An apparatus for heating an insulation fluid in a medium-voltage or high-voltage switchgear comprises an infrared source which is adapted to emit infrared radiation of at least one wavelength. Thus, at least one vibrational or rotational mode of at least one component of the insulation fluid is excited by absorption of at least a part of the infrared radiation, and condensation of the insulation fluid is efficiently prevented by this direct heating of the insulation fluid. A closed loop temperature regulator is used to heat only when required. A circulator in a heating chamber further provides for a mixing of the insulation fluid, thus preventing steep temperature gradients.

A load-break switch has a housing holding insulation gas at ambient pressure; a first main contact and a second main contact being movable relative to each other in an axial direction of the switch; a first arcing contact and a second arcing contact being movable relative to each other in the axial direction and defining an arcing region where an arc is formed during a current breaking operation, wherein the arcing region is located radially inward from the first main contact; a pressurizing system pressurizing a quenching gas during the current breaking operation; and a nozzle system arranged to blow the pressurized quenching gas onto the arc. The first main contact includes at least one pressure release opening to allow gas flow in a radial outward direction. A total area of the pressure release opening suppresses a reduction of gas flow out of the pressure release opening.

A load-break switch has a housing holding insulation gas at ambient pressure; a first main contact and a second main contact being movable relative to each other in an axial direction of the switch; a first arcing contact and a second arcing contact being movable relative to each other in the axial direction and defining an arcing region where an arc is formed during a current breaking operation, wherein the arcing region is located radially inward from the first main contact; a pressurizing system pressurizing a quenching gas during the current breaking operation; and a nozzle system arranged to blow the pressurized quenching gas onto the arc. The first main contact includes at least one pressure release opening to allow gas flow in a radial outward direction. A total area of the pressure release opening suppresses a reduction of gas flow out of the pressure release opening.

An example electrical interruption switch includes a casing, surrounding a contact unit defining a current path therethrough. The contact unit has a first and second connection contact, a separation region and an upsetting region. A current supplied to the contact unit via the first connection contact, can be discharged via the second connection contact, or vice versa. The contact unit includes, or is connected to, a sabot configured to move from a starting to an end position via pressure; in the end position, the separation region is separated causing an insulation spacing between the first and second connection contacts. The upsetting region, upset during movement of the sabot from the starting to end positions, is formed as a tubular or rod-shaped element having an axis; the tubular or rod-shaped element has one or more tapers in its cross-sectional diameter; and the cross-sectional diameter is defined perpendicular to the axis.

An example electrical interruption switch includes a casing, surrounding a contact unit defining a current path therethrough. The contact unit has a first and second connection contact, a separation region and an upsetting region. A current supplied to the contact unit via the first connection contact, can be discharged via the second connection contact, or vice versa. The contact unit includes, or is connected to, a sabot configured to move from a starting to an end position via pressure; in the end position, the separation region is separated causing an insulation spacing between the first and second connection contacts. The upsetting region, upset during movement of the sabot from the starting to end positions, is formed as a tubular or rod-shaped element having an axis; the tubular or rod-shaped element has one or more tapers in its cross-sectional diameter; and the cross-sectional diameter is defined perpendicular to the axis.

The invention relates to an electrical switching device including a nominal contact arrangement, an arcing contact arrangement defining an arcing volume in which an arc-quenching medium is present, an exhaust system including a first exhaust opening connected fluidly to a tank volume, an exhaust channel for dissipating hot medium from the arcing volume into the tank volume, the exhaust system further including a piston arranged in a compression guide and defining on its side opposed to the arcing volume together with the compression guide a compression chamber. An inlet channel is fluidly connected to the compression chamber and extends to an inlet opening fluidly connected to the tank volume, wherein the inlet channel and the exhaust channel are fluidly separated from each other.

The invention relates to an electrical switching device including a nominal contact arrangement, an arcing contact arrangement defining an arcing volume in which an arc-quenching medium is present, an exhaust system including a first exhaust opening connected fluidly to a tank volume, an exhaust channel for dissipating hot medium from the arcing volume into the tank volume, the exhaust system further including a piston arranged in a compression guide and defining on its side opposed to the arcing volume together with the compression guide a compression chamber. An inlet channel is fluidly connected to the compression chamber and extends to an inlet opening fluidly connected to the tank volume, wherein the inlet channel and the exhaust channel are fluidly separated from each other.

A circuit breaker, comprising an enclosure comprising: at least two arcing contacts that are movable axially relative to each other, between an open position of the circuit breaker in which the arcing contacts are separated from each other and a closed position of the circuit breaker in which the arcing contacts are in contact with each other; and a gas inlet configured to blow an arc-control gas in order to interrupt an electric arc that is likely to form during movement of the arcing contacts from the closed position to the open position of the circuit breaker, wherein the arc-control gas comprises at least 80% of carbon dioxide; wherein the enclosure further comprises a catalytic material, which converts carbon monoxide that forms after ionization of the carbon dioxide during arcing, into carbon dioxide, said catalytic material comprising ceria and a precious metal.

A circuit breaker, comprising an enclosure comprising: at least two arcing contacts that are movable axially relative to each other, between an open position of the circuit breaker in which the arcing contacts are separated from each other and a closed position of the circuit breaker in which the arcing contacts are in contact with each other; and a gas inlet configured to blow an arc-control gas in order to interrupt an electric arc that is likely to form during movement of the arcing contacts from the closed position to the open position of the circuit breaker, wherein the arc-control gas comprises at least 80% of carbon dioxide; wherein the enclosure further comprises a catalytic material, which converts carbon monoxide that forms after ionization of the carbon dioxide during arcing, into carbon dioxide, said catalytic material comprising ceria and a precious metal.

The use of a gas as a medium for electrically isolating and/or extinguishing electric arcs, the gas including 1-chloro-2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene. Also, an electrical device including a sealed chamber containing electrical components and a gas for electrically isolating and/or extinguishing electric arcs, in which the gas includes 1-chloro-2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene. The gas may be only 1-chloro-2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene.