Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02B—BOARDS, SUBSTATIONS OR SWITCHING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SUPPLY OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02B3/00—Apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture, assembly, or maintenance of boards or switchgear
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02B—BOARDS, SUBSTATIONS OR SWITCHING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SUPPLY OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02B1/00—Frameworks, boards, panels, desks, casings; Details of substations or switching arrangements
  • H02B1/26—Casings; Parts thereof or accessories therefor
  • H02B1/30—Cabinet-type casings; Parts thereof or accessories therefor
  • H02B1/32—Mounting of devices therein
  • H02B1/34—Racks
  • H02B1/36—Racks with withdrawable units
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02B—BOARDS, SUBSTATIONS OR SWITCHING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SUPPLY OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02B11/00—Switchgear having carriage withdrawable for isolation
  • H02B11/12—Switchgear having carriage withdrawable for isolation with isolation by horizontal withdrawal
  • H02B11/127—Withdrawal mechanism
  • H02B11/133—Withdrawal mechanism with interlock
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02B—BOARDS, SUBSTATIONS OR SWITCHING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SUPPLY OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02B11/00—Switchgear having carriage withdrawable for isolation
  • H02B11/12—Switchgear having carriage withdrawable for isolation with isolation by horizontal withdrawal
  • H02B11/173—Switchgear having carriage withdrawable for isolation with isolation by horizontal withdrawal drawer type
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02H—EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS
  • H02H1/00—Details of emergency protective circuit arrangements
  • H02H1/0007—Details of emergency protective circuit arrangements concerning the detecting means
  • H02H1/0015—Using arc detectors
  • H02H1/0023—Using arc detectors sensing non electrical parameters, e.g. by optical, pneumatic, thermal or sonic sensors
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02H—EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS
  • H02H7/00—Emergency protective circuit arrangements specially adapted for specific types of electric machines or apparatus or for sectionalised protection of cable or line systems, and effecting automatic switching in the event of an undesired change from normal working conditions
  • H02H7/22—Emergency protective circuit arrangements specially adapted for specific types of electric machines or apparatus or for sectionalised protection of cable or line systems, and effecting automatic switching in the event of an undesired change from normal working conditions for distribution gear, e.g. bus-bar systems; for switching devices
  • H02H7/222—Emergency protective circuit arrangements specially adapted for specific types of electric machines or apparatus or for sectionalised protection of cable or line systems, and effecting automatic switching in the event of an undesired change from normal working conditions for distribution gear, e.g. bus-bar systems; for switching devices for switches
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02B—BOARDS, SUBSTATIONS OR SWITCHING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SUPPLY OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02B11/00—Switchgear having carriage withdrawable for isolation
  • H02B11/02—Details
  • H02B11/10—Indicating electrical condition of gear; Arrangement of test sockets
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02H—EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS
  • H02H1/00—Details of emergency protective circuit arrangements
  • H02H1/0007—Details of emergency protective circuit arrangements concerning the detecting means
  • H02H1/0015—Using arc detectors

Definitions

• the invention relates to a protection system, which comprises a switchgear with an compartment for receiving a slide-in unit and a slide-in unit, which is designed to be inserted in said compartment of the switchgear. Furthermore, the switchgear comprises at least one switching device, a main power system connected to the switching device and first main connectors, which are electrically connected to the main power system and which are arranged in the compartment for the slide-in unit.
• WO 2017/167940 A1 discloses a mobile arc protection system, which comprises at least one arc sensor, an evaluating and control unit and an arc-extinguishing device.
• the arc sensor communicates with the control unit, which controls the arc extinguishing device.
• the arc extinguishing device has a specifiable number of electrical power connections for temporarily connecting the arc-extinguishing device to electrical conductors, in particular bus bars, of an electrical installation, in particular an electrical distribution installation.
• a major drawback of known mobile arc protection systems is that a user needs a lot of expert knowledge how to connect the mobile part of the arc protection system to the switchgear. Often, the electric connections and/or data connections between the mobile part of the arc protection system to the switchgear have to be made in a predetermined sequence and/or in a predetermined timing so as to ensure that the arc protection system works correctly. Otherwise, the arc protection system may be in an ambiguous unsafe state after the mobile part of the arc protection system has been connected to the switchgear. Such an ambiguous unsafe state may result although all necessary connections have been made (but in a wrong sequence and/or in a wrong timing). Hence, a user of the arc protection system may feel safe although he is not protected by the arc protection system. Such a wrong
• the problem of the invention is solved by a method as defined in the opening paragraph, wherein the electric connection to the auxiliary power system of the slide-in unit is made or established at the first slide-in position of the slide-in unit, and the electrical contact between the first main connectors and the second main connectors is made or established at the second slide-in position of the slide-in unit, wherein the first slide-in position is reached before the second slide-in position when the slide-in unit is inserted into the compartment in the switchgear.
• a short circuit switch generally is used to short the conductors of the main power system so as to quench an arc in the main power system.
• the risk for a short circuit is much higher during maintenance than during normal operation. Inappropriate use of tools may lead to an unintentional flashover.
• the switchgear does not need to have a short circuit switch because a short circuit is comprised of the slide-in unit for the time span of raised risk.
• the at least one sensor may also be a portable sensor outside of the switchgear.
• External sensors may comprise light sensors and/or fault current sensors.
• An external light sensor may be used to detect an arc flash, in particular in combination with an internal current sensor.
• the protection system may comprise an external fault current sensor to detect unintentional current over the body of maintenance personnel.
• the at least one switching device in the switchgear is embodied as a main circuit breaker, which connects an electric circuit downstream of the main circuit breaker to a grid connector of the switchgear for a power grid in its ON-state and disconnects said electric circuit from said grid connector in its OFF-state and
• the short circuit switch of the slide-in unit is part of the electric circuit downstream of the main circuit breaker when the slide-in unit is positioned at the second slide-in position.
• triggering the short circuit switch causes disconnection of the main power system from the grid because the short circuit current over the main circuit breaker in turn triggers the main circuit breaker.
• a connection between a first ground connector of the switchgear and a second ground connector of the slide-in unit is made or established at a third slide-in position and/or a connection between the control unit and the at least one sensor is made or established at a fourth slide-in position and/or
• one or more of the third slide-in position, the fourth slide-in position and the fifth slide-in position differ from another and/or differ from the first slide-in position and/or the second slide-in position.
• the auxiliary power system is a low voltage system at a voltage of ⁇ 48V.
• a voltage of the auxiliary power system is lower than the voltage of the main power system.
• the voltage of the auxiliary power system particularly may be 24 V or 48 V, whereas the voltage of the main power system particularly may
• the protection system may need a number of steps until it is in a clear functional state and until a user can trust in the protecting function of the protection system when the slide-in unit is inserted into the compartment of the switchgear.
• a number of steps may be needed to leave the switchgear in a clear functional state when the slide-in unit is removed from the compartment of the switchgear again.
• there may be the need to boot and shutdown the control unit in steps a) and e), particularly if it is software based.
• a movement limitation element which is embodied as a blocking element
• the blocking element may comprise a bolt, which is moved electromagnetically against a stopper in the switchgear or away from the stopper.
• a blocking element may be combined with an output element to indicate the slide-in status.
• the blocking element may also comprise a spring biased bolt, which has to be moved away from a stopper manually, when the output element indicates to do so.
• An operating element for example may be a push button or a switch.
• a front connector for example may be used to connect a sensor or a mobile control unit to the slide-in unit.
• an operating element for example may be a push button or a switch, and a front connector for example may be used to connect a sensor or a mobile control unit to the slide-in unit.
• first slide-in position and to the second slide-in position.
• third slide-in position, the fourth slide-in position or the fifth slide-in position may take over the role of the first slide-in position or the second slide-in position in the above definitions. Furthermore, it is very advantageous if
• one or more steps a) to h) are finished between the first slide-in position and the second slide-in position in time when the slide-in unit is moved at usual speeds.
• a movement limitation element which is embodied as a damping element, creates a back force of more than 50 N if the slide-in unit is moved at a speed above 10 cm/s.
• Fig. 1 shows a wiring scheme of an exemplary protection system
• Fig. 6 shows an example of a switchgear with a door closing an empty
• the switchgear 2a in this example comprises two switching devices 4, 5 each comprising three switching contacts, a main power system 6 connected to the switching devices 4, 5 and first (metallic) main connectors 7a, which are electrically connected to the main power system 6.
• the slide-in unit 3a comprises a short circuit switch 8a, second (metallic) main connectors 9a, which are electrically connected to the short circuit switch 8a, and an auxiliary power system 10 for powering a control unit 1 1 a, which is connected to control input 12 of the short circuit switch 8a, and for powering sensors 13a and 13b, which are connected to an input 14 of the control unit 1 1 a.
• the electric connection to the auxiliary power system 10 of the slide-in unit 3a is made or established at a first slide-in position B of the slide-in unit 3a, and the electrical contact between the first main connectors 7a and the second main connectors 9a is made or established at a different second slide-in position C of the slide-in unit 3a wherein the first slide-in position B is reached before the second slide- in position C when the slide-in unit 3a is inserted into the compartment A in the switchgear 2a.
• the different slide-in positions B and C are symbolically shown in Fig. 1.
• the auxiliary power system 10 of the slide-in unit 3a is connected to an auxiliary power system of the switchgear 2a at the first slide-in position B.
• the switchgear 2a comprises a voltage converter 15, which generates an auxiliary voltage based on the voltage in the main power system 6.
• a first auxiliary connector 16a is electrically connected to the voltage converter 15 of the switchgear 2a.
• a second auxiliary connector 17a is connected to the first auxiliary connector 16a thus connecting the auxiliary power system 10 of the slide-in unit 3a to the voltage converter 15 of the switchgear 2a.
• the auxiliary power system 10 of the slide-in unit 3a has the same voltage as the auxiliary power system of the
• the auxiliary power system is a low voltage system at a voltage of ⁇ 48V.
• a voltage of the auxiliary power system is lower than the voltage of the main power system 6.
• the voltage converter 15 is a step down converter then.
• the voltage of the auxiliary power system particularly may be 24 V or 48 V, whereas the voltage of the main power system 6 particularly may be 1 10 V, 230 V or 400 V.
• the auxiliary power system 10 of the slide-in unit 3a is connected to an auxiliary power system of the switchgear 2a at the first slide-in position B.
• the auxiliary power system 10 of the slide-in unit 3a may be connected to the main power system 6 of the switchgear 2a at the first slide-in position B if the slide-in unit 3a comprises a voltage (step down) converter 15 to generate the auxiliary voltage from the main voltage.
• the voltage converter 15 is arranged in the slide-in unit 3a then.
• the switching device 4 in the switchgear 2a is embodied as a main circuit breaker in this example, which connects an electric circuit downstream of the main circuit breaker 4 to first grid connectors 18 of the switchgear 2a.
• the first grid connectors 18 of the switchgear 2a are (permanently) connected to the second grid connectors 19 of the power grid 20.
• the short circuit switch 8a of the slide-in unit 3a is part of the electric circuit downstream of the main circuit breaker 4 when the slide-in unit 3a is inserted in the compartment A, in detail when it is positioned at the second slide-in position C.
• the power grid 20 is a three phase system with the phases L1..L3 in this example. However, other power systems apply to the proposed protection system 1 a as well.
• the sensors 13a and 13b are built into the switchgear 2a.
• the sensor 13a is a light sensor and the sensor 13b is a current sensor for the three phases L1..L3.
• These sensors 13a, 13b may be used to detect an arc flash D and/or an overcurrent situation. In particular, an event can be classified as an arc flash D or arc fault if there is both excessive light and overcurrent.
• the sensors 13a and 13b are built into the switchgear 2a in this example, they may also be arranged outside of the switchgear 2a (see Figs. 10 and 1 1 ).
• Fig. 1 showed a wiring scheme of an exemplary protection system 1 a.
• Figures 2 to 4 now show a first example of the mechanical structure of the slide-in unit 3b and the compartment A of the switchgear 2b. In detail, Fig. 2 shows a cut out of a
• FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of Fig. 2 with the slide-in unit 3b partially inserted into the compartment A
• Fig. 4 shows a rear view of the slide-in unit 3b.
• the switchgear 2b of this example comprises a frame 23a and rails 24 in the region of the compartment A.
• the slide-in unit 3b comprises a frame 25 with sliders 26, which are prepared to slide along the rails 24 when the slide-in unit 3b is inserted in the compartment A.
• the slide-in unit 3b may also comprise rolls which roll along the rails 24.
• the switchgear 2b of this example furthermore comprises a pin shaped first ground connector 27 reaching from the backside of the compartment A to the opening of the compartment A and a pin shaped first auxiliary connector 16b reaching from the backside of the compartment A to the opening of the compartment A, wherein the first ground connector 27 is a bit longer than the first auxiliary connector 16b.
• the slide-in unit 3b comprises a second ground connector 28 and a second auxiliary connector 17b each shaped like a slider (see Fig. 3).
• the switchgear 2b of this example furthermore comprises a first main connector 7b at the backside of the compartment A which is part of a connector bar 29 vertically running through the switchgear 2b, and the slide-in unit 3b comprises second main connectors 9b at the backside of the frame 25 of the slide-in unit 3b (see Figs. 2 and 3).
• sliders 17b and 28 are used in the example of Figs. 2 to 4 to make the contact to the auxiliary power system 10 and to ground, other connection systems may be used as well, for example plug/socket connections.
• the position of the plugs and the sockets is not limited to the versions shown in the Figs., and the positions of the plugs and the sockets may be
• switchgear 2a, 2b several slide-in positions are reached.
• the optional third (grounding) slide-in position E is reached, where the second ground connector 28 contacts the first ground connector 27.
• the second auxiliary connector 17a, 17b contacts the first auxiliary
• a connection 22 is set up between a communication system of the switchgear 2a, 2b and a communication system of the slide-in unit 3a, 3b and/or d) a check of a serviceability of the short circuit switch 8a, 8b is performed
• connections 21 , 22 may be wired or wireless connections.
• the distance between the first slide-in position B and second slide-in position C is of such a kind that it allows for a complete set-up and/or shutdown of the protection system 1 a, 1 b at usual moving speeds of the slide-in unit 3a, 3b.
• a usual moving speed of the slide-in unit 3a, 3b in particular is below 10 cm/s. So, generally it is of advantage if
• a blocking element 30, which is a kind of a movement limitation element, may be used like this is shown in Fig. 5.
• the blocking element 30 comprises a cylinder and a movable/lockable rod in this example.
• the blocking element 30 may be of different design as well and it may also be oriented differently.
• the moving direction of the rod may be perpendicular to the moving direction of the slide- in unit 3a, 3b. In this case, the rod is moved against a stopper of the

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Patch Boards (AREA)
• Details Of Connecting Devices For Male And Female Coupling (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=67539936

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Family Cites Families (18)

• 2019
  • 2019-07-03 GB GB1909571.0A patent/GB2585220A/en not_active Withdrawn
• 2020
  • 2020-06-19 WO PCT/EP2020/067116 patent/WO2021001173A1/en unknown
  • 2020-06-19 CN CN202080047525.4A patent/CN114026756B/zh active Active
  • 2020-06-19 EP EP20733987.0A patent/EP3994778A1/de active Pending

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