fingers (4) directed radially toward a switching axis (1) presses in the closed position against the circumferential surface of a contact pin (2) with consumable heads (5) fitted on the ends. At an angle of approximately 90.degree., the contact fingers (4) adjoin webs (6) which are guided in the closing direction up to a housing part (7) at which they are permanently anchored and via which they connect the contact fingers (4) to an electric terminal. The webs (6) and--with the exception of the consumable heads (5)--the contact fingers (4) are produced in one piece from springy material of high conductivity. The contact with the contact pin (2) radially deflects the consumable heads (5) in the closing direction with elastic bending of the webs (6). The length (R) of the radial contact fingers and the length (L) of the axial webs (6) are selected such that the attraction of the parallel component currents through the latter approximately compensates the contact repulsion forces.

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Baden-Dättwil, Switzerland

Lukas Zehnder