US2999961A - Ignition and excitation circuit for single-anode pool-type discharge vessels - Google Patents

Ignition and excitation circuit for single-anode pool-type discharge vessels Download PDF

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Publication number
US2999961A
US2999961A US847794A US84779459A US2999961A US 2999961 A US2999961 A US 2999961A US 847794 A US847794 A US 847794A US 84779459 A US84779459 A US 84779459A US 2999961 A US2999961 A US 2999961A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
excitation
ignition
relay
anode
circuit
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Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US847794A
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English (en)
Inventor
Filberich Ludwig
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.)
Siemens Schuckertwerke AG
Siemens Corp
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Siemens Corp
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J13/00—Discharge tubes with liquid-pool cathodes, e.g. metal-vapour rectifying tubes
    • H01J13/02—Details
    • H01J13/48—Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the tube and not otherwise provided for
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J13/00—Discharge tubes with liquid-pool cathodes, e.g. metal-vapour rectifying tubes
    • H01J13/02—Details
    • H01J13/34—Igniting arrangements
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02M—APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF
    • H02M1/00—Details of apparatus for conversion
    • H02M1/02—Circuits specially adapted for the generation of grid-control or igniter-control voltages for discharge tubes incorporated in static converters
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J2893/00—Discharge tubes and lamps
    • H01J2893/0072—Disassembly or repair of discharge tubes
    • H01J2893/0073—Discharge tubes with liquid poolcathodes; constructional details
    • H01J2893/0074—Cathodic cups; Screens; Reflectors; Filters; Windows; Protection against mercury deposition; Returning condensed electrode material to the cathodic cup; Liquid electrode level control
    • H01J2893/0087—Igniting means; Cathode spot maintaining or extinguishing means

Definitions

  • My invention relates to single-anode pool-type discharge vessels which, aside from their main anode, comprise an ignitor as well as an exciting or holding anode continuously excited during operation of the tube of the vessel to keep the cathode spot alive after the ignitor pulse is spent.
  • the vessel with ignition control means which, in response to vanishing of the excitation current due to extinction of the excitation arc, produce an ignition pulse and apply it to the ignitor prior to commencement of the next current-conducting cycle period of the vessel.
  • the extinction of the continuous excitation generally, does not interrupt the rectifying operation of the discharge vessel.
  • a time interval of approximately one-half of the alternating main-anode voltage of the vessel is available because any extinction of the continuous excitation are, as a rule, occurs at the end of a current conducting period.
  • the ignitor or ignition pin of the vessel is connected with an electric energy storing member through a normally closed contact of a rapidly acting relay whose control winding is connected in the circuit of the excitation anode.
  • a capacitor which is kept charged during normal operation of the rectifier vessel.
  • the ignitor circuit is preferably provided with a normally open contact of a relay whose control winding is excited by the capacitor voltage and which drops off instantaneously after discharging of the capacitor while picking up with delay when the capacitor is being charged.
  • the primary winding of a transformer is connected in the circuit of the excitation anode and has its secondary winding connected with the ignitor circuit for energizing the latter.
  • the vanishing of the excitation current produces in the transformer secondary winding an ignition pulse without requiring the response of any relays.
  • the ignition of the discharge vessel when starting its operation or after unsuccessful attempts at re-ignition is preferably effected by connecting parallel to the continuous excitation gap of the discharge vessel a normally closed contact of a relay which opens with delay when a current starts flowing in the transformer primary winding. Consequently, a primary current can flow through the transformer through the normally closed contact of the latter relay as long as the excitation arc of the vessel is extinct. When the latter relay picks up, the primary current is interrupted, thus inducing an ignition pulse in the secondary winding.
  • the relay to be energized in dependence upon the primary current of a transformer has its coil circuit controlled by a normally closed contact of a control relay whose winding is connected in series with the primary winding of the transformer.
  • the single-anode mercury pool rectifier tube comprises a main anode 2, a control grid 3, an excitation or holding anode 4, a pool cathode 5, and an ignitor or ignition pin 6.
  • a transformer 10 with a primary winding 11 and two secondary windings 12 and 13 is provided for supplying continuous excitation to the excitation anode 4 and energizing the ignition circuit of ignitor 6.
  • the primary winding 11 is connected to an alternating-voltage source at terminals 9.
  • the voltage of secondary winding 13 is rectified by a dry-rectifier bridge network 14 Whose positive output terminal is connected with the excitation anode 4 through an adjustable resistor 15, the control winding of a relay 16 and a smoothing reactor 17, a smoothing capacitor 18 being connected across the rectifier output leads between resistor 15 and reactor coil 17.
  • the negative output terminal of rectifier bridge 14 is connected to the cathode 5 of tube 1.
  • the secondary winding 12 furnishes the energy required for ignition of the tube.
  • the voltage of winding 12 is rectified by a dry-rectifier bridge network 20.
  • a capacitor 21 in series with a resistor 22.
  • the capacitor is normally kept charged to serve as energy storer.
  • Connected parallel to capacitor 21 is the control winding of a relay 23 in series with a resistor 24.
  • Another capacitor 25 lies in parallel to the winding of relay 23, and a diode 26, preferably of the solid-state type, is con nected parallel to the resistor 24.
  • the RC member constituted by components 24 and 25 causes the relay 23 to pick up with delay when the capacitor 21 is being charged. However, the relay 23 drops off instantaneously when capacitor 21 discharges because the discharge occurs through the diode 26 virtually without delay.
  • a positive terminal of capacitor 21 is connected with ignitor 6 through a normally open contact 23a of relay 23 and a normally closed contact 16a of relay 16 in series with a diode 27 preferably of the solid-state type.
  • the negative terminal of capacitor 21 is directly connected with the tube cathode 5.
  • the device according to FIG. 1 operates as follows:
  • the contact 16a In the inactive condition of the rectifier tube 1, the contact 16a is closed and the contact 23 is open, the arrows shown at the respective contacts indicating the drop-off direction of the relays 16 and 23.
  • the capacitor 21 When the alternating voltage at terminals 9 is switched on, the capacitor 21 is charged.
  • the relay 23 will respond and close its contact 23a. Now the capacitor 21 discharges through the ignitor pin 6 so that an arc discharge in tube 1 between excitation anode 4 and cathode 5 commences.
  • the relay 23 drops off and opens its contact 23a. Due to the flow of excitation current, the relay 16 picks up and opens contact 16a.
  • the capacitor 21 is now again charged, with contact 23 being open. As soon as the capacitor has reached a given voltage, the relay 23 again picks up and closes the contact 23a. Since now the contact 16a is open, the capacitor 21 remains charged as long as the operation of tube 1 continues without trouble.
  • the rapid relay 16 drops 013? after an interval of time much smaller than one-half-cycle period of the energizing alternating voltage, this interval being in the order of a few milli-seconds.
  • contact 16a closes so that capacitor 21 discharges through the ignitor 6.
  • the continuous excitation of anode 4 is immediately re-established so that the rectifier tube is again in operating condition for the next current-conducting period.
  • the further operations are the same as described above. However, if the ignition is not successful, the capacitor is again charged, whereafter the contact 23a closes and initiates another ignition attempt.
  • the continuous excitation current supplied from the dry-rectifier bridge network 3%) passes through the primary winding 31 of a transformer whose secondary winding 32 is connected in the ignitor circuit.
  • the circuit of the excitation anode 4 further comprises a relay 33 with a normally open contact 33a.
  • a normally closed contact 35a of another relay 35 is connected in parallel to the continuous excitation gap between components 4 and of tube 1.
  • Contact 35a is designed as a vacuum switch; that is, it is enclosed within an evacuated envelope.
  • the control coil of relay 35 is connected in series with the normally open contact 33a of relay 33 and in parallel with the capacitor 36 of an RC member also comprising a resistor 37, so that relay 35 responds with delay upon closing of contact 33a.
  • a device according to FIG. 2 operates as follows:
  • contact 33a In the inactive condition of the rectifier tube, contact 33a is open and contact 35a is closed as shown.
  • a current first flows through the control coil of relay 33, the primary winding 31, and the contact 35a. This current causes relay 33 to pick up.
  • Contact 33a closes and energizes the relay 35 which picks up after lapse of a delaying interval determined by the dimensioning of the circuit components 36 and 37.
  • Relay 35 then opens its contact 35a, thus interrupting the current flowing through the primary winding 31.
  • the rapid change in current induces in the secondary winding 32 a high peak voltage which drives a current pulse through the ignitor pin 6 of the tube 1.
  • contact 33a remains closed and contact 35a open.
  • an ignition and excitation system comprising a pulse circuit connected between said cathode and said ignitor and having pulse generating means for supplying an ignition pulse to said ignitor, an excitation circuit connected between said cathode and said excitation anode and having continuous-current supply means, an electric energy storer and a direct-current source connected thereto for normally maintaining said storer in changed condition, and control circuit means connected with said excitation circuit and responsive to current change in said excitation circuit, said control circuit means connecting said energy storer to said pulse circuit for issuing an ignition pulse from said storer to said ignitor, whereby the moment of said pulse is dependent upon the vanishing moment of excitation current and independent of the phase condition of the discharge vessel to re-ignite said excitation prior to the next conducting halfcycle period of said vessel.
  • an ignition and excitation system comprising a pulse circuit connected between said cathode and said ignitor, an excitation circuit connected between said cathode and said excitation anode and having continuouscurrent supply means, an electric energy storer and a voltage source connected thereto for normally maintaining said storer in charged condition, normally open relay means connecting said storer with said ignition circuit and having a zero-current responsive control circuit connected with said excitation circuit, said relay means having a time constant smaller than one-half-cycle period of said discharge vessel, whereby vanishing of excitation current causes closing of said relay means to discharge an ignition pulse from said storer to said ignitor at a moment independent of the phase condition of the discharge vessel and prior to the next conducting half-cycle period of said vessel.
  • an ignition and excitation system comprising a pulse circuit connected between said cathode and said ignitor, an excitation circuit connected between said cathode and said exciter anode and having continuous-current supply means, a capacitor and a voltage source connected thereto for normally maintaining said capacitor charged, normally open relay means connecting said capacitor With said ignition circuit and having a zero-current responsive control circuit connected with said excitation circuit, said relay means having a time constant smaller than one-half-cycle period of said discharge vessel, whereby vanishing of excitation current causes closing of said relay means to discharge an ignition pulse from said capacitor to said ignitor at a moment independent of the phase condition of the discharge vessel and prior to the next conducting half-cycle period of said vessel.
  • an ignition and excitation system comprising a pulse circuit connected between said cathode and said ignitor, an excitation circuit connected between said cathode and said excitation anode and having continuous-current supply means, an electric energy storer and a voltage source connected thereto for normally maintaining said storer in charged condition, a rapid electromagnetic relay having a normally closed contact connecting said storer with said ignition circuit and having a relay coil connected in said excitation circuit to be energized by current flowing in said excitation circuit so that said contact is open during normal operation of said vessel, said relay having a time constant smaller than one-half-cycle period of said discharge vessel, whereby vanishing of excitation current causes said contact to discharge from said storer an ignition pulse to said ignitor prior to the next conducting half-cycle period of said vessel.
  • an ignition and excitation system comprising a pulse circuit connected between said cathode and said ignitor, an excitation circuit connected beiWl Said cathode and said exciter anode and having continuous-current supply means, a capacitor and a voltage source connected thereto for normally maintaing said capacitor in charged condition, a rapid electromagnetic relay having a normally closed contact connecting said capacitor with said pulse circuit and having a relay coil connected in said excitation circuit to be energized by current flowing in said excitation circuit so that said contact is open during normal operation of said vessel, whereby vanishing of excitation current causes said contact to discharge from said storer an ignition pulse to said ignitor at a moment independent of the phase condition of the discharge vessel.
  • an ignition and excitation system comprising a pulse circuit connected between said cathode and said ignitor, an excitation circuit connected between said cathode and said exciter anode and having direct-current supply means normally of substantially constant voltage, a transformer having a primary winding connected in said excitation circuit and having a secondary winding connected in said pulse circuit for generating therein an ignition pulse in response to vanishing of excitation current at a moment independent of the phase condition of the discharge vessel.
  • An ignition and excitation system comprising normally-on switch means connected across said excitation anode and cathode and having timedelay control means responsive to current flowing in said primary winding so as to be switched off with delay upon commencement of current flow in said primary winding.
  • An ignition and excitation system comprising an electromagnetic relay having a normally closed contact connected across said excitation anode and cathode and having a coil circuit for controlling said contact, and time-delay control means connected with said excitation circuit for energizing said coil circuit in delayed response to commencement of current flow in said primary winding.
  • An ignition and excitation system comprising a first electromagnetic relay having a normally closed contact connected across said excitation anode and cathode and having a coil circuit for controlling said contact, and a second electromagnetic relay having a normally open contact in said coil circuit and a control coil connected in said excitation circuit, and time delay means connected with one of said relays, whereby said first-relay contact is opened a given interval of time upon commencement of current flow in said primary winding.
  • An ignition and excitation control system comprising another electromagnetic relay having a normally open contact connected in said pulse circuit in series with said normally closed contact and having a relay coil for controlling said normally open contact, a resistor connected in series with said coil across said capacitor, and a diode connected parallel to said resistor for delayed closing and undelayed opening of said normally open contact in response to charging and discharging respectively of said capacitor.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Ignition Installations For Internal Combustion Engines (AREA)
US847794A 1958-11-05 1959-10-21 Ignition and excitation circuit for single-anode pool-type discharge vessels Expired - Lifetime US2999961A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DES60515A DE1126525B (de) 1958-11-05 1958-11-05 Zuend- und Erregerschaltung fuer Einanodengefaesse mit Initialzuendung und Dauererregung

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2999961A true US2999961A (en) 1961-09-12

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ID=7494164

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US847794A Expired - Lifetime US2999961A (en) 1958-11-05 1959-10-21 Ignition and excitation circuit for single-anode pool-type discharge vessels

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US2999961A (de)
BE (1) BE583683A (de)
CH (1) CH377006A (de)
DE (1) DE1126525B (de)
FR (1) FR1236827A (de)
GB (1) GB909720A (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3243650A (en) * 1964-01-15 1966-03-29 Ralph W Hawkins Continuous ionization of flash lamps
US3265929A (en) * 1963-12-19 1966-08-09 Gen Electric High current cold cathode gas triode control system
US3624445A (en) * 1970-05-08 1971-11-30 Eg & G Inc Electric system for firing a gaseous discharge device

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1957205A (en) * 1932-03-01 1934-05-01 Gen Electric Gas conduction device
US1959201A (en) * 1931-03-25 1934-05-15 Gen Electric Electric discharge apparatus
US2491990A (en) * 1948-08-19 1949-12-20 Westinghouse Electric Corp Cathode spot control
US2535698A (en) * 1949-12-28 1950-12-26 Gen Electric Electric valve excitation circuit

Family Cites Families (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE361874C (de) * 1922-11-25 Siemens Schuckertwerke G M B H Quecksilberdampfgleichrichter
GB405857A (en) * 1932-09-14 1934-02-15 English Electric Co Ltd Igniting device for metal vapour rectifiers, particularly dipping igniting device for glass-bulb rectifiers
US2190775A (en) * 1937-06-16 1940-02-20 Gen Electric Electric valve circuit
US2190799A (en) * 1937-06-16 1940-02-20 Gen Electric Starting circuit for electric valve apparatus
DE729921C (de) * 1939-09-07 1943-01-05 Siemens Ag Steuerkreis fuer gegensinnig parallel geschaltete Gas- oder Dampfentladungsgefaesse mit Initialzuendung
CH224778A (de) * 1942-05-16 1942-12-15 Bbc Brown Boveri & Cie Einrichtung für die Zündung und Erregung von Stromrichtern.
US2441987A (en) * 1944-07-07 1948-05-25 Westinghouse Electric Corp Excitation system for vapor electric valves
US2478764A (en) * 1944-11-13 1949-08-09 Bbc Brown Boveri & Cie Electric valve device
BE500015A (de) * 1949-12-28
DE920498C (de) * 1949-12-30 1954-11-22 Gen Electric Elektrische Entladungsvorrichtung
DE1003362B (de) * 1955-08-16 1957-02-28 Siemens Ag Gittersteuersatz fuer gas- oder dampfgefuellte Entladungsgefaesse mit einem saettigbaren Impulstransformator

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1959201A (en) * 1931-03-25 1934-05-15 Gen Electric Electric discharge apparatus
US1957205A (en) * 1932-03-01 1934-05-01 Gen Electric Gas conduction device
US2491990A (en) * 1948-08-19 1949-12-20 Westinghouse Electric Corp Cathode spot control
US2535698A (en) * 1949-12-28 1950-12-26 Gen Electric Electric valve excitation circuit

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3265929A (en) * 1963-12-19 1966-08-09 Gen Electric High current cold cathode gas triode control system
US3243650A (en) * 1964-01-15 1966-03-29 Ralph W Hawkins Continuous ionization of flash lamps
US3624445A (en) * 1970-05-08 1971-11-30 Eg & G Inc Electric system for firing a gaseous discharge device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1126525B (de) 1962-03-29
GB909720A (en) 1962-10-31
FR1236827A (fr) 1960-07-22
BE583683A (fr) 1960-02-15
CH377006A (de) 1964-04-30

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