EP0153433A1 - Interrupteur à air - Google Patents

Interrupteur à air Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0153433A1
EP0153433A1 EP84102154A EP84102154A EP0153433A1 EP 0153433 A1 EP0153433 A1 EP 0153433A1 EP 84102154 A EP84102154 A EP 84102154A EP 84102154 A EP84102154 A EP 84102154A EP 0153433 A1 EP0153433 A1 EP 0153433A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
arc
contacts
coil
switch
break switch
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP84102154A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Terence Henry Taylor
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to GB08222840A priority Critical patent/GB2125626B/en
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to EP84102154A priority patent/EP0153433A1/fr
Publication of EP0153433A1 publication Critical patent/EP0153433A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H9/00—Details of switching devices, not covered by groups H01H1/00 - H01H7/00
    • H01H9/30—Means for extinguishing or preventing arc between current-carrying parts
    • H01H9/44—Means for extinguishing or preventing arc between current-carrying parts using blow-out magnet

Definitions

  • This in ⁇ ention relotes to on air breuk switch, and to a method of reducing shock wave generation in operation of such switch.
  • an air break switch comprising two electrical contacts which can undergo relative motion between open and closed positions, and a coil through which at least part of the current undergoing interruption flows and which, preferably in conjunction with magnetically susceptible material, provides a magnetic field in the vicinity of at least one of the contacts, characterised in that the magnetic field is substantially normal to a shock front which tends to be set up by establishment of an arc between the contacts and has a value such as to cause the Alfven speed, at least in said vicinity in plasma associated with the arc, to be significantly in excess of the air speed attainable by such shock front.
  • the coil may be connected in series with the contacts.
  • the coil may be powered by an energy source other than the switched current, and derived from or controlled by other contacts of a circuit and said switch operating in timed relation to those between which it is desired to reduce shock wave generation.
  • the switch may have an arc chamber for containing the arc while the energy thereof is dispersed, and in said vicinity the field may be directed transversely to the length of the arc (along the direction of relative separating motion of the contacts) between the contacts and lengthwise of a path of arc travel extending from said vicinity into the chamber.
  • the field may be directed transversely of the shortest path between the contacts when they are separated.
  • Air-occupied space encompassed by part or all of the coil may provide at least a part of the arc chamber. This ensures the presence of the field within the arc chamber.
  • At least a part of the coil may lie around at least one other switch component defining the arc chamber.
  • the arc chamber may be provided with chutes and/or runners which help to disperse the energy of the arc by operating to sub-divide the arc.
  • a method of at least reducing the generation of a shock wave at the site of an arc established between separable contacts of a switch as these contacts open comprising causing the current feeding the arc to flow in a configuration establishing, preferably in conjunction with magnetically susceptible material, a magnetic field at the site of the arc, characterised in that such field is substantially normal to any shock front which would otherwise tend to be set up by the establishment of the arc and the field is of a form and strength to cause the Alfven speed, at least in the vicinity of said site and in plasma associated with the-orc, to be significantly in excess of the air speed attainable by such shock front.
  • Figure I of the drawings shows an air break switch 10 comprising a pair of electrical contacts I and 15 and a further pair of electrical contacts 12 and 16. An operating means for making and breaking on electrical connection between the two contacts of each pair is indicated at 13.
  • operating means 13 is used to move an electrically conductive connecting member 14 which carries or incorporates contacts 15 and 16 so that contacts 15 and 16 conductively abut fixed contacts I and 12 respectively, to permit a current flow through the switch via member 14 and both pairs of contacts.
  • an electrically conductive coil 20 which may be of an elongate essentially rectangular form, as viewed in plan, is provided around the perimeter of an arc chamber 17 and is seen in Figure I from a direction perpendicular to one of its longer sides. If desired, said coil may surround more of said switch than is the case in Figures 1 and 2 and said coil may, for example, extend further in a direction towards the operating means 13 up to or beyond said contacts so that a part of said coil lies around said contacts.
  • One end 20a of said coil is conductively connected to contact 12 by connector 21, and the other end 20b of said coil is connected to a terminal 22.
  • Contact 11 is conductively connected to a further terminal 23 via a solenoid 24 and a bi-metallic strip 25.
  • the air break switch is connected into an external circuit using terminals 22 and 23.
  • Coil 20 is thus in series with contacts 11 and 15, member 14, and contacts 16 and 12, and carries all the current which flows through the switch either via only the contacts and member 14 or via the contacts and member 14 and an arc or arcs between contacts of either pair. As a result of carrying said current, coil 20 generates a magnetic field which occupies said chamber 17 and extends into the vicinities of contacts II, 12, 15, and 16.
  • a biasing spring 26 is provided which may be made of a magnetically susceptible material, such as steel for example, and consequently serves a dual purpose of urging contacts 15 and 16 on member 14 to make good electrical contact with contacts I and 12 respectively, when required, and of acting as a flux director which causes said field to pass through a gap between the two contacts of each pair when current flows through the switch due to the establishment of an arc between those contacts.
  • flux directors 27 are provided specifically in order to direct said flux between said contacts located between flux directors 27 and .coil 20 in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
  • Flux directors 27, as illusirated, are each in the form of a plate, but each may alternatively be in the form of a rod or may have any other suitable form.
  • Figure 2 shows the lines of force of said magnetic field in a part of said arc chamber and in the vicinities of the contacts, member 14, connector 21 (of negligible magnetic susceptibility), spring 26 and one of the flux directors 27.
  • Dashed lines 28 and 29 are typical of these field lines, and all of these lines are substantially parallel until they emerge from chamber 17.
  • a possible path along which an arc could occur between contact 12 and contact 16 is indicated at 30.
  • Dashed lines 31 and 32 and similar lines represent successive positions which may be occupied by a shock front (generated initially by an arc along path 30) as it travels, by reason of the known magnetic blow-out effect, towards and into chamber 17.
  • the flux directors have sizes, shapes and positions such that said field is approximately normal to path 30 and subsequent shock front positions, and such that said field is enhanced in the vicinity of said contacts.
  • Energy released by said arc would, in prior art switches, have been carried away from said arc mainly by (air) shock fronts in the air within the switch. However, energy can also be carried away from the arc via oscillations of the plasma of ionised air produced by the arc.
  • the magnetic flux is so strong in the region of path 30 that the Alfven speed (i.e. the speed at which plasma oscillations perpendicular to the field propogate along the field lines) is so much in excess of any speed of travel attainable by an air shock front, that the effect of the flux is to bring about dispersal of said energy by way of oscillations rather than by a unidirectionally travelling shock front.
  • Said energy is thus very rapidly conveyed by waves of plasma oscillations along said field lines into chamber 17, where the field lines are more widely spaced than in said region, and very little energy remains in the vicinity of the arc path at 30 for the generation of any air shock front.
  • Most of an arc's energy is in fact dispersed by waves of plasma oscillations before enough time has elapsed for such a shock front to be generated.
  • the arc posses down chutes 18 between runners 19 in said arc chamber parallel to the magnetic field in said arc chamber. Said runners help to conduct away said energy, and each runner comprises a plate of thermally conductive/absorptive material arranged so that its plane is approximately parallel to the magnetic field in the arc chamber.
  • the runners 19 are not shown in Figure 2, but have end portions which are indicated in Figure 1.
  • the magnetic field produced by the flow of said current in coil 20 which, as mentioned, is substantially normal to the shock front is arranged to be sufficiently strong to have a greater effect on the plasma than that due to the known blow-out field set up by the current flowing in the arc itself.
  • a bi-metallic strip 25 is arranged for use in conjunction with solenoid 24 to stop current flow in said switch when the current becomes too high (the current flows through the bi-metallic strip, which is heated by the current to a temperature - and consequently to a deflection - dependent upon the magnitude of that current).
  • Solenoid 24 operates a plunger 33 which in turn acts on operating means 13.
  • a manually operable release lever 34 is provided to allow the switch to be switched off and/or on manually.
  • a speed-controlling spring 35 is used to exert, on operating means 13, a force which ultimately acts on member 14 to cause the connection between contacts 1 and 15 and the connection between contacts 12 and 16 to be broken rapidly so as to minimise the duration of any arcs which may occur.
  • FIG. 3 shows a portion of a further air break switch 110 in accordance with the invention.
  • Switch 110 comprises a fixed contact 108 and a movable contact 106 on a movable conductive member 101.
  • Contact !08 is conductively connected via a conductive element 140 to one end 120a of an electrically conductive coil 120, and the other end 120b of coil 120 is conductively connected via a further conductive element 141 to a further fixed contact 109 and thence to a terminal 122.
  • Suitable insulating portions 142, 143 serve to insulate conductive elements 140, 141 and the coil ends 120a, 120b from each other.
  • Conductive member 101 is T-shaped, with contact 106 located on its central stem portion 104 (seen from one side in Figure 3) and a further movable contact 107, fixed with respect to movable contact 106, on its crossmember 105 (seen end-on in Figure 3), and is conductively connected to another terminal 160.
  • Terminals 100 and 122 are used for connecting switch 110 into an external circuit, and the switch 110, when thus connected, is used to control current flow between those terminals.
  • arm 102 In order to move member 101 to its closed position so as to permit current flow between terminals 100 and 122, arm 102 is lowered so as to lower member 101 in the direction indicated by arrow A. Member 101 is mounted and/or balanced in such a way that contacts 106 and 108 conductively abut each other and establish current flow before contacts 107 and 109 abut each other. During opening of the switch no arc occurs between contacts 107 and 109 since contacts 106 and 108 are still in abutting relation and provide a short circuit across contacts 107, 109. When contacts 106 and 108 begin to separate and are only a short distance apart, an electrical arc will occur through the air between them.
  • the coil 120 is effectively in series between contacts 109 and 108 and will carry the arc current thereby generating a magnetic field in the vicinity of said arc.
  • This magnetic field is sufficiently strong, and suitably directed (i.e. approximately normal to any shock front that may be generated by said arc) to hinder or prevent development of potentially damaging air shock fronts by said arc, said magnetic field having this effect for the same physical reasons as those given in the description of the switch 10 of Figures I and 2.
  • Any suitably positioned part of the switch may be made of magnetically susceptible material, if necessary, in order to cause the magnetic field to have a suitable strength and direction at least in the vicinity of contact 108.
  • Each said runner 119 comprises a base portion 119b and two side limbs 119a connected to opposite ends of base portion 119b.
  • Coil 120 lies around runner base portions 119b, said limbs having their lengths extending longitudinally of the coil axis and hence approximately parallel to said magnetic field generated by coil 120.
  • Central stem portion 104 of member 101 moves within a part of an arc chamber 117 located between the side limbs 119a of runners 119.

Landscapes

  • Arc-Extinguishing Devices That Are Switches (AREA)
EP84102154A 1982-08-07 1984-03-01 Interrupteur à air Withdrawn EP0153433A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08222840A GB2125626B (en) 1982-08-07 1982-08-07 Arc interruption in air break switch
EP84102154A EP0153433A1 (fr) 1982-08-07 1984-03-01 Interrupteur à air

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08222840A GB2125626B (en) 1982-08-07 1982-08-07 Arc interruption in air break switch
EP84102154A EP0153433A1 (fr) 1982-08-07 1984-03-01 Interrupteur à air

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0153433A1 true EP0153433A1 (fr) 1985-09-04

Family

ID=26091495

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP84102154A Withdrawn EP0153433A1 (fr) 1982-08-07 1984-03-01 Interrupteur à air

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0153433A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB2125626B (fr)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3701275A1 (de) * 1987-01-17 1988-07-28 Vorwerk Co Interholding Ueberstromschutz-schnappschalter fuer haushaltsgeraete
US5130504A (en) * 1990-08-29 1992-07-14 Eaton Corporation Bi-directional direct current switching apparatus having bifurcated arc runners extending into separate arc extinguishing chambers
GB2369246B (en) * 2000-11-18 2004-04-21 Whipp & Bourne Ltd Circuit breaker with magnetic coil for arc displacement

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB267515A (en) * 1926-03-13 1927-11-17 Siemens Schuckertwerke Gmbh Improvements in or relating to arc rupturing arrangements for electric switches
DE682650C (de) * 1937-07-13 1939-10-20 Aeg Magnetische Lichtbogenloescheinrichtung
GB714526A (en) * 1952-02-25 1954-09-01 Switchgear & Cowans Ltd Improvements relating to air-break circuit breakers
GB1499486A (en) * 1975-04-02 1978-02-01 Hazemeijer Bv Electric arc extinguishing apparatus
DE2700117A1 (de) * 1977-01-04 1978-07-13 Kloeckner Moeller Elektrizit Leitungsschutzschalter in schmalbauweise
FR2522873A1 (fr) * 1982-03-04 1983-09-09 App Elect Cie Gle Chambre d'extinction d'arc pour interrupteur et interrupteur comprenant ladite chambre d'extinction d'arc

Family Cites Families (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB264363A (en) * 1926-03-20 1927-01-20 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Improvements in or relating to arc rupturing devices
US1948741A (en) * 1931-05-02 1934-02-27 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Circuit interrupting device
BE435091A (fr) * 1938-06-28
GB705463A (en) * 1952-03-14 1954-03-10 Electrical Apparatus Co Ltd Improvements in or relating to arc-chutes for electric contact breaking apparatus
GB796101A (en) * 1955-04-29 1958-06-04 Whipp & Bourne Ltd Improvements in or relating to electric air circuit breakers having arc extinguishing means
BE545609A (fr) * 1955-08-29
US3070681A (en) * 1958-10-29 1962-12-25 Ite Circuit Breaker Ltd Face wound blowout coil
GB940511A (en) * 1960-03-18 1963-10-30 Ite Circuit Breaker Ltd Improvements in or relating to air-break, magnetic blow-out electric circuit interrupters
IT1093742B (it) * 1978-03-30 1985-07-26 Maggi Ernesto Camera di estinzione di un arco eletrico del tipo a soffio magnetico

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB267515A (en) * 1926-03-13 1927-11-17 Siemens Schuckertwerke Gmbh Improvements in or relating to arc rupturing arrangements for electric switches
DE682650C (de) * 1937-07-13 1939-10-20 Aeg Magnetische Lichtbogenloescheinrichtung
GB714526A (en) * 1952-02-25 1954-09-01 Switchgear & Cowans Ltd Improvements relating to air-break circuit breakers
GB1499486A (en) * 1975-04-02 1978-02-01 Hazemeijer Bv Electric arc extinguishing apparatus
DE2700117A1 (de) * 1977-01-04 1978-07-13 Kloeckner Moeller Elektrizit Leitungsschutzschalter in schmalbauweise
FR2522873A1 (fr) * 1982-03-04 1983-09-09 App Elect Cie Gle Chambre d'extinction d'arc pour interrupteur et interrupteur comprenant ladite chambre d'extinction d'arc

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2125626A (en) 1984-03-07
GB2125626B (en) 1986-04-03

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Effective date: 19860603