A circuit, apparatus and method for testing the reliability of a discharge tube.

Abstract

This invention discloses a reliability testing circuit, apparatus, and method for discharge tubes. The testing circuit includes a power supply, a boost voltage regulation circuit, a rectifier circuit, a time control circuit, one or more test loops, and a host computer. The power supply is connected to the boost voltage regulation circuit, the boost voltage regulation circuit is connected to the rectifier circuit, the rectifier circuit is connected to the time control circuit, the time control circuit is connected to the one or more test loops, and each of the one or more test loops is connected to the host computer. The time control circuit controls the interval time between continuous tests of the device under test (DUT) in the one or more test loops. The host computer acquires the conduction count and insulation status of the DUT in the one or more test loops and performs a reliability assessment on the DUT. This testing circuit can assess the reliability of the DUT by acquiring the cumulative conduction count and insulation performance, making the testing process more convenient and efficient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electrical equipment, and in particular to a circuit, apparatus and method for testing the reliability of a discharge tube. Background Technology

[0002] Existing discharge tubes are normally in an open-circuit state. When subjected to a large current or high potential surge, the discharge tube will conduct, short-circuiting to discharge the large current or reduce the high potential, thus protecting the operating circuit. The process of the discharge tube changing from open to short-circuit constitutes one conduction cycle; after completing the protection, the discharge tube returns to an open-circuit state. However, after multiple conductions, the release of discharge energy and heat alters the internal structure and materials of the discharge tube. This can lead to a situation where the discharge tube cannot return to an open-circuit state after a single discharge, remaining in a short-circuit state for an extended period. This constitutes a short-circuit failure, a failure mode that poses a safety risk to railway signal control circuits.

[0003] Therefore, reliability testing of discharge tubes under fault-free short-circuit conditions has become an increasingly urgent technical problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, the present invention aims to provide a discharge tube reliability testing circuit, comprising a power supply, a boost voltage regulation circuit, a rectifier circuit, a time control circuit, one or more test circuits, and a host computer. The power supply is connected to the boost voltage regulation circuit, the boost voltage regulation circuit is connected to the rectifier circuit, the rectifier circuit is connected to the time control circuit, the time control circuit is connected to one or more test circuits, and each of the one or more test circuits is connected to the host computer.

[0005] The time control circuit is used to control the interval time of the device under test in one or more test loops during continuous testing.

[0006] The host computer is used to acquire the conduction count and insulation status of the device under test in one or more test circuits, and to perform reliability assessment on the device under test.

[0007] Furthermore, the time control circuit includes a time relay and a contactor, wherein the time relay is connected to the contactor, wherein...

[0008] The time relay is used to control the opening and closing delay of the main contacts and auxiliary contacts of the contactor, so as to set the gap time of the device under test during continuous testing. The gap time includes the on-time and off-time of the test circuit.

[0009] Furthermore, each of the one or more test circuits includes a test interface, a second capacitor, one or more third resistors, a current coil, a current processing module, and a DC pulse counting module. The test interface is connected in parallel with the second capacitor and the DC pulse counting module, respectively. One end of the current coil is connected to the second capacitor, and the other end is connected to one or more third resistors. The current coil is also connected to the current processing module. Both the DC pulse counting module and the current processing module are connected to a host computer.

[0010] The test interface is used to connect the device under test;

[0011] The current coil is used to collect the current in the test circuit and send it to the current processing module;

[0012] The current processing module is used to send the collected current to the host computer so that the host computer can determine the insulation status of the device under test.

[0013] The DC pulse counting module is used to collect the number of times the device under test is turned on and send it to the host computer.

[0014] Furthermore, when there are multiple third resistors, the resistance values ​​of the multiple third resistors are different, and the multiple third resistors are connected to the current coil through a multiplexer.

[0015] Furthermore, the boost voltage regulation circuit is used to output a first signal, wherein,

[0016] The voltage boosting and regulating circuit includes a voltage regulator, a first circuit breaker, and a step-up transformer. One end of the voltage regulator is connected to the power supply, and the other end is connected to the step-up transformer through the first circuit breaker.

[0017] Furthermore, the rectifier circuit is used to convert the first signal into a second signal, wherein,

[0018] The rectifier circuit includes a rectifier bridge and multiple first capacitors, which are connected in series and then in parallel with the rectifier bridge.

[0019] Furthermore, it also includes a discharge circuit, which comprises a second circuit breaker, a first resistor, and a second resistor, wherein,

[0020] The second resistor is connected in parallel with the rectifier circuit;

[0021] The first resistor and the second circuit breaker are connected in series, and then connected in parallel with the second resistor and the one or more test circuits, respectively.

[0022] One end of the second resistor and one end of the first resistor are both connected to the time control circuit.

[0023] Another objective of this invention is to provide a discharge tube reliability testing device, comprising a testing platform and the aforementioned discharge tube reliability testing circuit, wherein,

[0024] The above-mentioned discharge tube reliability test circuits are all located on the test platform.

[0025] Another objective of this invention is to provide a method for testing the reliability of a discharge tube, which utilizes the aforementioned discharge tube reliability testing circuit, including:

[0026] The time control circuit controls the interval time of the device under test in one or more test loops during continuous testing.

[0027] The host computer acquires the conduction count and insulation status of the device under test in one or more test circuits, and performs a reliability assessment on the device under test.

[0028] Furthermore, the host computer acquires the conduction count and insulation status of the device under test in one or more test circuits, and performs a reliability assessment of the device under test, including...

[0029] The current coil collects the current in the test circuit and sends it to the current processing module, which then sends the collected current to the host computer.

[0030] The DC pulse counting module collects the number of times the device under test is turned on and sends the data to the host computer.

[0031] Based on the acquired current, the host computer determines whether there is current in the test circuit throughout the interval time. If there is current throughout the interval time, the insulation state of the device under test is considered to be in failure, and the host computer outputs the cumulative number of conduction cycles of the device under test; otherwise, the insulation state of the device under test is considered to be normal, and the test on the device under test continues.

[0032] Furthermore, the reliability of the device under test meets the following requirements:

[0033] After 1 million conduction tests, the insulation resistance between the electrodes of the device under test is greater than 10 MΩ.

[0034] The test circuit of this invention enables continuous breakdown and continuity testing of the device under test (DUT), accelerating the testing process. It also allows for reliability assessment of the DUT by acquiring the cumulative continuity count and insulation performance, making the testing process more convenient and efficient. Furthermore, the controlled interval effectively prevents the DUT from accumulating heat during prolonged testing, thus avoiding any impact on test results and resulting in more accurate evaluations.

[0035] Furthermore, one or more test circuits are arranged with a second capacitor and a third resistor connected in series to prevent interference between different test circuits. Multiple test circuits are connected in parallel with the rectifier circuit, so that the entire test circuit uses only one DC signal and does not require each test circuit to rectify and filter the AC power supply.

[0036] Furthermore, the first resistor in the discharge circuit serves as a discharge path for the remaining charge in both the first and second capacitors, discharging the remaining charge and protecting personnel safety. Further, the second resistor can serve as a backup discharge path for the first resistor and / or the entire test circuit, preventing the capacitor charge in the test circuit from remaining for an extended period if the second circuit breaker is not closed after the test is completed, thus preventing the first resistor from being connected to the circuit. Therefore, the second resistor can serve as a reliable but slow discharge path. Additionally, because there are contactor contacts between the first resistor and the first capacitor, the second resistor can prevent the potential hazard of the first capacitor's charge remaining undischarged due to improper contact closure during discharge.

[0037] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the structures pointed out in the description, claims and drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0038] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0039] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a discharge tube reliability test circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0040] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a test circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0041] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a discharge tube reliability testing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0042] Figure 4 This diagram illustrates a voltage waveform of a discharge tube undergoing continuous breakdown in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the current waveform during a single breakdown of a discharge tube according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0044] Figure 6 A schematic flowchart of a discharge tube reliability testing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0045] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0046] In this embodiment, the discharge tube undergoes two main processes during each discharge cycle: glow discharge and arc discharge. These processes are accompanied by arc force impact and heating, causing the conductive material at both electrodes to be ejected. This ejected material accumulates between the electrodes, forming an unwanted conductive band, resulting in a short circuit that cannot be recovered. Therefore, the short circuit is caused by material excitation and structural changes during each discharge cycle; the number of cycles is the direct cause. By accelerating the number of cycles and testing the insulation between the electrodes, the reliability of the discharge tube in the absence of a short circuit can be effectively evaluated.

[0047] This invention provides a reliability testing circuit for a discharge tube. The circuit includes a power supply, a boost / regulator circuit, a rectifier circuit, a time control circuit, one or more test loops, and a host computer. The power supply is connected to the boost / regulator circuit, which is connected to the rectifier circuit. The rectifier circuit is connected to the time control circuit, which is connected to the one or more test loops. Each of the one or more test loops is connected to the host computer. The time control circuit controls the interval time between continuous tests of the device under test (DUT) in the one or more test loops. The host computer acquires the conduction count and insulation status of the DUT in the one or more test loops and performs a reliability assessment of the DUT. This circuit enables continuous breakdown and conduction tests on the DUT, accelerating the testing process. It also allows for reliability assessment of the DUT by acquiring the cumulative conduction count and insulation performance, making the testing process more efficient. Furthermore, the controlled interval time effectively prevents the DUT from accumulating heat during long-term testing, which could affect the test results and make the assessment more accurate.

[0048] Specifically, such as Figure 1As shown, the discharge tube reliability test circuit includes a power supply, a voltage regulator, circuit breaker 1 (i.e., the first circuit breaker), a step-up transformer, a rectifier bridge, multiple capacitors 1 (i.e., the first capacitors), resistors 2 (i.e., the second resistors), a time relay and a contactor, an indicator light, circuit breaker 2 (i.e., the second circuit breaker), resistors 1 (i.e., the first resistors), and n test loops. Each of the n test loops includes a capacitor 2 (i.e., the second capacitor), a resistor 3 (i.e., the third resistor), and a test interface. Here, n is an integer and greater than 0. The device under test connected to the test interface is a discharge tube, but it is not limited to discharge tubes; other overvoltage protection devices are also applicable to this invention.

[0049] Furthermore, the voltage regulator, circuit breaker 1, and step-up transformer constitute a step-up voltage regulating circuit. The input terminal of the voltage regulator is connected to the power supply, and the output terminal is connected to the input terminal of the step-up transformer through circuit breaker 1. The step-up voltage regulating circuit is used to output a first signal, wherein the first signal is an AC signal. The power supply is an external power supply with parameters of AC voltage 220V and frequency 50Hz. The parameters of the voltage regulator can be rated capacity 3kVA, 1 phase, rated frequency 50Hz, rated input voltage 220V, rated output voltage 1~250V, and rated output current 12A. The parameters of the step-up transformer can be voltage ratio 1:4, rated capacity 3kVA, 1 phase, rated frequency 50Hz, rated input voltage 0~250V, rated output voltage 0~1000V, and rated output current 3A. The system voltage level is increased by a voltage regulator and a step-up transformer, reaching a maximum AC voltage of 1000V and a frequency of 50Hz, meeting the testing requirements of discharge tubes with voltage levels of 0-500V. Simultaneously, the voltage regulator can slowly increase the voltage when the test circuit is powered on, preventing AC220V power supply tripping due to excessive instantaneous power during capacitor 1 charging. Circuit breaker 1 serves as both a switch for the test circuit and a pre-protection device for the power supply, tripping promptly in case of faults such as short circuits in the test circuit to prevent power supply tripping.

[0050] The rectifier bridge and multiple capacitors 1 form a rectifier circuit. The input terminal of the rectifier bridge is connected to the output terminal of the step-up transformer, and the output terminal of the rectifier bridge is connected in parallel with the multiple capacitors 1 connected in series. The rectifier circuit is used to convert the first signal output by the step-up transformer into a second signal, which is a DC signal. The parameters of the rectifier bridge can be a reverse repetitive peak leakage voltage of 1600V, a DC output current of 100A, and an insulation voltage of 2500V. The parameters of the capacitors 1 can be a capacitance of 10mF (millifarads) and a rated voltage of 450V. Figure 1In this invention, the plurality of capacitors 1 includes two capacitors 1, but is not limited to this; the number of capacitors 1 connected in series can be three or four, both of which are applicable to this invention. On the one hand, capacitor 1 can make the output waveform of the rectifier bridge smoother, closer to a flat DC signal, and work together with the rectifier bridge to output a DC signal, quickly charging capacitor 2. On the other hand, using two capacitors 1 connected in series can improve the withstand voltage level of the test circuit.

[0051] The time relay, contactor, and indicator light constitute a time control circuit. The time relay is connected to the contactor and is used to control the opening and closing delay of the contactor's main contacts and auxiliary contacts. Specifically, the contactor includes main contacts, auxiliary contacts, and a control coil, wherein the control coil is controlled by the time relay. One end of the main contact is connected to the rectifier circuit, and the other end is connected to one or more test circuits; that is, the main contact is used to control the opening and closing state of the main circuit of the test circuit. The auxiliary contact is connected in parallel with the indicator light and is used to control the on and off of the indicator light, which displays the energized state of the test circuit. Further, the time relay operates with a cyclic delay, and the contact switches after a 1-second delay (acting upon reaching the set time, i.e., normally open becomes normally closed, and normally closed becomes normally open). The parameters of the time relay can be: heating current 5A (amperes), rated voltage AC 220V, and frequency 50Hz, with a delay range of 1s to 99s (seconds), 1min to 99min (minutes), and 1h to 99h (hours). The contactor is an AC contactor, including a normally closed contact. The contactor's parameters can be: rated current 18A, rated power 3.96KW, conventional heating current 32A, insulation voltage 690V, coil voltage AC220V, and frequency 50Hz. The time control circuit supports infinitely cyclical energizing and de-energizing operations of the test circuit, used to set a stable gap time for the discharge tube during continuous testing, preventing overheating of the discharge tube from affecting the objectivity of the test results. The gap time includes the conduction and de-energizing times of the test circuit. The duration of the conduction and de-energizing times can be set to 30s on and 30s off, 1min on and 1min off, 5min on and 5min off, etc. However, it is not limited to these settings; other durations are also applicable to this invention.

[0052] The n test circuits are connected in parallel, and the capacitor 2 in each of the n test circuits is connected in parallel with the test interface. After being connected in parallel with the test interface, the capacitor 2 is connected in series with the resistor 3. Further, the n test circuits are connected in parallel with the rectifier circuit. The test interface is used to connect the discharge tube. The capacitor 2 is the direct discharge capacitor of the discharge tube, and is also called the absorption capacitor. Its parameters can be: capacitance value 4μF (microfarads), rated voltage 1200VDC (direct current voltage volts). When the capacitor 2 is charged by the output signal (output DC signal) of the rectifier circuit to a level exceeding the breakdown voltage of the discharge tube, the discharge tube discharges and conducts, and the charge on both terminals of the capacitor 2 is discharged and neutralized. At this time, the discharge tube returns to the open circuit state, and the capacitor 2 continues to be charged to the breakdown voltage of the discharge tube, and so on. The n capacitors 2 support the simultaneous operation of the n test circuits, such as... Figure 1 In this circuit, n test loops are designated as test loops 1 through n. Resistor 3 serves as a protective resistor (also a current-limiting resistor) for the test circuit, preventing a short circuit and tripping caused by the discharge tube conducting. Additionally, the placement of resistor 3 prevents capacitor 2 from discharging into the discharge tubes of adjacent test loops. For example, if... Figure 1 In this circuit, capacitor 2 in test circuit 1 is connected in series with resistor 3 between the positive and negative terminals to prevent discharge from the discharge tube in test circuit 2. This ensures that each test circuit is independent due to the potential difference, preventing charging and discharging between different test circuits. Furthermore, multiple test circuits are connected in parallel with the rectifier circuit, thus connecting the test circuits in parallel between the positive and negative terminals of the main power supply. This eliminates the need for separate rectification of the AC power supply for each test circuit; in principle, a sufficient number of test circuits can be connected in parallel by varying the parameters of capacitor 1.

[0053] like Figure 2 As shown, each of the one or more test circuits includes multiple resistors 3, each with a different resistance value. These resistors 3, in conjunction with a multiplexer, are connected to the capacitor 2. The different resistance values ​​of the resistors 3 can accommodate different DC breakdown voltage discharge tubes. For example, Figure 2The resistor 3 described herein includes three resistors with different resistance values: 5kΩ, 2.5kΩ, and 1kΩ. These 5kΩ, 2.5kΩ, and 1kΩ resistors are suitable for testing discharge tubes with DC breakdown voltages of 150V, 500V, and 800V, and the conduction frequency can reach at least 10Hz. Furthermore, during testing, the output voltage of each discharge tube can be further adjusted by a voltage regulator to increase the conduction frequency until the required test frequency is reached. The conduction frequency of the discharge tube can be displayed on a host computer. Testing of discharge tubes with other breakdown voltages can be adapted by changing the resistance value of resistor 3. Therefore, the resistance value of resistor 3 is not limited to the three values ​​mentioned above; other resistance values ​​that meet the experimental requirements are also applicable to this invention. Therefore, by using multiple resistors 3 in conjunction with a multiplexer, the test circuit can test discharge tubes with different DC breakdown voltages. At the same time, it can also change the frequency of a discharge tube with a certain DC breakdown voltage level by using a voltage regulator, thus making the test circuit applicable to different voltage levels and different conduction frequencies, improving the versatility of the test circuit.

[0054] like Figure 2 As shown, each of the one or more test circuits further includes a current coil, a current processing module, and a DC pulse counting module. The DC pulse counting module is a DC pulse counter connected in parallel with capacitor 2. One end of the current coil is connected to capacitor 2, and the other end is connected to a multiplexer. The current coil is also connected to the current processing module. The DC pulse counter and the current processing module are respectively connected to a host computer. Furthermore, the host computer communicates with the DC pulse counter and the current processing module using the RS485 protocol, and all test circuits share a single host computer. The DC pulse counter collects the number of times the discharge tube conducts and uploads the data to the host computer, which can display the conduction frequency and the cumulative number of conductions. Specifically, as shown... Figure 4 As shown, the waveform of continuous triggering of the discharge tube shows that the voltage waveform is continuously increased by the capacitor charging. After reaching the trigger point, the discharge tube conducts, and the voltage quickly returns to zero. The DC pulse counter counts the conduction waveforms to obtain the number of times the discharge tube conducts and the conduction frequency. The current coil is used to acquire the current of the test circuit. Figure 5The diagram shows the current waveform during a single triggering of the discharge tube. The current curve initially increases and then decreases during the discharge process, releasing a significant amount of heat. Therefore, a time relay is used to control the time interval, enabling intermittent continuity testing and preventing sample overheating from affecting test accuracy. Under normal circumstances, within a set cycle (gap time), the test circuit experiences continuous open circuitry, resulting in zero current (the current in the test circuit is zero during the open time). If the current coil continuously collects current within the cycle, the host computer can determine that the insulation of the discharge tube test sample has failed, the test circuit ends, and the cumulative number of conduction cycles for this test circuit is output. Real-time determination of the insulation resistance of the discharge tube sample during the test makes this testing method more convenient and accurate for testing the safety and reliability of the discharge tube. Furthermore, a conduction count circuit is designed into the test circuit, allowing the host computer to display the conduction frequency of the discharge tube during the test and the cumulative number of conduction cycles, effectively reducing the complexity of the test.

[0055] The circuit breaker 2, resistor 1, and resistor 2 form a discharge circuit. Resistor 2 is connected in parallel with the plurality of capacitors 1 connected in series. One end of resistor 2 is also connected to the main contact of the contactor in the time control circuit, and the other end of resistor 2 is connected to one end of circuit breaker 2. The other end of circuit breaker 2 is connected to one end of resistor 1, and the other end of resistor 1 is connected to the main contact of the contactor in the time control circuit. That is, when the time control circuit is conducting the test circuit, circuit breaker 2 and resistor 1 are connected in series, and then in parallel with resistor 2. Further, circuit breaker 2 and resistor 1 are connected in series, and then in parallel with one or more test circuits. The parameters of resistor 1 can be: resistance 10kΩ (kiloohms), rated power 50W (watts). The parameters of resistor 2 can be: resistance 500kΩ, rated power 50W. Resistor 1 is the discharge resistor of the test circuit after the test is completed, serving as a discharge channel for the remaining charge in capacitors 1 and 2, discharging the remaining charge and protecting personnel safety. Circuit breaker 2 is responsible for connecting and disconnecting resistor 1 from the test circuit. The state of circuit breaker 2 is inversely linked to that of circuit breaker 1; that is, circuit breaker 1 closes and circuit breaker 2 opens, or vice versa. Resistor 2 serves as a protective resistor for the test circuit, acting as a backup discharge path. This prevents the capacitor in the test circuit from remaining charged for an extended period if circuit breaker 2 is not closed after the test, thus preventing resistor 1 from being connected to the test circuit. Resistor 2, despite lacking a switch, has a relatively high resistance, providing a reliable but slow discharge path. Furthermore, because there are contactor contacts between resistor 1 and capacitor 1, resistor 2 prevents the capacitor from remaining charged for an extended period if the contacts fail to close properly during discharge.

[0056] like Figure 3As shown in the illustration, this embodiment of the invention also introduces a discharge tube reliability testing device. The testing device includes a testing platform and the aforementioned circuitry, wherein all the circuitry is located on the testing platform. The testing platform also has a cooling fan for heat dissipation. Further, the testing platform is a server rack. Figure 3 In this example, n is 9, meaning only test circuits 1 to 9 are used for illustration, but it is not limited to this. n can be 10, 12, etc., and is also applicable to this invention.

[0057] like Figure 6 As shown in the figure, an embodiment of the present invention also introduces a method for testing the reliability of a discharge tube. Using the circuit described above, the testing method includes: first, the time control circuit controls the interval time of the device under test in one or more test loops during continuous testing; then, the host computer acquires the conduction count and insulation status of the device under test in one or more test loops, and performs a reliability assessment on the device under test.

[0058] The host computer acquires the conduction count and insulation status of the device under test in one or more test circuits, and performs a reliability assessment of the device under test, including...

[0059] The current coil collects the current in the test circuit and sends it to the current processing module, which then sends the collected current to the host computer.

[0060] The DC pulse counting module collects the number of times the device under test is turned on and sends the data to the host computer.

[0061] Based on the acquired current, the host computer determines whether there is current in the test circuit throughout the interval time. If there is current throughout the interval time, the insulation state of the device under test is considered to be in failure, and the host computer outputs the cumulative number of conduction cycles of the device under test; otherwise, the insulation state of the device under test is considered to be normal, and the test on the device under test continues.

[0062] The reliability of the discharge tube (the reliability without faults or short circuits) meets the following requirement: after the discharge tube has been tested 1 million times in the above test circuit, the insulation resistance between the electrodes is greater than 10MΩ.

[0063] Based on the occurrence of lightning strikes and / or the required number of conduction cycles within the lifespan of overvoltage protection devices, my country experiences a maximum of 120 thunderstorm days. Assuming 10 conduction cycles per thunderstorm day, the discharge tube will conduct 1200 times annually. With a 50-year lifespan, this equates to 60,000 conduction cycles. Considering the typical lifespan requirement of 100,000 cycles for other frequently switching electrical devices, and given that reliable discharge tubes are primarily used in control systems, a redundancy factor of 10 is applied to set an absolute safety upper limit of 1 million conduction cycles. Furthermore, a discharge tube insulation resistance below 10 MΩ will cause continuous leakage to ground in the protection circuit; therefore, a lower limit of 10 MΩ insulation resistance is also set. Thus, discharge tubes with an insulation resistance greater than 10 MΩ after 1 million cycles are considered safe and reliable. The reliability of the discharge tube is then assessed.

[0064] The above testing method was used to test four common discharge tube samples on the market, and the following data was obtained. Therefore, the discharge tubes currently on the market cannot meet the requirements for safety and reliability.

[0065] Table of test results for 75V discharge tubes from different manufacturers

[0066]

[0067] The above method enables continuous breakdown and continuity testing of the device under test (DUT), accelerating the testing process. Furthermore, by acquiring the cumulative continuity count and insulation performance, the reliability of the DUT can be assessed, making the testing process more efficient. In addition, the controlled interval effectively prevents heat accumulation in the DUT's discharge tube during prolonged testing, which could affect the accuracy of the test results, resulting in more precise and reliable evaluations.

[0068] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A reliability testing circuit for a discharge tube, characterized in that, The system includes a power supply, a boost voltage regulation circuit, a rectifier circuit, a time control circuit, one or more test circuits, and a host computer. The power supply is connected to the boost voltage regulation circuit, the boost voltage regulation circuit is connected to the rectifier circuit, the rectifier circuit is connected to the time control circuit, the time control circuit is connected to one or more test circuits, and each of the one or more test circuits is connected to the host computer. The time control circuit is used to control the interval time of the device under test in one or more test loops during continuous testing. The host computer is used to acquire the conduction count and insulation status of the device under test in one or more test circuits, and to perform reliability assessment on the device under test. Each of the one or more test circuits includes a test interface, a second capacitor, one or more third resistors, a current coil, a current processing module, and a DC pulse counting module. The test interface is connected in parallel with the second capacitor and the DC pulse counting module, respectively. One end of the current coil is connected to the second capacitor, and the other end is connected to one or more third resistors. The current coil is also connected to the current processing module. Both the DC pulse counting module and the current processing module are connected to a host computer. The test interface is used to connect the device under test; The current coil is used to collect the current in the test circuit and send it to the current processing module; The current processing module is used to send the collected current to the host computer so that the host computer can determine the insulation status of the device under test. The DC pulse counting module is used to collect the number of times the device under test is turned on and send it to the host computer.

2. The discharge tube reliability test circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The time control circuit includes a time relay and a contactor, wherein the time relay is connected to the contactor. The time relay is used to control the opening and closing delay of the main contacts and auxiliary contacts of the contactor, so as to set the gap time of the device under test during continuous testing. The gap time includes the on-time and off-time of the test circuit.

3. The discharge tube reliability test circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, When there are multiple third resistors, the resistance values ​​of the multiple third resistors are different, and the multiple third resistors are connected to the current coil through a multiplexer.

4. The discharge tube reliability test circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The boost voltage regulation circuit is used to output a first signal, wherein... The voltage boosting and regulating circuit includes a voltage regulator, a first circuit breaker, and a step-up transformer. One end of the voltage regulator is connected to the power supply, and the other end is connected to the step-up transformer through the first circuit breaker.

5. The discharge tube reliability test circuit according to claim 4, characterized in that, The rectifier circuit is used to convert the first signal into a second signal, wherein... The rectifier circuit includes a rectifier bridge and multiple first capacitors, which are connected in series and then in parallel with the rectifier bridge.

6. The discharge tube reliability test circuit according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a discharge circuit, which comprises a second circuit breaker, a first resistor, and a second resistor, wherein, The second resistor is connected in parallel with the rectifier circuit; The first resistor and the second circuit breaker are connected in series, and then connected in parallel with the second resistor and the one or more test circuits, respectively. One end of the second resistor and one end of the first resistor are both connected to the time control circuit.

7. A discharge tube reliability testing device, characterized in that, Includes a test platform and the circuit described in any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The circuits described in any one of claims 1-6 are all located on a test platform.

8. A method for testing the reliability of a discharge tube, characterized in that, The circuit described in any one of claims 1-6 includes, The time control circuit controls the interval time of the device under test in one or more test loops during continuous testing. The host computer acquires the conduction count and insulation status of the device under test in one or more test circuits, and performs a reliability assessment on the device under test.

9. The method for testing the reliability of a discharge tube according to claim 8, characterized in that, The host computer acquires the conduction count and insulation status of the device under test in one or more test circuits, and performs a reliability assessment of the device under test, including... The current coil collects the current in the test circuit and sends it to the current processing module, which then sends the collected current to the host computer. The DC pulse counting module collects the number of times the device under test is turned on and sends the data to the host computer. Based on the acquired current, the host computer determines whether there is current in the test circuit throughout the gap time. If there is current throughout the gap time, the insulation state of the device under test is considered to be in failure, and the host computer outputs the cumulative number of conduction times of the device under test. Otherwise, if the insulation state of the device under test is normal, continue testing the device under test.

10. The method for testing the reliability of a discharge tube according to claim 9, characterized in that, The reliability of the device under test meets the following requirements: After 1 million conduction tests, the insulation resistance between the electrodes of the device under test is greater than 10 MΩ.

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