Electrical switchgear architecture

Abstract

The invention relates to a central module for a three-phase electrical switchgear, comprising a central base for carrying a central switch module and a front face, said front face comprising control / command components for the switchgear. The central base comprises: a rear fixing device capable of fixing a rear base for carrying two rear switch modules; lateral fixing devices capable of fixing two lateral bases for carrying lateral switch modules; an actuating mechanism for actuating the central switch module; and means for transmitting the movement of the actuating mechanism to the rear base and the lateral bases so as to be able to actuate the rear and lateral switch modules. The invention also relates to a three-phase electrical switchgear comprising such a central module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a three-phase electrical switchgear with a modular architecture, in particular a switchgear operating at medium or high voltage, that is to say at voltages above 1000 V. The invention also relates to a central module of such a switchgear.

[0002] In this document, the term "switchgear" includes several types of electrical equipment indiscriminately, such as switches, circuit breakers, contactors, fuse switches, reclosers, isolators, etc. Background Art

[0003] Three-phase switchgear usually exists in a so-called front-end architecture, in which the three poles of the device are placed side by side with each other in a direction essentially parallel to the front of the switchgear, or in a so-called longitudinal architecture, in which the three poles of the device are placed behind each other in a direction essentially at right angles to the front of the switchgear.

[0004] The front-end architecture is for example very well suited to the constraints of devices intended to be placed in a so-called primary high-voltage unit, whereas the vertical architecture is for example very well suited to the constraints of devices placed in a so-called secondary high-voltage unit having smaller dimensions.

[0005] Likewise, it is known that the distances to be observed between the phases of a switchgear may vary depending on the rated voltage and rated current with which the equipment is used, for obvious reasons of dielectric constraints connected to the voltage and heat due to the current.

[0006] Document EP2437277 describes a device for a multiphase high voltage circuit breaker with a front-end architecture and the poles of which are mounted so that the distance between the poles can be easily set, for example by means of different types of intermediate connecting members between the poles.

[0007] One of the purposes of the invention is to be able to rationalize the production and industrial management of switchgear, that is to say to be able to produce devices according to one architecture or another and according to different ratings and voltages very easily by using a minimum of different parts, thus reducing costs and simplifying the production process.

[0008] To this end, the switchgear according to the invention is designed according to a modular architecture by making maximum use of standardized modules according to the customer's planned use, so that architecture customization and selection of switchgear current and voltage can be achieved as late as possible in the device production and assembly chain. Summary of the invention

[0009] The invention describes a central module for a three-phase electrical switchgear, comprising a central base for carrying the central switch module and a front face, said front face comprising control / command components for the switchgear. The central base comprises:

[0010] - a rear fixing device, which is located at the rear of the central base and is capable of removably fixing the rear base for carrying two rear switch modules to the central module,

[0011] - lateral fixing means, located on each side of the central base and capable of removably fixing two lateral bases, respectively intended to carry lateral switch modules, to the central module,

[0012] - an actuating mechanism for actuating a central switching module of the switching device,

[0013] - means for transmitting the movement of the actuating mechanism to the rear base and the lateral bases when they are fastened to the central module, in order to be able to actuate the other switching modules of the switchgear.

[0014] According to one feature, in order to convey the means for transmitting the movement of the actuating mechanism to the other switch modules, the rear fixing means comprise a rear hatch situated at the rear of the central base and the lateral fixing means comprise two lateral hatches situated on each side of the central base.

[0015] The present invention also describes a first type of three-phase electrical switching device, which includes a central module, which has a central switch module carried by a central base, and the switching device includes two lateral bases fixed laterally on each side of the central base, each lateral base carrying a side switch module, and the central switch module and the lateral switch module can be actuated by the actuating mechanism of the central module.

[0016] According to one feature, the central switch module and the lateral switch modules are arranged so that the switchgear has the same distance between phases. According to another feature, the central switch module and the two lateral switch modules are identical. According to another feature, the central switch module and the lateral switch modules are each placed on the same height enhancer. According to another feature, the two lateral bases each include two wheels located on the outside.

[0017] The present invention also describes a second type of three-phase electrical switching device, which includes a central module, which has a central switch module carried by a central base, and the switching device includes a rear base fixed to the rear of the central base, the rear base carrying two rear switch modules, the central switch module and the rear switch modules can be actuated by the actuating mechanism of the central module.

[0018] According to one feature, the central switch module and the rear switch modules are arranged so that the switchgear has the same distance between phases. According to another feature, the central switch module and the two rear switch modules are identical. According to another feature, the central switch module and the rear switch modules are each placed on the same height enhancer. According to another feature, the rear base includes two wheels located on each lateral side of the rear base. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Other features will become apparent from the following detailed description given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 A central module for a switchgear according to the invention is shown,

[0021] Figure 2 Indicates that it has a front-end architecture and uses Figure 1 The central module of the switchgear,

[0022] Figure 3 Represents a vertical structure and uses Figure 1 The central module of the switchgear,

[0023] Figure 4a and 4b Two examples of lateral bases that can be connected to the central module to obtain different ratings are shown in detail,

[0024] Figure 5a and 5b Details two examples of rear bases that can be connected to the central module to obtain different ratings,

[0025] Figure 6 Shows Figure 3 A switchgear having a height enhancer for a switch module,

[0026] Figure 7 and 8 constitutes a removable version of Figure 2 and 3 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] An electrical switching device of modular construction has a switching module for each phase of the power supply network. Thus, in the case of a three-phase device, there are three switching modules. Conventionally, each switching module is capable of switching off a phase of the power supply network by means of one (or possibly several) mobile contacts cooperating with one (or several) fixed contacts. In the so-called open position, the mobile contact is separated from the fixed contact, and in the so-called closed position, the mobile contact is connected to the fixed contact. The actuation of the mobile contacts of the different switching modules of the switching device must be carried out in a mechanically synchronized manner in order to ensure that all phases of the power supply network are switched simultaneously, for example when opening and closing.

[0028] Figure 1 A central module 10 is shown, which is used for a switchgear of modular design. The central module 10 comprises a basic central base 11 (or base 11), above which a front face 18 rises. The front face 18 comprises, in particular, various control / command members 19, which allow, for example, an operator to control and monitor the switchgear. The central base 11 is used to carry a first switchgear module, which is called the central switchgear module 15 (see Figure 2 and 3 ).

[0029] The central base 11 also comprises a central actuating mechanism for actuating the central switch module 15 of the switchgear, that is to say, for moving the moving contact of the central switch module 15 from the closed position to the open position. To this end, the central base 11 comprises a central window 12 so that the actuating mechanism can approach and mechanically control the moving contact of the central switch module 15 using conventional mechanical means (such as levers, links, pivots and / or gears), which are not represented in the drawings but examples of which are particularly described in document EP1968088.

[0030] The central module 10 may also comprise control equipment linked in particular to the control / command means 19 of the front face 18 and / or to remote control / command means for driving the central actuating mechanism and monitoring the operation of the switchgear.

[0031] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3, the central base 11 comprises a rear fixing device, which is located at the rear of the central base 11 and which advantageously enables the rear base 41 to be removably fixed to the central module 10, and a lateral fixing device, which is located at the central base 11 and on each side and enables the two lateral bases 21, 31 to be removably fixed to the central module. These fixing devices are not described in detail in this document and may in particular comprise screws and nuts. In order to allow the actuating mechanism to access the lateral bases 21, 31 and the rear base 41 in order to control the moving contacts, the rear fixing device comprises a rear hatch 14 located at the rear of the central base 11, and the lateral fixing device comprises two lateral hatches 13 located on each side of the central base 11.

[0032] By means of the invention, the same central module 10 can advantageously be used regardless of the architecture of the switchgear, that is to say both in Figure 2 The front-end architecture shown can also be used in Figure 3 The longitudinal structure shown is used. In addition, the actuating mechanism of the central module 10 is able to control the moving contacts of all the switch modules of the device.

[0033] therefore, Figure 2 A switchgear with a front-end architecture is shown. It comprises two lateral bases 21, 31 which are fixed laterally on each side of a central base 11 of a central module 10. The central base 11 carries a central switch module 15 and each lateral base 21, 31 carries a lateral switch module 25, 35. The central switch module 15 and the lateral switch modules 25, 35 are identical and can be actuated by the actuation mechanism of the central module. The two lateral hatches 13 present on each side of the central base 11 are placed facing the corresponding hatch 23 on each lateral base (see Figure 4a , 4b Each lateral base 21, 31 also comprises a window 22 for the actuating mechanism (see Figure 4a , 4b ) in order to be able to access the lateral switch modules 25, 35. The lateral modules are symmetrical with respect to the vertical longitudinal plane of the device.

[0034] same, Figure 3 A switchgear with a longitudinal architecture is shown. It comprises a rear base 41 which is fixed to the rear of a central base 11. The central base 11 carries a central switch module 15 and the rear base 41 carries two rear switch modules 45, 55. The central switch module 15 and the rear switch modules 45, 55 are identical and can be actuated by the actuation mechanism of the central module. The rear hatch 14 at the rear of the central base 11 is placed facing a corresponding hatch 44 on the rear base 41 (see Figure 5a , 5b ). The rear base 41 also includes two windows 42, 52 (see Figure 5a , 5b ) to access the two rear switch modules 45, 55.

[0035] In summary, the openings of the hatches 13, 14, 23, 44 and the windows 12, 22, 42, 52 of the central base and of the lateral / rear bases are sufficient to transmit the movement of the central actuating mechanism to the lateral / rear bases and then to the moving contacts of the different switch modules. No electrical connection is required between the central base 11 and the lateral / rear bases 21, 31, 41, which makes this solution very easy to implement. The central base 11 must simply include means for transmitting the movement of the actuating mechanism to the rear base 41 and the lateral bases 21, 31 when the rear base 41 or the two lateral bases 21, 31 are fixed to the central module 10, so as to be able to actuate the other switch modules 25, 35, 45 of the switchgear using conventional mechanical members (such as levers, links, pivots and / or gears).

[0036] Furthermore, all switch modules of the switchgear are removably fixed to their respective bases. Thus, the central switch module 15 is removably fixed to the central base 11 of the central module 10, the rear switch modules 45, 55 are removably fixed to the rear base 41, and the lateral switch modules 25, 35 are removably fixed to their respective lateral bases 21, 31, which makes it possible to easily replace the switch modules.

[0037] exist Figure 3 In the architecture of , it will be noted that there are lateral hatches 13 on each side of the central base 11, but since there are no lateral bases 21, 31 fixed to the central base 11, these lateral hatches 13 are not used. Figure 2 In the architecture of , there is a rear hatch 14 of the central base 11, but it is not used because there is no rear base 41 fixed to the central base 11. In order to cover them, tight covers can be perfectly placed on the various unused hatches.

[0038] According to a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides several types of lateral bases and rear bases which can be used with the same unchanged central base 11 so as to be able to construct switchgear having different ratings (that is, operating at different rated currents), for example 630A to 3150A.

[0039] Therefore, in Figure 5a and 5b It can be seen that the two rear bases 41 and 41' have different distances d1, d1' between the axes of the two windows 42, 52. Similarly, the rear bases 41, 41' have different distances d2, d2' between the axis of their first window 42 and the edge of the side with the hatch 44.

[0040] Thus, the switchgear will have different distances between phases depending on whether the central module 10 is used with the rear base 41 or the rear base 41 '. Thus, the same central base 11 can be used as the basis for a configuration with multiple switchgear ratings, for example for a 41 type rear base rated at 630A and 1250A, or for a 41 ' type rear base rated up to 3150A, and associated with switch modules 15, 45, 55 of different ratings.

[0041] The distances d1 , d2 and d1 ′, d2 ′ are of course arranged such that the distances between the phases of the device are identical, that is to say the distances between the switching modules 45 and 55 on the one hand and the distances between the switching modules 45 and 15 on the other hand.

[0042] This feature also applies to the case of a front-end architecture, where lateral modules of different sizes can be added to the central module 10. Thus, Figure 4a , 4b The lateral modules are shown respectively, which differ in that their windows 22 are at different distances from the edge of the side with the hatch 23. Figure 4b This makes it possible to have a greater distance between the phases in the case of lateral modules of 100A. Thus, the same central base 11 can be used as the basis for constructions with multiple switchgear ratings, for example a lateral base of type 21 for ratings of 630A and 1250A, and a lateral base of type 21' for ratings up to 3150A, and associated with switchgear modules 15, 25, 35 of different ratings.

[0043] According to another preferred feature, the present invention also allows the possibility of easily adding a height enhancer 17 between each base and its associated switch module. Placing the switch module on top of the base of the switch module advantageously allows it to withstand a higher nominal voltage without increasing the dielectric constraints. Figure 6 Shows Figure 3 A switchgear, wherein a height enhancer 17 is added to each switch module 15, 35, 45. Obviously, in Figure 2 Add a similar height enhancer to the example.

[0044] Such a height enhancer may for example have a height of about 80 to 100 mm with an elastomer portion to ensure sealing of the poles. For example, it may be used to change from a 17.5 kV nominal voltage to 24 kV.

[0045] Advantageously, these two features can be used independently of each other, ie using a height enhancer to withstand higher nominal voltages and / or using a lateral / rear base with a larger distance between phases to withstand higher nominal currents.

[0046] Figure 7 and Figure 8 A removable version of the invention is shown in the two architectures presented. In practice, the central module is intended to be placed on a mobile truck in order to be able to access and then electrically connect the switchgear inside the high-voltage unit. The mobile truck is movable in translation in order to be able to access the switchgear and also comprises conventional drive means, such as a worm motorized or actuated by a crank for connecting the switchgear. Typically, the mobile truck comprises a platform on which the switchgear is fixed, and its dimensions are therefore matched to this switchgear. The platform comprises, for example, wheels that make it easy to displace the truck.

[0047] Now, in the case of the modular architecture of the invention, it is more difficult to predict and adapt the dimensions of such a platform, taking into account the different footprints of the switchgear according to the architecture chosen when assembling it. This is why the mobile truck 16 is fixed directly under the central module 10 of the switchgear, but taking into account the assembly of two lateral bases 21, 31 or one rear base 41 to the central base 11 of the central module, it is necessary to ensure the stability and correct displacement of the switchgear. For this purpose, Figure 8 In the context of the longitudinal architecture of the present invention, the invention provides the ability to add two wheels 46 placed on each lateral side of the rear base 41. Similarly, in Figure 7 In the context of the front-end architecture of the invention, the invention provides the ability to add two wheels 26 placed on the outside of the lateral base 21 (that is to say, on the lateral side not fixed to the lateral base 21) and two wheels (not shown) on the outside of the side base 31. Thus, in both architectures, there are four wheels that facilitate the displacement of the truck 16 and the switchgear and ensure the stability of the assembly. They can be guided, for example, in the rails present in the high-voltage unit. These different wheels are easily mounted on the base during assembly of the switchgear.

Claims

1. A central module for a three-phase electrical switchgear, the central module (10) comprising a central base (11) for supporting a central switch module (15) and a front face, the front face comprising a member (19) for the switchgear, the member (19) being a control member or a command member, characterized in that The central base (11) comprises: - a rear fixing device, which is located at the rear of the central base (11) and is capable of removably fixing the rear base (41) for carrying two rear switch modules (45, 55) to the central module (10), - lateral fixing means, located on each side of the central base (11) and capable of removably fixing two lateral bases (21, 31) for carrying lateral switch modules (25, 35) respectively to the central module (10), - an actuating mechanism for actuating a central switching module (15) of a switchgear, - means for transmitting the movement of the actuating mechanism to the rear base (41) and the lateral bases (21, 31) when the latter are fixed to the central module (10) so as to be able to actuate the other switching modules (25, 35, 45) of the switchgear.

2. The central module according to claim 1, characterized in that In order to transmit the movement of the actuating mechanism to the other switch modules (25, 35, 45), the rear fixing device comprises a rear hatch (14) located at the rear of the central base (11), and the lateral fixing device comprises two lateral hatches (13) located on each side of the central base (11).

3. A three-phase electrical switching device, comprising the central module (10) described in claim 1 or 2, which has a central switch module (15) carried by a central base (11), and the switch device includes two lateral bases (21, 31) laterally fixed on each side of the central base (11), each lateral base carrying a lateral switch module (25, 35), and the central switch module (15) and the lateral switch modules (25, 35) can be actuated by the actuating mechanism of the central module.

4. The switchgear according to claim 3, characterized in that The central switch module (15) and the lateral switch modules (25, 35) are arranged so that the switchgear has the same distance between phases.

5. The switchgear according to claim 3, characterized in that The central switch module (15) and the two lateral switch modules (25, 35) are identical.

6. The switchgear according to claim 3, characterized in that The central switch module (15) and the lateral switch modules (25, 35) are each placed on the same height enhancer (17).

7. The switchgear according to claim 3, characterized in that The two lateral bases (21, 31) each include two wheels (26) located on the outside.

8. A three-phase electrical switching device, comprising the central module (10) described in claim 1 or 2, which has a central switch module (15) carried by a central base (11), and the switch device includes a rear base (41) fixed to the rear of the central base (11), the rear base carrying two rear switch modules (45, 55), and the central switch module (15) and the rear switch modules (45, 55) can be actuated by the actuating mechanism of the central module.

9. The switchgear according to claim 8, characterized in that The central switch module (15) and the rear switch modules (45, 55) are arranged so that the switchgear has the same distance between phases.

10. The switchgear according to claim 8, characterized in that The central switch module (15) and the two rear switch modules (45, 55) are identical.

11. The switchgear according to claim 8, characterized in that The central switch module (15) and the rear switch modules (45, 55) are each placed on top of the same height enhancer (17).

12. The switchgear according to claim 8, characterized in that The rear base (41) includes two wheels (46) located on each lateral side of the rear base.

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