VACUUM INTERRUPTER AND ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING VACUUM INTERRUPTERS, AND METHOD FOR TURNING OFF VACUUM INTERRUPTERS

Abstract

A vacuum interrupter for switching voltages, in particular high voltages, has at least one sleeve casing, at least one fixed contact, and at least one movable contact. One or more control elements are arranged directly on the vacuum interrupter. An assembly includes an arrangement of multiple vacuum interrupters that are connected electrically in series. A method for controlling a voltage distribution across the vacuum interrupters is effected by way of control elements, in particular by way of capacitors and/or resistors that are arranged directly on the vacuum interrupters.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A vacuum interrupter for switching voltages, the vacuum interrupter comprising: at least one envelope, at least one fixed contact, and at least one movable contact; and at least one control element disposed directly on the vacuum interrupter.

14. The vacuum interrupter according to claim 13, wherein said at least one envelope is a single envelope having at least one main screen and at least two ceramic segments, wherein said at least one main screen is arranged between said at least two ceramic segments, and said the at least one control element is arranged directly on said envelope.

15. The vacuum interrupter according to claim 14, wherein said at least one control element is arranged directly on at least one of said ceramic segments of said envelope.

16. The vacuum interrupter according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the following is true: said at least one control element includes at least one capacitor and/or at least one resistor; said at least one control element is formed of at least one capacitor and/or at least one resistor; said at least one control element is one of a plurality of control elements and all of said control elements consist of capacitors and/or resistors.

17. The vacuum interrupter according to claim 13, wherein said at least one control element is one of a plurality of control elements arranged in a circular arrangement on a circumference of the vacuum interrupter.

18. The vacuum interrupter according to claim 17, wherein said control elements are at least two control elements.

19. The vacuum interrupter according to claim 17, wherein said control elements are three or more control elements.

20. The vacuum interrupter according to claim 13, which further comprises at least one screening ring arranged directly on the casing of the vacuum interrupter and/or enclosing a circumference of the vacuum interrupter.

21. The vacuum interrupter according to claim 20, wherein said at least one screening ring is an annular and/or circular screening ring.

22. The vacuum interrupter according to claim 20, wherein said at least one screening ring is one of a plurality of screening rings arranged around a circumference of each said ceramic segment, and spaced from one another in a longitudinal direction of the vacuum interrupter.

23. The vacuum interrupter according to claim 13, wherein said at least one control element is electrically and/or spatially arranged between said at least one fixed contact and said at least one movable contact.

24. The vacuum interrupter according to claim 23, wherein at least one of the following is true: said at least one control element is arranged between said at least one fixed contact and a screening ring; and/or said at least one control element is arranged between said at least one fixed contact and a main screen; and/or said at least one control element is arranged between a screening ring and a main screen; and/or said at least one control element is arranged between two screening rings; and/or said at least one control element is arranged between said at least one movable contact and a screening ring; and/or said at least one control element is arranged between said at least one movable contact and a main screen.

25. The vacuum interrupter according to claim 13, wherein said at least one control element or a plurality of said control elements have a total capacitance in a range from 10 to 4000 pF.

26. The vacuum interrupter according to claim 25, wherein the total capacitance lies in a range from 500 to 4000 pF.

27. The vacuum interrupter according to claim 13, configured to switch voltages in a high-voltage range greater than or equal to 52 kV.

28. An assembly, comprising at least two vacuum interrupters, each according to claim 13, electrically connected in series.

29. The assembly according to claim 28, which comprises a housing, being a metal tank housing and/or an insulator housing, and wherein said at least two vacuum interrupters are disposed in said housing.

30. The assembly according to claim 29, which comprises an insulating gas, being clean air, filled in said housing.

31. A method, comprising: providing vacuum interrupters with control elements, the control elements being capacitors and/or resistors arranged directly on the vacuum interrupters; and controlling an electrical voltage distribution among the vacuum interrupters by way of the control elements.

32. The method according to claim 31, which comprises providing vacuum interrupters according to claim 13.

33. The method according to claim 31, which comprises providing the vacuum interrupters in the assembly according to claim 28.

Description

[0021] In the figures

[0022] FIG. 1 schematically shows a vacuum interrupter 1 according to the invention for switching voltages in a diagonal view from the side, comprising control elements arranged directly on an envelope 2 of the vacuum interrupter, and

[0023] FIG. 2 shows an assembly 11 according to the invention of two vacuum interrupters 1 of FIG. 1 which are connected in series and are enclosed by a housing 9 that is filled, for example, with clean air as an insulating gas 10.

[0024] FIG. 1 schematically shows a vacuum interrupter 1 according to the invention for switching voltages, in particular high voltages in the range greater than or equal to 52 kV, in a diagonal view from one side as an example. The vacuum interrupter 1 has an envelope 2, which comprises, inter alia, a middle main screen 5 and a ceramic segment 6 adjoining flush in each case on the right and left. The main screen 5 and the ceramic segments 6 are designed as hollow cylindrical or tubular and are each closed fluid tight at the ends of the vacuum interrupter 1. In the interior, the vacuum interrupter 1 is evacuated or a vacuum prevails. Contacts 3 and 4 protrude from the ends of the vacuum interrupter 1 into the envelope 2 of the vacuum interrupter 1, for example, a fixed contact 3 from one side or base surface of the cylinder and a movable contact 4 from the other side or top surface of the cylinder, i.e., the vacuum interrupter 1.

[0025] The main screen 5 is made, for example, of a metal, in particular stainless steel, and comprises, for example, vapor screens in the interior, which are not shown for the sake of simplicity in the figures. The hollow cylindrical ceramic segments are produced, for example, from sintered ceramic and in particular are surface treated. The contacts 3 and 4 are made, for example, of copper, in particular in the form of a bolt, having, in particular, slotted, plate-shaped ends in the interior of the vacuum interrupter 1. The fixed contact 3 is connected fluid 19 tight to a cover-shaped closure on one end of the vacuum interrupter 1, wherein the closure is produced, for example, from a metal, in particular copper or steel. The movable contact 4 is connected fluid-tight to a cover-shaped closure on the other end of the vacuum interrupter 1, for example, movably mounted via a folded bellows, which is not shown for the sake of simplicity in the figures, wherein the closure is produced, for example, from a metal, in particular copper or steel.

[0026] The vacuum interrupter 1 can be electrically contacted via the bolts of the fixed contact 3 led outward and the movable contact 4. The movable contact 4 enables electrical switching by moving toward the fixed contact 3, i.e., to close a gap between the plate-shaped contact ends of the contacts 3 and 4, upon switching on, and by moving away from the fixed contact 3, i.e., to create a gap between the plate-shaped contact ends of the contacts 3 and 4, upon switching off. The gap created between the contact ends of the contacts 3 and 4 and the contact ends themselves are arranged in the evacuated interior of the vacuum interrupter 1, due to which a gap in the range of millimeters up to centimeters is sufficient for switching high voltages in particular. The vacuum interrupter 1 has, for example, a length in the range of in particular 30 to 100 cm, and a circumference in the range of in particular 10 to 100 cm.

[0027] According to the invention, control elements 8 are arranged around the circumference of the vacuum interrupter 1 directly on an envelope 2 of the vacuum interrupter. Control elements 8 are, for example, capacitors and/or resistors. Capacitors are in particular ceramic capacitors, for example, having values of the capacitance of individual capacitors in the range of 10 to 4000 pF. A total capacitance of the assembly thus results in the range of 10 to 4000 pF, for example. Resistors are in particular ohmic resistors, for example, having values of individual resistors in the range of a few ohms up to several hundred ohms, or several thousand ohms, or several hundreds of thousands of ohms. A total resistance therefore results in the range of a few ohms, up to several hundred ohms, or several thousand ohms, or several hundreds of thousands of ohms.

[0028] The control elements 8 have, for example, a cylindrical, rectangular, and/or elliptical shape. An arrangement of the control elements 8 around the circumference of the envelope 2 of the vacuum interrupter 1 is carried out, for example, in a circle along the cross section of the circumference, wherein the control elements are in particular interconnected in parallel to one another, in particular at regular and/or equal distances from one another, and/or is carried out along the longitudinal axis of the vacuum interrupter 1, electrically interconnected in series. Electrical contacting of adjacent control elements 8 connected one behind another in series is carried out for example via screening rings 7, which are each arranged or formed in a circle or in a ring along the cross section of the circumference of the vacuum interrupter 1, with the screening rings 7 spaced from one another along the longitudinal axis of the vacuum interrupter 1.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 1, the control elements 8 are arranged, for example, along the circumference of the envelope 2 of the vacuum interrupter 1 electrically and spatially spaced apart on circular cross sections of the circumference of the vacuum interrupter 1, along the longitudinal axis of the vacuum interrupter 1 between the fixed contact 3 and the movable contact 4, in particular between the fixed contact 3 and a screening ring 7, between adjacent screening rings 7, between a screening ring 7 and the main screen 5, between the main screen 5 and a screening ring 7, between adjacent screening rings 7, between a screening ring 7 and the movable contact 4, in particular arranged symmetrically. The screening rings 7 and the main screen 5 are used for the good electrically conductive contacting of the control elements 8 among one another and between or with the contacts 5 and 6, for example, via the cover-shaped closures at the ends of the vacuum interrupter 1, and in particular in the case of the movable contact 4 via the folded bellows.

[0030] Screening rings 7 are made, for example, of a metal, in particular copper and/or steel, and can divide ceramic segments 6 via vapor screens in particular, which protrude into the vacuum interrupter 1. A connection of the elements of the vacuum interrupter 1, such as ceramic segments 6, main screen 5, screening rings 7, cover-shaped closures, and/or to control elements 8 is carried out, for example, by soldering and/or conductive adhesive bonding. An arrangement of the control elements 8 directly on the vacuum interrupter 1 or the envelope 2 of the vacuum interrupter 1 comprises a materially-bonded mechanical contact with the envelope 2 and/or a small distance in the range of millimeters up to one centimeter, wherein the direct contact with the envelope takes place, for example, via the screening rings 7, the main screen 5, and/or the cover-shaped closures.

[0031] Control elements 8 between different screening rings 7 are arranged, for example, along the longitudinal axis of the vacuum interrupter 1 on lines parallel to the longitudinal axis, which are in particular straight or curved, or are each arranged offset in relation to one another. The arrangement of the control elements 8 on the circumference of the vacuum interrupter results, for example, in regular or irregular patterns. A direct arrangement of the control elements 8 on the circumference of the vacuum interrupter 1 or its envelope 2 is space-saving, with minimized cross section of the assembly.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows two vacuum interrupters 1 according to the invention of FIG. 1 arranged in series one behind the other, according to an assembly 11 according to the invention of vacuum interrupters 1. The vacuum interrupters 1 are arranged in a housing 9 or are spatially enclosed by the housing 9. The housing 9 is, for example, a gas tight sealed metal tank and/or a gas tight sealed insulator housing. Metal tank housings are made, for example, of steel and/or aluminum, in particular at ground potential in the manner of a dead tank. Insulator housings are made, for example, of ceramic, silicone, and/or composite materials, in particular having a ribbed outer surface to extend leakage current paths. The housing 9 is filled, for example, with clean-air as an insulating gas 10, which is climate-neutral. Alternatively, insulating gases 10 such as SF.sub.6 and/or CO.sub.2 can be used.

[0033] The vacuum interrupters 1, as shown in FIG. 2, are connected to one another via the fixed contacts 3, in particular directly connected. Alternatively, the vacuum interrupters 1 can be connected to one another via the movable contacts 4, in particular electrically and mechanically, or a connection takes place via a movable contact piece 4 and a fixed contact piece 3. One or more drives, for example a motor-operated drive and/or spring-operated drive, are provided, for example, to drive the movable contacts 4 during the electrical switching, which is not shown in the figures for the sake of simplicity. For example, one drive per movable contact 4 is provided, or a common drive is comprised, in particular having a transmission for mechanically driving the movable contacts 4.

[0034] The above-described exemplary embodiments can be combined with one another and/or can be combined with the prior art. Thus, for example, more than two vacuum interrupters 1 can be mutually interconnected, in particular in series and/or in parallel. The control elements 8 can have different shapes, in particular circular-cylindrical, or cylindrical with elliptical base surface and top surface, rectangular, square, and/or shapes having convex and/or 21 concave surface. The control elements 8 are fastened, for example, on the vacuum interrupter 1 by soldering, in 23 particular on metal parts such as copper parts, by screws, by adhesive bonding, by clamping, and/or by welding. The control elements 8 are arranged, for example, directly in a friction-locked manner on the envelope 2, in particular on ceramic segments 6, in particular electrically insulated from the ceramic segment by an insulating paint and/or a surface treatment, and/or, for example, fastened via spring connections. And/or control elements 8 are arranged, for example, directly on the envelope 2, in particular on ceramic segments 6, at a slight distance from the ceramic segments 6, in particular between the screening rings 7, main screen 5, and/or contacts 3, 4, for example, connected by screws, clamped, soldered, adhesively bonded, and/or welded, and/or, for example, fastened via spring connections. A small distance is, for example, in the range of a few millimeters up to one centimeter.

[0035] The control elements 8 are arranged, for example, on the envelope 2 of the vacuum interrupter 1 or vacuum interrupters 1 as discrete components, in particular spaced apart from one another. In this case, an arrangement is, for example, annular, in each case along a, for example, circular cross section of the vacuum interrupter 1, having different rings along the longitudinal axis of the vacuum interrupter 1. Adjacent control elements 8 in different rings are arranged, for example, on straight lines, or offset to one another. Alternatively or additionally, the control elements 8 can be arranged, for example, on a helical line or spiral. Further arrangements and/or combinations of arrangements are also possible.

[0036] Using the above-described vacuum interrupter 1 according to the invention and the assembly according to the invention of vacuum interrupters 1 according to the invention in series one behind another, in particular interconnected in series, it is possible to distribute voltages over the vacuum interrupters 1 via the control elements 8. Voltages can be allocated uniformly or differently, in a predetermined manner via the selection of the control elements 8 and the interconnection thereof, on the vacuum interrupters 1 and/or elements of the vacuum interrupters 1, such as ceramic segments 6 of different lengths, for example. The direct arrangement of the control elements 8 on the vacuum interrupter 1 or the vacuum interrupters 1 enables a compact, space-saving structure, which enables a cost-effective, spatially minimized housing 9, and in particular enables the use of insulating gases, such as clean air, with small or minimized and/or standard dimensions of housings 9.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0037] 1 vacuum interrupter [0038] 2 envelope [0039] 3 fixed contact [0040] 4 movable contact [0041] 5 main screen [0042] 6 ceramic segment [0043] 7 screening ring [0044] 8 control element [0045] 9 housing [0046] 10 insulating gas [0047] 11 assembly comprising vacuum interrupters