Dielectric shield for a switching device

Abstract

A pole assembly of a switching device is provided. The pole assembly includes a first interrupter unit operably connected to a pole plate of the pole assembly via first post insulators. The first interrupter provides a path for current flow through the first interrupter in a closed state and interrupts the current flow in an open state. A second interrupter unit is operably connected to the first interrupter unit and to the pole plate via second post insulators. The second interrupter allows the current flow through the first interrupter unit in an open state and grounds the switching device in a closed state. The pole assembly includes a dielectric shield physically disposable between and operably connected to the first post insulators and the second post insulators for uniformly distributing an electric field generated during operation of the pole assembly.

Claims

1. A pole assembly of a switching device, the pole assembly comprising: a pole plate; a first interrupter unit operably connected to the pole plate via a first post insulator and a second post insulator, the first interrupter unit operable to provide a path for current flow through the first interrupter unit in a closed state and interrupting the current flow in an open state; and a second interrupter unit operably connected to the first interrupter unit, the second interrupter unit operably connected to the pole plate via a third post insulator and a fourth post insulator, wherein the second interrupter unit is operable to allow the current flow through the first interrupter unit in an open state and operable to ground the switching device in a closed state; and a dielectric shield physically disposable between and operably connected to the third post insulator and the second post insulator, wherein the dielectric shield comprises an electrically conducting material encapsulated within an insulating material.

2. The pole assembly of claim 1, wherein the first interrupter unit and the second interrupter unit are operably connected via an interlink arrangement, and wherein the dielectric shield is positioned in proximity of the interlink arrangement.

3. The pole assembly of claim 2, wherein the dielectric shield is positioned longitudinally parallel to the interlink arrangement.

4. The pole assembly of claim 2, wherein the dielectric shield is positioned longitudinally parallel to the pole plate and proximal to the first interrupter unit and the second interrupter unit.

5. The pole assembly of claim 2, wherein at least one physical dimension of the dielectric shield is defined based on one or more physical properties associated with the interlink arrangement, wherein the at least one physical dimension comprises one or more of a length and a width of the dielectric shield, and wherein the one or more physical properties comprise one or more of a length and a width of the interlink arrangement.

6. The pole assembly of claim 1, wherein the dielectric shield has a generally rounded profile.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1A illustrates a wind power generation system according to the state of the art.

(2) FIG. 1B illustrates a wind power generation system including a switching device having a combined functionality of circuit breaking and ground switching, according to the state of the art.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a pole assembly for one phase of a switching device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a dielectric shield of the pole assembly shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) Hereinafter, embodiments are described in detail. The various embodiments are described with reference to the drawings, where like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purpose of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of one or more embodiments. Such embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known materials or methods have not been described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring embodiments of the present disclosure. While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. There is no intent to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed; on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

(6) FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a pole assembly 200 for one phase of a switching device 106 shown in FIG. 1B, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The pole assembly 200 includes a vacuum interrupter 202 operably connected to another vacuum interrupter 203 via an interlink arrangement 207. The vacuum interrupter 202 represents the circuit breaker 101 shown in FIG. 1A, and the vacuum interrupter 203 represents the grounding switch 102 shown in FIG. 1A. The pole assembly 200 thus includes an integration of the circuit breaker and the grounding switch into a single switching device 106 shown in FIG. 1B. The interlink arrangement 207 is operably connected to a drive connection rod 204 that is connected to a drive unit 205 of a switching device 106. The interlink arrangement 207 allows for an adjustment of a stroke of the vacuum interrupter 203 (e.g., the grounding switch without affecting the stroke of the vacuum interrupter 202, the circuit breaker).

(7) Post insulators 208A-208D of the pole assembly support the two vacuum interrupters 202 and 203. The vacuum interrupter 202 is supported by the post insulators 208A and 208B, and the vacuum interrupter 203 is supported by the post insulators 208C and 208D. The post insulators 208A-208D are rigidly attached to a pole plate 206 of the pole assembly 200. A dielectric shield 201 is positioned parallel to the pole plate 206 and in between the post insulators 208B and 208C, proximal to the interlink arrangement 207. Accordingly, a length of the dielectric shield 201 is nearly equal to a distance D between outer edges of the post insulators 208B and 208C, and a width of the dielectric shield 201 is nearly equal to a width of the interlink arrangement 207 (e.g., an enclosure 207A in which the interlink arrangement 207 is positioned). Thus, the dielectric shield 201 at least partially covers the interlink arrangement 207.

(8) FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a dielectric shield 201 of the pole assembly 200 shown in FIG. 2. The dielectric shield 201 is an elongate member rigidly connected at an end 201E to the post insulator 208B and at another other end 201E′ to the post insulator 208C, shown in FIG. 2. The dielectric shield 201 is configured of an electrically conducting material encapsulated in an insulating material. The profile of the dielectric shield is configured such that connections of auxiliary components including but not limited to the drive connection rod 204, the interlink arrangement 207, the post insulators 208B, 208C, etc., of the pole assembly 200 are maintained with minimal changes in the assembly.

(9) The dielectric shield 201 has extrusions 201A and 201B towards ends 201E and 201E′, respectively. The extrusions 201A and 201B are shaped based on the shapes of the post insulators 208B and 208C so as to allow the post insulators 208B and 208C to be connected to the vacuum interrupters 202 and 203, respectively. The extrusions 201A and 201B have conducting material partially extruded from the dielectric shield 201 such that a thickness of the conducting material in areas defined by the extrusions 201A and 201B is lesser than an overall thickness of the conducting material elsewhere on the dielectric shield 201. The extrusions 201A and 201B are made of conducting material without any encapsulation of the insulating material. The dielectric shield 201 has orifices 201A′ and 201B′ centrally positioned within the extrusions 201A and 201B, respectively, to allow passage of conductors (not shown) within the post insulators 208B and 208C for connection to the vacuum interrupters 202 and 203, respectively. The dielectric shield 201 has another orifice (e.g., a cut-out 201C positioned thereon such that the drive connection rod 204 may pass therethrough for rigid connection with the interlink arrangement 207). Inner walls 201D of the cut-out 201C are coated with the insulating material.

(10) The foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention disclosed herein. The embodiments described above are illustrative, not limiting. Further, although the invention has been described herein with reference to particular materials and embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods, and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings of this specification, may effect numerous modifications thereto, and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of aspects of the invention.

(11) The elements and features recited in the appended claims may be combined in different ways to produce new claims that likewise fall within the scope of the present invention. Thus, whereas the dependent claims appended below depend from only a single independent or dependent claim, it is to be understood that these dependent claims may, alternatively, be made to depend in the alternative from any preceding or following claim, whether independent or dependent. Such new combinations are to be understood as forming a part of the present specification.

(12) While the present invention has been described above by reference to various embodiments, it should be understood that many changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments. It is therefore intended that the foregoing description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that all equivalents and/or combinations of embodiments are intended to be included in this description.