Electrical circuit breaker with self-extinguishing expansion and insulating gas

• US 5,057,655 A
• Filed: 03/15/1990
• Issued: 10/15/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Merlin Gerin
• Original Assignee: Merlin Gerin
• Inventors: Kersusan, Jean-Pierre, Pennucci, Victor, Malkin, Peter, Filiputti, Hugues
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, J. R.
• Application Number:
  US07/493,768
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 200/147 R, 200/148 R, 200/148 A, 200/148 B, 200/150 G
• US Class Current: 218/76
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 33/7046 having special gas flow directing elements, e.g. grooves, extensions H01H33/7053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 33/982 in which the pressure-generating arc is rotated by a magnetic field

Abstract

An inside of tubular contacts of a self-extinguishing expansion SF₆ -gas circuit breaker including guiding ribs arranged to oppose any vortex-effect swirling gas flow between a first extinguishing chamber and a second expansion chamber. The presence of these ribs improves the dielectric withstand of the circuit breaker, and prevents any arc restriking inside the contacts.

Claims

1. A self-extinguishing expansion electrical circuit breaker including a sealed enclosure filled with a high dielectric strength insulating gas, and housing one or more pole-units, each of the pole units comprising:

a first extinguishing chamber disposed within the enclosure for storing insulating gas;

a pair of arcing contacts disposed in said first chamber which are axially translatable with respect to each other and define a breaking gap therebetween when separated in which an arc is formed;

a tubular gas outflow duct arranged inside at least one of said contacts for communicating said first chamber with a second chamber formed by a remaining volume of the enclosure disposed around said first chamber; and

guiding means arranged on an interior of the duct for opposing Vortex-effect swirling gas flow therethrough.

2. The electrical circuit breaker of claim 1, wherein said guiding means comprises an alternating succession of grooves and protuberances arranged circumferentially along an internal wall of the duct.

3. The electrical circuit breaker of claim 1, wherein said duct is arranged along an axis of one of said contacts and includes orifices, opposite said contacts, which form passages to said second chamber.

4. The electrical circuit breaker of claim 1, wherein said first extinguishing chamber houses magnetic means for creating a magnetic field in the breaking gap to set the arc in rotation.

5. The electrical circuit breaker of claim 1, wherein said guiding means comprises at least one rib protruding from an internal wall of the duct.

6. The electric circuit breaker of claim 5, wherein said rib extends in a diametrical plane of the duct.

7. The electrical circuit breaker of claim 5, wherein said rib is inclined in a direction which is opposite to a rotational movement of the gas in said duct.