Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H33/00—High-tension or heavy-current switches with arc-extinguishing or arc-preventing means
  • H01H33/02—Details
  • H01H33/42—Driving mechanisms
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H3/00—Mechanisms for operating contacts
  • H01H3/22—Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism
  • H01H3/30—Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism using spring motor
  • H01H3/3042—Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism using spring motor using a torsion spring
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H33/00—High-tension or heavy-current switches with arc-extinguishing or arc-preventing means
  • H01H33/02—Details
  • H01H33/28—Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism
  • H01H33/30—Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism using fluid actuator
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H33/00—High-tension or heavy-current switches with arc-extinguishing or arc-preventing means
  • H01H33/02—Details
  • H01H33/28—Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism
  • H01H33/40—Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism using spring motor
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H2235/00—Springs
  • H01H2235/01—Spiral spring

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for actuating the contacts of a high or medium voltage circuit breaker.
• the actuating device comprises a fixed contact and a movable contact, a rigid drive shaft which drives the moving contact, resilient means for driving the movable contact and a torsion bar for driving the drive shaft, the drive shaft. torsion being able to be deformed in torsion to assist the elastic means during a first part of the opening of the contacts of the circuit breaker.
• Circuit breakers in gas - insulated substations are equipped with actuators. These actuators provide the energy and torque needed to open and close the moving contacts of the circuit breaker.
• the circuit breakers use either hydraulic actuators, pneumatic actuators or spring mechanisms.
• the present invention relates to a spring mechanism.
• the present invention has been developed for use preferably in gas-insulated switches. However, its application is not limited to gas insulated circuit breakers. It can also be applied to air-insulated circuit breakers, such as dead-tank circuit breakers or Live-tank. In addition, the present invention applies both to switches for indoor use and switches for use outdoors.
• GB 897370 discloses a spring actuating mechanism which utilizes a combination of a first spring and a torsion spring. It includes a crankshaft connected to the spring, a lost motion coupling mechanism and a contact. The torsion spring is connected to the crankshaft by a connecting rod, a crankshaft axis and bevel gears and by the lost motion coupling.
• this device comprises two separate springs for opening and for closing the contact. One of these springs assists the opening operation of a contact, while the other spring provides the energy necessary for the closure of this contact. In other words, the two springs do not act together mobile contact.
• the device described in this document does not describe a combined spring, intended to obtain an optimum curve of energy or torque as a function of the distance between the contacts of a circuit breaker.
• the torsion spring shown in this document is a coil spring.
• This type of spring is not optimized from the point of view of its compactness since it has a housing which is separate from the crankshaft and the lost motion coupling.
• the torsion spring is mechanically connected to the lost motion coupling by means of two bevel gears.
• this device comprises a large number of parts. From a technical point of view, it is complex to realize.
• GB 696142 Also known (GB 696142) is a device in which steel torsion bars help the separation of the contacts inside a circuit breaker.
• the torsion bars apply their maximum torque at the beginning of the opening operation.
• the described device comprises two torsion bars which are arranged symmetrically with respect to an elastic torsion lever. The latter is used for loading and unloading the steel torsion bars and is arranged between two contact lifting levers. During the initial part of the opening operation, the steel torsion bars apply additional torque through the contact lift levers. Thus, they separate the moving contacts from the disjunctor.
• Each torsion bar is co-axially surrounded by a torsion tube.
• the torsion bars and the torsion tubes can be elastically deformed in torsion by means of the torsion spring lever.
• each torsion tube is immobilized in rotation with respect to the torsion spring lever.
• each bar torsion is immobilized in rotation at its distal end relative to the torsion tube which surrounds it.
• This device comprises two torsion bars and two torsion tubes. It therefore has a high number of components, which decreases reliability. Reliability is of paramount importance for spring operated actuators. Each additional component represents an additional risk of failure.
• torsion tubes and torsion bars act as a composite torsion spring.
• the springs must be immobilized in rotation in three places:
• the torsion spring must be immobilized in rotation relative to the support element
• Each torsion bar is immobilized in rotation at its distal end with respect to the torsion tube;
• each torsion bar is immobilized in rotation with respect to a torsion spring lever.
• a lost motion element that acts as a brake JP10241510.
• a rotating cylindrical body is surrounded by an annular cylinder.
• the annular cylinder has a plurality of orifices along its outer perimeter.
• a game in the form of a circular arc is provided inside the annular cylinder.
• the latter has the shape of a sector.
• a piston mounted outside the cylindrical rotating body penetrates the circular cylindrical arc clearance. The orifices facilitate the evacuation of a flow of fluid from the circular arc-shaped clearance to the outside of the annular cylinder.
• the piston When the cylindrical rotating body rotates counterclockwise, the piston expels the fluid out of the circular arc-shaped clearance through the orifices.
• the orifices are of calibrated diameter so that the flow of fluid escaping out of the circular arc-shaped clearance is limited. Therefore, the piston and the rotating body can only move at a limited speed so that the device acts as a brake.
• This device requires a container that receives the working fluid.
• the fact that the device acts as a brake does not make it possible to reach a maximum speed between the fixed and movable contacts of a disjunctor.
• the present invention solves the problem of developing an actuator contacts for a two-cycle circuit breaker.
• High-voltage circuit breakers in 60-Hz networks are often required to purge a fault within the two cycles, so that their break time is limited to 33.3 ms.
• the relative speed of the contacts inside the circuit breaker must be maximized.
• the relative speed between the contacts inside a circuit breaker at the time of contact separation is crucial for extinguishing an electric arc occurring between the contacts.
• the present invention thus aims to optimize the relative speed between a fixed contact and a movable contact at the time of separation of the contacts.
• the present invention also relates to a device for actuating the contacts which minimizes the energy stored in its springs.
• the energy and torque for any relative position of the fixed and moving contacts of a circuit breaker should be as close as possible to the ideal curve.
• the optimum of this curve of energy with respect to the distance between the contacts is determined by the purpose of extinguishing the arc.
• the actuating device must also be compact. Another problem which is the basis of the invention is therefore to provide an actuating device whose dimensions are minimized.
• the device has only one torsion bar, unlike the device described in GB696142.
• the number of pieces is reduced and therefore the complexity of the system is reduced.
• the torsion bar is immobilized in rotation at each of its ends, which leads to two rotating immobilizations, as opposed to the six rotating immobilizations of GB696142.
• the torsion bar is housed inside the drive shaft, the physical bulk of the device is reduced. This gives a compact actuating device.
• the elastic means consist of at least one helical spring.
• the actuating device comprises a lost motion element which consists of two stops and said ring, two pistons angularly spaced from one another and secured to the ring, the pistons being able to abut against the stops during the rotation of one shaft.
• the actuating device according to the invention comprises a lever capable of exerting traction on a chain, which compresses the coil spring.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially in section, of a device for actuating the contacts of a circuit breaker according to the present invention
• Figure 2 is a perspective view, at another angle of the device for actuating the contacts of a circuit breaker shown in Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a curve showing the actuating torque of the contacts as a function of the angular position of the drive shaft.
• FIG. 1 shows a device for actuating the contacts of a high or medium voltage circuit breaker. It comprises a torsion bar 2.
• the torsion bar 2 has a central portion of smaller diameter, first and second end 4,6 of larger diameter.
• the torsion bar 2 is housed inside a drive shaft 8.
• the second end 6 of the torsion bar 2 is immobilized in rotation with respect to the drive shaft 8, for example by means of flutes or serrations. Other means of immobilization in rotation can be used, for example example a key or a pin.
• the torsion bar is immobilized in rotation with respect to a ring 10.
• the torsion bar 2 and the drive shaft 8 are coaxial with an axis 12 shown in phantom.
• the first end of the torsion bar 4 as well as its central part can rotate inside the drive shaft 8.
• the torsion bar 2 can be deformed in torsion.
• the drive shaft 8 is rigid. It does not deform in torsion. It can however rotate around its longitudinal axis 12.
• the clearance between the torsion bar and the drive shaft 8 is minimized.
• This arrangement is intended to prevent any movement of the first end 4 of the torsion bar which could be perpendicular to the axis of rotation 12 of the drive shaft 8. In other words, the first end 4 of the torsion bar can only rotate around the axis of rotation 12.
• the lost motion element It consists of two stop elements 14 and 16 and the ring 10 having two pistons 18 and 20.
• the pistons 18 and 20 are formed in one piece with the ring 10.
• the abutment elements 14 , 16, and the pistons 18, 20 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of rotation 12.
• the ring 10 is rotatably connected to the first end 4 of the Torsion bar 2. Therefore, the pistons 18 and 20 are also rotatably connected to the torsion bar 2.
• the stop elements 14, 16 are rigidly connected to the housing of the contact actuator and do not move. When the pistons 18, 20 are in their position shown in FIG. 2, their radial surfaces come into contact with the radial surfaces of the stop elements 14, 16.
• reference numeral 22 denotes a lever. This lever is non-pivotally connected to the drive shaft 8. As the lever 22 rotates, the drive shaft 8 and the second end 6 of the torsion bar 2 rotate in the same direction.
• Two bearings 24, for example ball baskets, facilitate the rotational movement of the assembly above with respect to the housing of the actuating device.
• the actuating device comprises a housing 26 with a spring.
• One end of the spring is attached to a rod 28.
• the other end of the rod 28 is fixed to a chain 30.
• the chain 30 passes over two rollers 32 and 34 movable in rotation.
• the other end of the chain that is to say the one that is not attached to the rod 28, designated by the reference 36, is attached to a fastener 38.
• the position of the pistons 18 and 20 with respect to the abutment members 14 and 16 as shown in FIG. 2 indicates that neither the torsion bar 2 nor the coil spring contained in the housing 26 is loaded.
• the lever 22 and the drive shaft 8 are rotated counterclockwise.
• the lever 22 pulls the upper end of the chain 30 to the right (according to FIG. 2) thus compressing the helical spring contained in the housing 26.
• the pistons 18 and 20 rotate counterclockwise. They continue their rotational movement until their radial surfaces come into contact with the abutment elements 14 and 16. Once the pistons 18 and 20 have reached their final position, they can not continue their rotational movement. The lever 22 and the drive shaft 8 continue, in turn, their rotation in the opposite direction of the clockwise. The first end 4 of the torsion bar 2 is now blocked by the engagement between the pistons 18 and 20 and the abutment members 14 and 16.
• the continued clockwise rotation of the second end 6 of the torsion bar 2 deforms the torsion bar in rotation 2.
• the torsion bar 2 is loaded .
• the lever typically continues its rotation by an angle of 10 ° to 40 °, until the torsion bar is fully loaded.
• the torsion bar 2 and the coil spring contained in the housing 26 must discharge for the actuation mechanism to actuate the moving contacts of a circuit breaker. When this occurs, the lever 22 rotates clockwise. As long as the pistons 18 and 20 are in contact with the abutment members 14 and 16, the torsion bar 2 applies an additional torque to the drive shaft 8. After a rotation of between 10 ° and 40 °, the pistons 18 and 20 are no longer in contact with the stop members 14 and 16. The torsion bar 2 no longer drives the drive shaft 8. Only the coil spring contained in the housing 26 continues to provide a torque.
• FIG. 3 shows a curve of the torque as a function of the angular position of the drive shaft.
• Curve 40 represents the additional torque from torsion bar 2.
• the torsion bar provides additional torque for angular positions of the drive shaft between 0 ° and 20 °. This range covers the angular position of the drive shaft 8 during which the contacts inside the circuit breaker accelerate.
• the invention solves the problem of optimizing the relative speed between the contacts of a circuit breaker at the moment of separation of the contacts, as explained above.
• torsion bar 2 does not provide additional torque for positions of the drive shaft 8 located beyond 20 °.
• Curve 42 represents the torque provided by the coil spring contained in the housing 26 alone. In contrast to the torque provided by the torsion bar, the coil spring contained in the housing 26 provides a torque over the full range of angular position of the drive shaft 8. In other words, the torque curve provided by the helical spring contained in the housing 26 as a function of the angular position of the drive shaft 2 is a continuous curve between 0 ° and 60 °. Curve 44 gives the total contributions of the helical spring contained in the housing 26 and the torsion bar 2. Because of the torque provided by the torsion bar 2, the curve has a steeper slope for the angular positions between 0 ° and 20 ° only for angular positions beyond 20 °. This total torque is close to the optimum torque curve as a function of the distance between the contacts of the circuit breaker. The lower part of the curve 42 is superimposed on the curve 44 so that it does not differ from it in FIG.
• the present invention provides a device for actuating contacts of a high or medium voltage circuit breaker having improved efficiency.
• the torsion bar 2 provides additional torque only at the beginning of an opening operation and the torque provided by the coil spring housed in the housing 26 can be reduced.
• the total energy stored in the Actuating device can be up to 50% lower than a solution without torsion bar.

Landscapes

• Driving Mechanisms And Operating Circuits Of Arc-Extinguishing High-Tension Switches (AREA)
• Gas-Insulated Switchgears (AREA)
• Arc-Extinguishing Devices That Are Switches (AREA)
• Springs (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=48463934

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (12)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (3)

Family Cites Families (14)

• 2012
  • 2012-04-26 FR FR1253872A patent/FR2990053B1/fr active Active
• 2013
  • 2013-04-25 CN CN201380021555.8A patent/CN104246945B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2013-04-25 WO PCT/EP2013/058645 patent/WO2013160409A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2013-04-25 EP EP13723429.0A patent/EP2842144B1/de active Active
  • 2013-04-25 KR KR1020147024796A patent/KR102052673B1/ko active IP Right Grant
  • 2013-04-25 ES ES13723429.0T patent/ES2590858T3/es active Active
  • 2013-04-25 US US14/396,137 patent/US9466447B2/en active Active
  • 2013-04-25 PL PL13723429.0T patent/PL2842144T3/pl unknown
  • 2013-04-25 CA CA 2866397 patent/CA2866397A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 2013-04-25 IN IN1772MUN2014 patent/IN2014MN01772A/en unknown
  • 2013-04-25 JP JP2015507538A patent/JP6382183B2/ja active Active
  • 2013-04-25 HU HUE13723429A patent/HUE028855T2/en unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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