GB2203559A - Testing of vacuum interrupters - Google Patents
Testing of vacuum interrupters Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2203559A GB2203559A GB08800366A GB8800366A GB2203559A GB 2203559 A GB2203559 A GB 2203559A GB 08800366 A GB08800366 A GB 08800366A GB 8800366 A GB8800366 A GB 8800366A GB 2203559 A GB2203559 A GB 2203559A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- interrupter
- testing
- arc
- vacuum
- contacts
- 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.)
- Pending
Links
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
- H01H33/26—Means for detecting the presence of an arc or other discharge
-
- 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
- H01H33/53—Cases; Reservoirs, tanks, piping or valves, for arc-extinguishing fluid; Accessories therefor, e.g. safety arrangements, pressure relief devices
- H01H33/56—Gas reservoirs
- H01H2033/566—Avoiding the use of SF6
-
- 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
- H01H33/60—Switches wherein the means for extinguishing or preventing the arc do not include separate means for obtaining or increasing flow of arc-extinguishing fluid
- H01H33/66—Vacuum switches
- H01H33/668—Means for obtaining or monitoring the vacuum
Landscapes
- Examining Or Testing Airtightness (AREA)
Abstract
A method of testing a vacuum interrupter for leaks comprises the steps of establishing an arc between the contacts and measuring the arc voltage and/or current.
Description
Testing of Vacuum Interrupters
This invention relates to the testing of vacuum interrupters and to apparatus for carrying out such tests.
Vacuum interrupters at the present time are in many cases accommodated within enclosures containing high dielectric strength fluids, either in liquid or gaseous form, especially for high voltage applications of 24kV and above, a common fluid for such a purpose being SF6 One problem with vacuum interrupters mounted within such enclosures is to establish if an interrupter in such an environment has begun to leak, allowing the gas or fluid to enter the vacuum interrupter bottle, that is to say the evacuated envelope containing the interrupter contacts.Normal vacuum testing techniques involving the withstanding of D.C. or A.C. voltages being applied across the open interrupter are no longer valid, as a vacuum interrupter filled with SF6 or other high dielectric strength fluids or gases, will withstand applied test voltages as well as an intact evacuated interrupter.
An object of the present invention is to provide an alternative or additional method of testing vacuum interrupters which avoids this problem.
According, therefore, to one aspect of the invention a method of testing a vacuum interrupter for leaks comprises the steps of establishing an arc between two interrupter contacts and measuring the arc voltage and/or current.
Such a method enables the presence of a leak in the vacuum interrupter bottle to be readily and accurately detected.
This is because arcs in vacuum are distinguished by very low arc voltages, typically 10-50V, whereas arc voltages in high dielectric gas and liquids, such as SF6, are much higher, typically 500V upwards over the same contact gap.
The invention can be performed in a variety of ways. For example the interrupter may be connected into a circuit powered by a
D.C. electrical supply e.g of the order of 100V capable of passing a high current, for example 100 Amps through the interrupter with the contacts closed, which is sufficient to cause an arc to be established when the contacts are opened. After opening the contacts, the current flow is monitored. If the current flow diminishes rapidly, this shows that there is a leak in the interrupter bottle, whereas if the bottle remains fully evacuated the current flow will be sustained.
Alternatively the interrupter could be operated normally and a permanent or temporary means of measuring arc voltage installed in the circuit breaker. This would measure arc volts, or indicate if the arc volts were above a certain level, e.g 100V. Various other ways of monitoring the arc voltage and/or current as the interrupter contacts are opened, so as to distinguish high dielectric strengths due to a vacuum on the one hand, and a gaseous or liquid fluid on the other hand, could alternatively be employed.
The invention includes within its scope apparatus for use in testing vacuum interrupters for leaks by any of the methods above described.
Thus in its broadest aspect such apparatus comprises means connectable to a vacuum interrupter for monitoring the arc voltage and/or arc current as two interrupter contacts are opened, and means for indicating the arc voltage and/or current which is obtained.
Claims (7)
1. A method of testing a vacuum interrupter for leaks comprises the steps of establishing an arc between two interrupter contacts and measuring the arc voltage and/or current.
2. A method of testing a vacuum interrupter as claimed in
Claim 1 comprising the step of indicating whether the arc voltage is greater than a predetermined value.
3. A method of testing a vacuum interrupter as claimed in
Claim 2 wherein said predetermined value is 100V.
4. A method of testing a vacuum interrupter as claimed in
Claim 1 comprising the step of connecting the interrupter to an electrical supply capable of passing a current through the closed contacts of the interrupter which is sufficient to cause an arc to be established when the contacts are opened, opening the contacts, establishing an arc therebetween, and measuring the arc current.
5. Apparatus for testing vacuum interrupters for leaks comprising means connectable to a vacuum interrupter for monitoring the arc voltage and/or arc current as two interrupter contacts are opened and means for indicating the arc voltage and/or arc current obtained.
6. Apparatus for testing vacuum interrupters for leaks as hereinbefore described.
7. A method of testing a vacuum interrupter for leaks as hereinbefore described.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB878708356A GB8708356D0 (en) | 1987-04-08 | 1987-04-08 | Testing of vacuum interrupters |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB8800366D0 GB8800366D0 (en) | 1988-02-10 |
| GB2203559A true GB2203559A (en) | 1988-10-19 |
Family
ID=10615435
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB878708356A Pending GB8708356D0 (en) | 1987-04-08 | 1987-04-08 | Testing of vacuum interrupters |
| GB08800366A Pending GB2203559A (en) | 1987-04-08 | 1988-01-08 | Testing of vacuum interrupters |
Family Applications Before (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB878708356A Pending GB8708356D0 (en) | 1987-04-08 | 1987-04-08 | Testing of vacuum interrupters |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (2) | GB8708356D0 (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP2284855A1 (en) * | 2009-08-10 | 2011-02-16 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Method for function testing a vacuum switch of a traction inverter |
| WO2021170208A1 (en) * | 2020-02-24 | 2021-09-02 | Abb Power Grids Switzerland Ag | A method for monitoring vacuum interrupter's condition and an electric switching device |
Citations (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB465127A (en) * | 1935-10-31 | 1937-04-30 | British Thomson Houston Co Ltd | Improvements relating to the testing of electric circuits |
| GB474140A (en) * | 1936-04-03 | 1937-10-26 | British Thomson Houston Co Ltd | Improvements in and relating to methods of testing electric circuit breakers |
| GB612219A (en) * | 1943-02-03 | 1948-11-10 | Merlin Gerin | Improvements in circuits and in apparatus for indirect testing processes, to determine the making and breaking capacity of electric switches and circuit breakers |
| GB626130A (en) * | 1943-09-14 | 1949-07-11 | Merlin Gerin | Improvements in devices for testing short circuit of high power continuous current switches |
| GB961882A (en) * | 1962-03-07 | 1964-06-24 | Ass Elect Ind | Improvements relating to apparatus for testing electrical circuit breakers |
| GB1238515A (en) * | 1968-10-15 | 1971-07-07 |
-
1987
- 1987-04-08 GB GB878708356A patent/GB8708356D0/en active Pending
-
1988
- 1988-01-08 GB GB08800366A patent/GB2203559A/en active Pending
Patent Citations (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB465127A (en) * | 1935-10-31 | 1937-04-30 | British Thomson Houston Co Ltd | Improvements relating to the testing of electric circuits |
| GB474140A (en) * | 1936-04-03 | 1937-10-26 | British Thomson Houston Co Ltd | Improvements in and relating to methods of testing electric circuit breakers |
| GB612219A (en) * | 1943-02-03 | 1948-11-10 | Merlin Gerin | Improvements in circuits and in apparatus for indirect testing processes, to determine the making and breaking capacity of electric switches and circuit breakers |
| GB626130A (en) * | 1943-09-14 | 1949-07-11 | Merlin Gerin | Improvements in devices for testing short circuit of high power continuous current switches |
| GB961882A (en) * | 1962-03-07 | 1964-06-24 | Ass Elect Ind | Improvements relating to apparatus for testing electrical circuit breakers |
| GB1238515A (en) * | 1968-10-15 | 1971-07-07 |
Cited By (10)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP2284855A1 (en) * | 2009-08-10 | 2011-02-16 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Method for function testing a vacuum switch of a traction inverter |
| WO2011018405A1 (en) * | 2009-08-10 | 2011-02-17 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Method for functionally checking a vacuum switch of a traction inverter |
| CN102648506A (en) * | 2009-08-10 | 2012-08-22 | 西门子公司 | Method for functionally checking a vacuum switch of a traction inverter |
| RU2496176C1 (en) * | 2009-08-10 | 2013-10-20 | Сименс Акциенгезелльшафт | Check method of vacuum circuit breaker of traction current rectifier functioning |
| US9134379B2 (en) | 2009-08-10 | 2015-09-15 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Method for testing the performance of a vacuum switch of a traction converter |
| CN102648506B (en) * | 2009-08-10 | 2016-03-23 | 西门子公司 | The function test method of the vacuum switch of traction convertor |
| WO2021170208A1 (en) * | 2020-02-24 | 2021-09-02 | Abb Power Grids Switzerland Ag | A method for monitoring vacuum interrupter's condition and an electric switching device |
| CN114730673A (en) * | 2020-02-24 | 2022-07-08 | 日立能源瑞士股份公司 | Method for monitoring the condition of a vacuum interrupter and electrical switching apparatus |
| AU2020431153B2 (en) * | 2020-02-24 | 2023-09-21 | Hitachi Energy Ltd | A method for monitoring vacuum interrupter's condition and an electric switching device |
| CN114730673B (en) * | 2020-02-24 | 2023-11-28 | 日立能源瑞士股份公司 | Method for monitoring the condition of a vacuum interrupter and electrical switching apparatus |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB8708356D0 (en) | 1987-05-13 |
| GB8800366D0 (en) | 1988-02-10 |
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