Power fuse and fabrication methods with enhanced arc mitigation and thermal management

• US 10,446,357 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2015
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Douglass, Robert Stephen, Wiryana, Sidharta, Huang, Duren, Feng, Dacheng, Yang, Calvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Crum, Jacob R
• Application Number:
  US14/956,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20160343531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 337273
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 69/02 Manufacture of fuses
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/08 characterised by the shape or form of the fusible member
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/143 Electrical contacts; Fastening fusible members to such contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/18 Casing fillings, e.g. powder
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/38 Means for extinguishing or suppressing arc by powder filling H01H85/18; by mechanical tension applied to fusible member H01H85/36

Abstract

Power fuses having filler material including hydrated zeolite material facilitates increasing power density of electrical fuses in reduced package sizes. The hydrated zeolite material releases water to cool and suppress electrical arcing conditions experienced in higher power circuitry.

Claims

1. A power fuse comprising:

a housing;

first and second conductive terminals coupled to the housing;

a conductive fuse element in the housing and electrically connected to the first and second conductive terminals, the conductive fuse element being a planar strip of conductive metal that is responsive to a predetermined electrical current condition in an electrical power system to open a circuit between the first and second terminals, and the conductive fuse element facilitating arc division as the conductive fuse element structurally fails to open the circuit; and

an active cooling mechanism in the form of a filler material surrounding the conductive fuse element in the housing and being formulated to cool the conductive fuse element and reduce thermal-mechanical strain on the conductive fuse element in repeated load current cycling events that are insufficient to cause the conductive fuse element to fail and open a circuit connected through the first and second conductive terminals, thereby increasing the life expectancy of the power fuse;

wherein the filler material of the active cooling mechanism comprises a molecular sieve material that is hydrated in a selected amount to actively cool the conductive fuse element in the repeated load current cycling events while otherwise maintaining a predetermined melting time-current characteristic of the conductive fuse element in response to the predetermined electrical current condition;

wherein the filler material is 100% molecular sieve material that is hydrated in the selected amount.

2. The power fuse of claim 1, wherein the molecular sieve material comprises a zeolite material.

3. The power fuse of claim 1, wherein the molecular sieve material comprises a natural molecular sieve material.

4. The power fuse of claim 3, wherein the natural molecular sieve material is an inorganic zeolite material.

5. The power fuse of claim 1, wherein the molecular sieve material comprises a synthetic molecular sieve material.

6. The power fuse of claim 5, wherein the synthetic molecular sieve material exhibits a crystalline-aluminosilicate-microporous structure.

7. The power fuse of claim 1, wherein the molecular sieve material comprises two or more different zeolite materials.

8. The power fuse of claim 1, wherein the molecular sieve material comprises Clinoptilolite.

9. A power fuse comprising:

a housing;

first and second conductive terminals coupled to the housing;

a conductive fuse element in the housing and connected between the first and second conductive terminals, wherein the fuse element facilitates arc division as the fuse element opens in a predetermined overcurrent condition; and

an active cooling mechanism filler material surrounding the fuse element in the housing, the active cooling mechanism filler material being formulated to cool the conductive fuse element and reduce thermal-mechanical strain on the conductive fuse element in repeated load current cycling events that are insufficient to cause the fuse element to open, thereby increasing the life expectancy of the power fuse;

wherein the active cooling mechanism filler material includes 100% zeolite material that is hydrated in a selected amount to actively cool the conductive fuse element in the repeated load current cycling events while otherwise maintaining a predetermined melting time-current characteristic of the conductive fuse element in response to the predetermined overcurrent condition.

10. The power fuse of claim 9, wherein the 100% zeolite material includes a first zeolite material and a second zeolite material different from the first zeolite material.

11. The power fuse of claim 9, wherein the 100% zeolite material is Clinoptilolite.

12. A method of making an electrical power fuse including a conductive fuse element extending internal to a housing between first and second conductive terminals, the method comprising:

surrounding the fuse element in the housing with an active cooling mechanism in the form of a filler material including 100% zeolite material that is hydrated in a selected amount to actively cool the conductive fuse element and reduce thermal-mechanical strain on the conductive fuse element in repeated load current cycling events that are insufficient to cause the fuse element to open, thereby increasing the life expectancy of the power fuse while otherwise maintaining a predetermined melting time-current characteristic of the conductive fuse element.