Switching device for medium voltage electric power distribution installations

Abstract

A switching device including: one or more fixed contacts and one or more movable contacts, each movable contact being reversibly movable between an opening position, at which the movable contact is decoupled from a corresponding fixed contact, and a closing position, at which the movable contact is coupled with the corresponding fixed contact; an electromagnetic actuator adapted to actuate the movable contacts between the opening and closing positions, the electromagnetic actuator including a fixed yoke and a movable armature operatively associated with the fixed yoke to form a magnetic circuit, the movable armature being reversibly movable between a first position, which corresponds to the opening position of the movable contacts, and a second position, which corresponds to the closing position of the movable contacts; and a kinematic chain to operatively connect the movable armature with the movable contacts, wherein the electromagnetic actuator includes a first excitation coil and a second excitation coil wound around the fixed yoke. The switching device further include a first power drive circuit adapted to provide a first excitation current to the first excitation coil and a second power drive circuit adapted to provide a second excitation current to the second excitation coil; the first and second power drive circuits are galvanically separated one from another and capable of operating independently one from another.