US3851219A - Circuit-opening device for interrupting heavy currents by means of an explosive charge - Google Patents

Circuit-opening device for interrupting heavy currents by means of an explosive charge Download PDF

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Publication number
US3851219A
US3851219A US00428901A US42890173A US3851219A US 3851219 A US3851219 A US 3851219A US 00428901 A US00428901 A US 00428901A US 42890173 A US42890173 A US 42890173A US 3851219 A US3851219 A US 3851219A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
circuit
explosive
operating current
branch
breaker
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00428901A
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English (en)
Inventor
V Semchenko
G Mikhailu
K Kozorezov
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Individual
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Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
Priority to DE2362807A priority Critical patent/DE2362807A1/de
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to US00428901A priority patent/US3851219A/en
Priority to FR7402415A priority patent/FR2259427B1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3851219A publication Critical patent/US3851219A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02H—EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS
    • H02H3/00—Emergency protective circuit arrangements for automatic disconnection directly responsive to an undesired change from normal electric working condition with or without subsequent reconnection ; integrated protection
    • H02H3/02—Details
    • H02H3/021—Details concerning the disconnection itself, e.g. at a particular instant, particularly at zero value of current, disconnection in a predetermined order
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H39/00—Switching devices actuated by an explosion produced within the device and initiated by an electric current
    • H01H39/006—Opening by severing a conductor
    • 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
    • H01H9/54—Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the switching device and for which no provision exists elsewhere

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to electric engineering more particularly to explosive circuit-breakers and can be used for quick interruption of electric circuits carrying currents above 1,000 A at a voltage above 1,000 V.
  • the invention can be used with maximum efficiency in the circuits of inductive and capacitive storage devices.
  • a distinction must be made between the full opening time, 7;, measured from the instant when a control signal is produced to the instant when the current is interrupted, and the intrinsic opening time, 1,, measured from the beginning to the end of circuit interruption.
  • the circuit of, say, an inductive storage device consists of a series combination of a current source, a storage device and a circuit-opening device connected in parallel with the load.
  • the load During storage of the current, which lasts from several fractions of a second to hundreds of seconds, the load remains shunted by the circuit-opening device and no energy is liberated in the load.
  • the current of the storage device is redistributed to the load, though part of the energy is liberated in the circuit-opening device, affecting its efficiency.
  • circuitopening device Apart from high speed of operation the circuitopening device must possess a high degree of reliability as incomplete interruption may result in a considerable amount of energy being liberated in the device causing various emergencies.
  • the hollow conductor breaks and goes apart fanwise, while the ends of the conductor serve as nozzles through which the arc produced by the break-induced currents is extinguished by the explosion products.
  • the circuit is completely interrupted when the fuse links melt.
  • the present invention aims at obviating the above disadvantages and at providing a device which possesses a high degree of reliability, has an operating speed of 1-5 microsecs and requires a limited quantity of the explosive.
  • the first branch includes only an explosive circuit-breaker and the second branch includes a series combination of an explosive circuit-breaker and an operating current relay, so that, when the circuit is being opened, the first branch is interrupted first, the current is transferred to the second branch and then the second branch is interrupted after a time delay sufficiently long to allow the circuit-breaker of the first branch to form a gap capable of withstanding all subsequent voltage surges.
  • the circuit-opening device is provided with two explosive circuit-breakers of existing design, connected in parallel, so that one of said circuit-breakers, referred to below as an operating current circuit-breaker, has a large cross-sectional area, a small specific charge and is designed continuously to carry the operating current while the other of said circuit-breakers, referred to below as a peaking circuit-breaker, has a small cross-sectional area, a large specific charge and is designed to carry the operating current for short time periods.
  • an operating current relay in the form of, say, low-voltage spark gap, thyratron, trigatron, etc., so that no current flows through the relay in the initial condition.
  • Both circuit-breakers can be exploded by means of comparatively small explosive charges and the conductors of the operating current circuit-breaker break within several milliseconds or more while the conductors of the peaking circuit-breaker break within 5 to 10 microsecs and less.
  • the invention makes it possible to avoid the use of large explosive charges and bulky and heavy protective housings which localize the explosion.
  • the operating current explosive circuit-breakers as well as the peaking explosive circuit-breakers may be connected in series, each circuit breaker being designed for a low voltage rating. In this case there is no need to use only two explosive circuit-breakers with a high voltage rating. At such time steps must be taken to ensure highly simultaneous operation especially of peaking circuit-breakers.
  • the operating current explosive circuit-breakers as well as the peaking explosive circuit-breakers may be connected in parallel, each circuit-breaker being designed for a low current rating.
  • FIG. 1 shows a circuitopening device, according to the invention
  • FlG. 2 is a time diagram which explains operation of the device
  • FIG. 3 shows a multi-step circuit-opening device
  • FIG. 4 shows another version of a circuit-opening device.
  • FIG. 1 shows a circuit-opening device which comprises two parallel branches 1 and 2 connected in an electric circuit 3, the branches 1 and 2 representing the circuit section which is exploded to open the circuit 3.
  • the branch 1 contains an operating current explosive circuit-breaker 4 which consists of a hollow conductor 5 made of a material with a low density and high thermal and electric conductivity, such as magnesium or aluminium, and an explosive cartridge 6.
  • the cartridge 6 contains an explosive charge (not shown) and can be electrically activated at any desired instant through the connecting wires by means of a switch which connects these wires to a current source.
  • ignitors are well known in the art.
  • the components of the explosive cartridge 6, the explosive charge, the ignitor and its control circuit are not shown in the drawings as they are not essential for describing the operating principle of the circuit-opening device.
  • the branch 2 contains peaking explosive circuitbreaker 7 and an operating current relay 8 connected in series.
  • the peaking circuit-breaker 7 is identical in its construction to the operating current circuit-breaker 4 and its hollow conductor is made of a material which has a low density and high thermal and electric conductivity, preferably, magnesium or its alloys.
  • the explosive charge contained in the cartridge of the peaking circuit-breaker may be electrically activated by means of connecting wires, a switch, and a current source not at any desired instant but with a certain time delay relative to the actuation of the operating current circuitbreaker 4.
  • Such electric devices are well known in the art and can be applied in the given case.
  • the operating current relay 8 normally does not pass the operating current and is made in the form of a lowvoltage spark gap, a trigatron or a similar device which are also well known in the art.
  • FIG. 2 shows a timing diagram which explains the operation of the circuit-opening device.
  • the full operating current of the electric circuit 3 flows through the branch 1 as the branch 2 is disconnected by the operating current relay 8. Interruption of the current begins when the explosive charge of the cartridge 6 is ignited.
  • the hollow conductor 5 breaks and the current is interrupted in the branch 1. This energizes the operating current relay 8 and causes the current I to flow through the branch 2 via the peaking switch 7.
  • a time delay 1' provided by an electric delay means the explosive charge of the peaking circuit-breaker 7 is ignited.
  • the time delay 'r is selected such as to enable the operating current circuitbreaker 4 to form a gap capable of withstanding all subsequent voltage surges in the electric circuit 3.
  • the device described above makes it possible to separate the functions performed by its various assemblies and attain the objects mentioned above: i.e., to reduce the intrinsic opening time 7,, decrease the total amount of the explosive and improve the reliability.
  • each of the circuit-breakers performs separate functions: the operating current circuit-breaker 4 is designed for continuously and reliably carrying the operating current, while the peaking circuit-breaker 7 is normally disconnected by the operating current relay 8 and is used to reduce the intrinsic opening time. It has been found that the use of the device, according to the invention, saves up to 80 percent of the explosive charge as compared with explosive circuit-breakers of existing designs having the same operating speed.
  • FIG. 3 shows a multi-step circuit-opening device.
  • This device comprises two parallel-connected branches 1 and 2 of the electric circuit 3.
  • The'branch I has several operating current circuit-breakers 4 connected in series, the branch 2, several peaking circuit-breakers 7 and the operating current relay 8.
  • a multi-step circuitopening device comprises several standard circuit-breakers 4 and 7, each of which has a definite voltage and current rating and serves to interrupt currents at very high voltages. This enables reduction in the length h of the hollow conductor 5, and sections 9 which appear at the end faces of the operating current circuit-breaker 4 may be used for cooling each standard assembly (See Equation 2).
  • FIG. 4 shows another version of a circuit-opening device with parallel-connected operating current circuit breakers 4, peaking circuit-breakers 7 and the common operating current relay 8.
  • Such arrangement of a circuit-opening device is preferably used very heavy currents.
  • a circuit-opening device for interrupting heavy currents by means of an explosive charge wherein the place where a circuit is opened is in the form of two parallel branches, the first of which includes only an explosive circuit-breaker while the second branch includes a series-combination of an explosive circuitbreaker and an operating current relay, so that initially no current flows through the relay and, when the circuit is being opened, the first branch is interrupted first, the current is transferred to the second branch and then the second branch is interrupted after a time delay sufficiently long to allow the circuit-breaker of the first branch to form a gap capable of withstanding all subsequent circuit voltages.
  • an operating current relay is made in the form of a low-voltage spark gap selected such that the gap breaks down when the first branch is interrupted.

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  • Drilling And Exploitation, And Mining Machines And Methods (AREA)
  • Circuit Breakers (AREA)
US00428901A 1973-12-18 1973-12-26 Circuit-opening device for interrupting heavy currents by means of an explosive charge Expired - Lifetime US3851219A (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2362807A DE2362807A1 (de) 1973-12-18 1973-12-18 Abschaltvorrichtung zum trennen grosser stroeme mit hilfe einer sprengladung
US00428901A US3851219A (en) 1973-12-18 1973-12-26 Circuit-opening device for interrupting heavy currents by means of an explosive charge
FR7402415A FR2259427B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-12-18 1974-01-24

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2362807A DE2362807A1 (de) 1973-12-18 1973-12-18 Abschaltvorrichtung zum trennen grosser stroeme mit hilfe einer sprengladung
US00428901A US3851219A (en) 1973-12-18 1973-12-26 Circuit-opening device for interrupting heavy currents by means of an explosive charge
FR7402415A FR2259427B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-12-18 1974-01-24

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3851219A true US3851219A (en) 1974-11-26

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ID=27185678

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00428901A Expired - Lifetime US3851219A (en) 1973-12-18 1973-12-26 Circuit-opening device for interrupting heavy currents by means of an explosive charge

Country Status (3)

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US (1) US3851219A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2362807A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2259427B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3958206A (en) * 1975-06-12 1976-05-18 General Electric Company Chemically augmented electrical fuse
US4342978A (en) * 1979-03-19 1982-08-03 S&C Electric Company Explosively-actuated switch and current limiting, high voltage fuse using same
US4472704A (en) * 1983-08-17 1984-09-18 S&C Electric Company Pressure-operated switch for a high-voltage interrupting module
US4538133A (en) * 1983-12-19 1985-08-27 Phoenix Electric Corporation Passively detonated explosively-assisted fuse
US4680434A (en) * 1986-05-02 1987-07-14 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Explosive-driven, high speed, arcless switch
US5360999A (en) * 1993-02-25 1994-11-01 Board Of Regents, The University Of Texas System Explosively actuated thermal opening switch
US5757150A (en) * 1993-08-12 1998-05-26 Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. Electric system of an electric vehicle
US5990572A (en) * 1997-02-28 1999-11-23 Harness System Technologies Research, Ltd. Electric circuit breaker for vehicle
US20120243135A1 (en) * 2009-10-01 2012-09-27 Stefan Butzmann Deactivation device for disconnecting an electrical energy source from a load, and circuit system having a deactivation device
US10217595B2 (en) 2015-12-17 2019-02-26 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Device for switching an electrical circuit
US11069498B2 (en) * 2017-08-01 2021-07-20 Nela Razvojni Center Za Elektroindustrijo In Elektroniko, D.O.O. Direct current electric circuit interrupting switch assembly with an actuator

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2905747A1 (de) * 1979-01-25 1980-08-07 Bbc Brown Boveri & Cie Strombegrenzungseinrichtung fuer hochspannungsschaltanlagen

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2305436A (en) * 1941-10-15 1942-12-15 Gen Electric Fuse device
US2653203A (en) * 1951-01-30 1953-09-22 Chase Shawmut Co Current-limiting fuse
US2892062A (en) * 1955-01-15 1959-06-23 Calor Emag Arrangement for interrupting electric currents by means of explosive material
US3155797A (en) * 1958-10-10 1964-11-03 Avco Corp Destructible fuse elements
US3296518A (en) * 1962-05-23 1967-01-03 Licentia Gmbh Protective arrangement for semiconductor rectifiers
US3400301A (en) * 1966-05-27 1968-09-03 Joslyn Mfg & Supply Co Lightning arrester in combination with an arrester disconnector containing explosivemeans
US3544843A (en) * 1967-12-19 1970-12-01 Westinghouse Electric Corp High-voltage direct current circuit interrupter

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2305436A (en) * 1941-10-15 1942-12-15 Gen Electric Fuse device
US2653203A (en) * 1951-01-30 1953-09-22 Chase Shawmut Co Current-limiting fuse
US2892062A (en) * 1955-01-15 1959-06-23 Calor Emag Arrangement for interrupting electric currents by means of explosive material
US3155797A (en) * 1958-10-10 1964-11-03 Avco Corp Destructible fuse elements
US3296518A (en) * 1962-05-23 1967-01-03 Licentia Gmbh Protective arrangement for semiconductor rectifiers
US3400301A (en) * 1966-05-27 1968-09-03 Joslyn Mfg & Supply Co Lightning arrester in combination with an arrester disconnector containing explosivemeans
US3544843A (en) * 1967-12-19 1970-12-01 Westinghouse Electric Corp High-voltage direct current circuit interrupter

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3958206A (en) * 1975-06-12 1976-05-18 General Electric Company Chemically augmented electrical fuse
US4342978A (en) * 1979-03-19 1982-08-03 S&C Electric Company Explosively-actuated switch and current limiting, high voltage fuse using same
US4472704A (en) * 1983-08-17 1984-09-18 S&C Electric Company Pressure-operated switch for a high-voltage interrupting module
US4538133A (en) * 1983-12-19 1985-08-27 Phoenix Electric Corporation Passively detonated explosively-assisted fuse
US4680434A (en) * 1986-05-02 1987-07-14 The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy Explosive-driven, high speed, arcless switch
US5360999A (en) * 1993-02-25 1994-11-01 Board Of Regents, The University Of Texas System Explosively actuated thermal opening switch
US5757150A (en) * 1993-08-12 1998-05-26 Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. Electric system of an electric vehicle
US5990572A (en) * 1997-02-28 1999-11-23 Harness System Technologies Research, Ltd. Electric circuit breaker for vehicle
US20120243135A1 (en) * 2009-10-01 2012-09-27 Stefan Butzmann Deactivation device for disconnecting an electrical energy source from a load, and circuit system having a deactivation device
US8817447B2 (en) * 2009-10-01 2014-08-26 Robert Bosch Gmbh Deactivation device for disconnecting an electrical energy source from a load, and circuit system having a deactivation device
US10217595B2 (en) 2015-12-17 2019-02-26 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Device for switching an electrical circuit
US11069498B2 (en) * 2017-08-01 2021-07-20 Nela Razvojni Center Za Elektroindustrijo In Elektroniko, D.O.O. Direct current electric circuit interrupting switch assembly with an actuator
US11309151B2 (en) * 2017-08-01 2022-04-19 Eti Elektroelement, D.O.O. Direct current electric circuit interrupting switch assembly

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2259427B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1976-11-26
DE2362807A1 (de) 1975-06-19
FR2259427A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1975-08-22

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