Circuit breaker
The circuit breaker's desiccant holder and rupture device configuration enables quick and efficient desiccant maintenance by allowing access through a detachable annular tube, addressing the challenges of time-consuming and environmental exposure in existing designs.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HITACHI ENERGY LTD
- Filing Date
- 2023-05-04
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-13
AI Technical Summary
Existing circuit breakers require the removal of multiple heavy components for desiccant maintenance and replacement, leading to increased maintenance time and exposure of desiccant to the environment, which compromises its moisture-absorbing properties.
A circuit breaker design featuring a desiccant holder accessible through a detachable annular tube, allowing easy access and quick maintenance without removing other components, and a rupture device to regulate gas pressure, minimizing exposure of the desiccant to the environment.
Facilitates rapid and efficient desiccant maintenance and replacement, preserving its moisture-absorbing capabilities by reducing exposure to the environment and minimizing the time required for maintenance.
Smart Images
Figure 2026515045000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] Technical field The present disclosure generally relates to a circuit breaker equipped with a desiccant holder.
Background Art
[0002] background Circuit breakers are used to protect against overloads or short circuits in an electrical system. The main principle of a circuit breaker is to suddenly interrupt the circuit and safely extinguish the arc caused by the interrupter. A circuit breaker includes a casing that uses a support tube to house the interrupter. Further, the casing of the circuit breaker also includes one or more end covers. The above circuit breaker includes a high-pressure insulating gas used as an arc extinguishing medium. In some examples, the high-pressure insulating gas is SF6 gas. Further, the circuit breaker includes a desiccant material mounted inside the end cover of the casing. The desiccant material is responsible for adsorbing moisture inside the casing of the circuit breaker.
[0003] The above desiccant material requires regular maintenance and / or replacement. To perform maintenance and / or replacement of the desiccant material in the above circuit breaker, a number of parts of the circuit breaker are removed. In some examples, the end cover, support tube, and interrupter are removed for maintenance and / or replacement.
[0004] However, the disadvantage of this solution is that the above parts of the circuit breaker are heavy and require an external lifting mechanism to remove and reassemble them. This increases the total time consumed for maintenance and / or replacement of the desiccant material. Further, while these parts are being removed and reassembled, the desiccant material is highly likely to be exposed to the environment for a long time, and thus the desiccant loses its absorption characteristics.
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0005] overview Therefore, a circuit breaker is needed that includes a desiccant holder that can be easily and quickly accessed while maintenance and / or replacement of the desiccant material is being performed.
[0006] Therefore, an object of this disclosure is to provide a circuit breaker and a desiccant holder that can be easily and quickly accessed while performing maintenance and / or replacement of the desiccant material. [Means for solving the problem]
[0007] A circuit breaker is provided in accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure. The circuit breaker includes a casing. The casing further comprises a body, an annular tube, and a rupture device. An end cover may be attached to the end of the body. The annular tube may extend from the end cover to the outside of the end cover, and the annular tube includes a desiccant holder. The desiccant holder is configured to contain a desiccant, which is configured to remove moisture from the gas inside the casing when the desiccant is contained in the desiccant holder. The rupture device is configured to regulate the pressure of the gas contained inside the casing, and the rupture device is detachably mounted to the annular tube at the end of the annular tube away from the end cover, and / or the annular tube is detachably mounted to the end cover. In one example, the space defined by the desiccant holder and configured to contain the desiccant is accessible from the end of the annular tube, which is detachably mounted to either the end cover or the rupture device.
[0008] In some embodiments, the breaking device is detachably attached to the annular tube, and when the breaking device is removed, an opening is formed on the annular tube, and the desiccant is accessible through the opening when it is attached to the desiccant holder.
[0009] Advantageously, during maintenance, the above configuration of the circuit breaker allows the breaking device and ring tube to be removed and reassembled without removing numerous other components of the circuit breaker. Thus, maintenance and / or replacement of the desiccant can be performed easily and quickly. As a result, the desiccant is less likely to be exposed to the environment over long periods, and therefore the desiccant material can efficiently absorb moisture from the gas.
[0010] In some embodiments, the annular tube is constructed as an integral part of the end cover. In such cases, the annular tube must be designed so that when the breaking device is removed from the annular tube, the desiccant can be accessed from the end of the annular tube which is detachably attached to the breaking device.
[0011] In some embodiments, the circuit breaker includes an interrupter within the main body and a rear support tube for supporting the interrupter, and the end cover is connected to the rear support tube.
[0012] In some embodiments, the annular tube includes an inner tube configured to be at least partially surrounded by the desiccant, and the inner tube is perforated. In some embodiments, the breaking device is attached to the annular tube by one or more bolts or screws.
[0013] In some embodiments, the rupture device may include a membrane that allows the gas to leak out of the casing when the pressure inside the casing exceeds a threshold. In one example, the gas inside the casing may be an electrical insulating gas. For example, the insulating gas may be C4FN gas or SF6 gas.
[0014] In some embodiments, the gas comes into contact with the desiccant through the hole in the inner tube. In one example, when the breaker device breaks, the gas exits the casing through the inner tube and the breaker device. Thus, since the desiccant is located around the inner tube and outside the inner tube, the gas exiting the circuit breaker when the breaker device breaks does not pass through the desiccant. This prevents the desiccant from being dispersed into the environment in such exhaust as a result of the claimed design.
[0015] In one embodiment, the desiccant is placed on the desiccant holder. In one example, the desiccant includes particulate desiccant material and a bag containing the particulate desiccant material.
[0016] Other advantages will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Certain embodiments may have some or all of the advantages described.
[0017] The above will be evident from the following more specific description of the exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the different drawings. The drawings are not necessarily to a fixed scale, but rather the emphasis is on illustrating exemplary embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0018] [Figure 1] This figure discloses a circuit breaker that includes a desiccant holder, based on prior art. [Figure 2] This figure discloses a circuit breaker including a desiccant holder according to some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of a circuit breaker according to some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view of an annular pipe and a breaking device according to some embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view of an annular tube with the breaking device removed, according to some embodiments of the present invention.
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
[0019] Detailed explanation The aspects of the present disclosure will be further described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the devices disclosed herein can be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the aspects described herein. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
[0020] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular aspects of the present disclosure only and are not intended to limit the present invention. It should be emphasized that when the terms "comprises" / "comprising" are used herein, they are to be construed as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components, but not precluding the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components, or groups thereof. The singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, when used herein.
[0021] FIG. 1 (Prior Art) is a diagram showing a circuit breaker 100 for suddenly interrupting a circuit and safely extinguishing an arc caused by a disconnector 102. The circuit breaker 100 includes a casing 104. The casing 104 further includes a main body 106 having an end cover 108. The end cover 108 is fastened to the main body 106 by bolts 110. Further, a breaking device 112 extends from the end cover 108 to the outside of the end cover 108. The breaking device 112 is configured to adjust the pressure of an insulating gas housed within the casing 104. Further, the breaking device is also connected to a duct 114 configured to direct the flow of the insulating gas. Further, the casing 104 includes a desiccant holder 116 on the inner layer of the end cover 108. The desiccant holder 116 is configured to accommodate a desiccant.
[0022] Furthermore, the desiccant described above requires periodic maintenance and / or replacement. In order to perform maintenance and / or replacement of the desiccant in the circuit breaker 100 described above, numerous components of the circuit breaker 100 are removed. Specifically, for maintenance and / or replacement, the interceptor 102, end cover 108, breaker 112, duct 114, and guide rod 118 are removed. A disadvantage of this solution is that the above components of the circuit breaker 100 are heavy and require an external lifting mechanism to remove and reassemble them. This increases the total time consumed for maintenance and / or replacement of the desiccant. Moreover, while these components are being removed and reassembled, the desiccant is likely to be exposed to the environment for a long period of time, and thus the desiccant loses its moisture-absorbing properties. According to some embodiments of this subject, a circuit breaker 200 is disclosed as shown in Figure 2. The circuit breaker 200 includes a casing 202. The casing 202 further includes a body 204 having an end cover 206. The end cover 206 is fastened to the main body 204 by bolts (not shown). Furthermore, an annular pipe 208 extends from the end cover 206 to the outside of the end cover 206. The main body 204 also includes a rupture device 210 that is detachably attached to the annular pipe 208 at the end of the annular pipe 208 away from the end cover 206. The rupture device 210 is configured to regulate the pressure of the insulating gas contained within the casing 202. The rupture device 210 is designed to rupture when the gas pressure inside the casing exceeds a predetermined threshold, thereby exhausting the gas from the casing 202. In one example, the annular pipe 208 is also detachably attached to the end cover 206.
[0023] As shown in Figure 3, which discloses a cross-sectional view of the circuit breaker 200, the end cover 206 of the circuit breaker 200 is fastened to the body 204 by bolts 212. In one example, the end cover 206 is fastened to the body 204 by a screw fastening mechanism (not shown). In one example, the annular tube 208 may be constructed as an integral part of the end cover 206. In another example, the annular tube 208 is also detachably attached to the end cover 206. Furthermore, the annular tube 208 includes a desiccant holder 214 configured to contain a desiccant (not shown). The desiccant is configured to remove moisture from the insulating gas in the casing 202 by absorbing moisture.
[0024] In one embodiment, the annular tube 208 includes an inner tube 216 configured to be at least partially surrounded by a desiccant (not shown). In one example, the inner tube 216 may be perforated. Furthermore, the casing 202 includes a flange 218 configured to hold a rear support tube 220. In one example, the rear support tube 220 is configured to hold an interrupter 222. The interrupter 222 further includes a guide rod 224 configured to be connected to a bushing (not shown).
[0025] The insulating gas can interact with a desiccant (not shown) through one or more holes in the perforated inner tube 216. In one example, the insulating gas may be C4FN gas. In another example, the insulating gas may be SF6 gas.
[0026] Furthermore, in one example, the breaking device 210 may be detachably attached to the annular pipe 208 by bolts 226, as shown in Figure 4, which discloses a cross-sectional view of the annular pipe 208 and the breaking device 210. In another example, the breaking device 210 may be attached to the annular pipe 208 by screws (not shown).
[0027] In one embodiment, the rupture device 210 includes a membrane 228 that allows insulating gas to leak out of the casing 202 (Figure 3) when the pressure inside the casing 202 (Figure 3) is greater than a threshold. In one example, the insulating gas exits the casing 202 (Figure 3) through the inner tube 216 and the rupture device 210. Furthermore, the rupture device 210 includes a duct 230 and a sash 232 configured to keep contaminated air away from the membrane 228. In one example, the duct 230 may be bolted or screwed to the rupture device 210.
[0028] As shown in Figure 5, which discloses a cross-sectional view of the annular tube 208 with the breaking device 210 removed, the desiccant holder 214 houses the desiccant 234. Furthermore, as described above, the perforated inner tube 216 is configured to be surrounded at least partially by the desiccant 234. In one example, when the breaking device 210 (in Figure 4) is removed, an opening 236 is formed on the annular tube 208, and the desiccant 234 is accessible through the opening 236 when it is mounted in the desiccant holder 214.
[0029] In one embodiment, the desiccant 234 includes a particulate desiccant material and a bag containing the particulate desiccant material. In one example, the bag containing the particulate desiccant material may be constructed of a flexible material. Furthermore, the bag may have an annular shape. In another example, the bag may extend annularly around an inner tube 216. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the desiccant 234 may be a type 4A-XH-5 desiccant used in refrigeration systems.
[0030] Therefore, during maintenance and / or replacement of the desiccant 234, the breaker 210 (Figure 4) can be removed to form an opening 236. Furthermore, the desiccant 234 is accessible through the opening 236 for maintenance and / or replacement. Thus, maintenance and / or replacement of the desiccant 234 can be performed easily and quickly without removing the numerous heavy components of the circuit breaker 200 (Figure 3). As a result, the total time consumed for desiccant maintenance is minimized, the desiccant 234 is less likely to be exposed to the environment over long periods, and therefore the desiccant 234 can efficiently absorb moisture from the insulating gas.
[0031] The above description of specific embodiments is intended to fully illustrate the general nature of the embodiments herein, that others may readily modify and / or adapt such specific embodiments to various applications without departing from the general concept by applying knowledge of the present invention. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be understood as being within the meaning and scope of the equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It should be understood that any words or terms used herein are for illustrative purposes only, not for limitation. Accordingly, while the embodiments herein are described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein may be implemented with modifications within the scope of this disclosure.
Claims
1. A circuit breaker (200) comprising a casing (202), wherein the casing (202) is A main body (204) and an end cover (206) attached to the end of the main body (204), The casing (202) comprises an annular tube (208) extending from the end cover (206) to the outside of the end cover (206), the annular tube (208) comprising a desiccant holder (214) configured to contain a desiccant (234), the desiccant (234) configured to remove moisture from the gas inside the casing (202) when the desiccant (234) is contained in the desiccant holder (214), and the casing (202) further comprises Circuit breaker (200) comprising a rupture device (210) configured to adjust the pressure of the gas contained within the casing (202), wherein the rupture device (210) is detachably mounted on the annular tube (208) at an end of the annular tube (208) away from the end cover (206), and / or the annular tube (208) is detachably mounted on the end cover (206), and a space defined by the desiccant holder (214) and configured to contain the desiccant (234) is accessible from the end of the annular tube (208) detachably mounted on either the end cover (206) or the rupture device (210).
2. The circuit breaker (200) according to claim 1, wherein the breaking device (210) is detachably attached to the annular tube (208), and when the breaking device (210) is removed, an opening (236) is formed on the annular tube (208), and the desiccant (234) is accessible from the opening (236) when it is attached to the desiccant holder (214).
3. The circuit breaker (200) according to claim 1, wherein the annular tube (208) is constructed as an integral part of the end cover (206).
4. The circuit breaker (200) according to claim 1, comprising an interrupter (222) inside the main body (204) and a rear support pipe (220) for supporting the interrupter (222), wherein the end cover (206) is connected to the rear support pipe (220).
5. The annular tube (208) has an inner tube (216) configured to be at least partially surrounded by the desiccant (234), and the inner tube (216) has holes, the circuit breaker (200) according to claim 1.
6. The circuit breaker (200) according to claim 1, wherein the breaking device (210) is attached to the annular pipe (208) by one or more of the means of bolting or screwing.
7. The circuit breaker (200) according to claim 1, wherein the rupture device (210) includes a membrane (228) that allows the gas to leak out of the casing (202) when the pressure inside the casing (202) is greater than a threshold.
8. The circuit breaker (200) according to claim 1, wherein the gas inside the casing (202) is an insulating gas.
9. The circuit breaker (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gas comes into contact with the desiccant (234) through the hole in the inner tube (216).
10. The circuit breaker (200) according to claim 7, wherein the gas exits the casing (202) through the inner pipe (216) and the rupture device (210).
11. The circuit breaker (200) according to claim 1, wherein the desiccant (234) is placed on the desiccant holder (214).
12. The circuit breaker (200) according to claim 11, wherein the desiccant (234) comprises a particulate desiccant material and a bag containing the particulate desiccant material.