Circuit breaker and power apparatus

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a circuit breaker and a power apparatus. The circuit breaker comprises an upper housing, a lower housing and a bus bar. The upper housing comprises a piston cavity, wherein a piston is accommodated in the piston cavity, and the piston moves after being subjected to force to cut off the bus bar. The lower housing comprises an arc-extinguishing cavity, wherein an arc-extinguishing grid is accommodated in the arc-extinguishing cavity. The circuit breaker further comprises at least one air chamber and an air channel, wherein the air chamber is arranged on the upper housing and / or the lower housing, one end of the air channel is in communication with the arc-extinguishing cavity, the other end of the air channel is in communication with the air chamber, a first gap is provided between the arc-extinguishing grid and a first side wall of the lower housing, and the air channel comprises the first gap. Thus, high-temperature and high-pressure gas generated due to arc extinguishing in the lower housing can be guided to the air chamber for cooling, thereby reducing potential safety hazards. Moreover, compared with the way of directly discharging the high-temperature and high-pressure gas to the outside, other devices in the power apparatus cannot be damaged.

Description

Circuit breakers and power equipment

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on August 11, 2023, with application number 202311019419.7 and invention name “Circuit Breaker and Power Equipment”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of power distribution technology, and in particular to a circuit breaker and power equipment. Background Art

[0003] In the field of power distribution technology, circuit breakers are commonly used to prevent equipment failures and even safety issues caused by abnormal current flow. These breakers feature a piston that, when the current flow is abnormal, triggers the piston to move at high speed, interrupting the circuit. This interruption creates an arc at the break, which is ejected outward, accompanied by high-temperature, high-pressure gas. This ejection of arcs and high-temperature, high-pressure gas can easily cause problems such as phase breakdown and component ablation.

[0004] Therefore, an arc chute is typically installed within a circuit breaker. The arc chute comprises multiple stacked metal sheets, which extinguish the arc by directing it to the chute. This arc extinguishing process also generates a significant amount of heat and high-temperature, high-pressure gas. To mitigate the hazards posed by this heat and high-temperature, high-pressure gas, holes can be opened in the cavity housing the arc chute within the circuit breaker to allow these heat and high-temperature, high-pressure gas to be discharged outside the circuit breaker.

[0005] However, the high-temperature, high-pressure gas and heat directly discharged from the circuit breaker may damage other components in the power equipment.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present application provides a circuit breaker and electric power equipment, which can protect other components in the electric power equipment while reducing the heat generated during the arc extinguishing process and the danger caused by high-temperature and high-pressure gas.

[0008] In a first aspect, a circuit breaker is provided, which includes an upper shell, a lower shell, and a flow row fixed between the upper shell and the lower shell. The upper shell includes a piston cavity. The piston cavity opens toward the flow row, and the piston cavity accommodates a piston. The piston cavity is provided with a power mechanism that can drive the piston to move toward the flow row. The piston moves after being applied with the force of the power mechanism to cut off the flow row. The lower shell includes an arc extinguishing cavity, and the arc extinguishing grid is accommodated in the arc extinguishing cavity. A first gap is provided between the arc extinguishing grid and the first side wall of the lower shell, and the first side wall and the moved piston are respectively located on both sides of the arc extinguishing grid. The circuit breaker also includes at least one air chamber and an air duct, one end of the air duct is connected to the arc extinguishing cavity, and the other end of the air duct is connected to the air chamber. The air duct includes the first gap.

[0009] By setting up an air chamber and an air duct, the heat energy and high-temperature and high-pressure gas generated by arc extinguishing in the lower shell can be channeled to the air chamber through the air duct for cooling, thereby reducing the safety hazards of the circuit breaker. Moreover, compared with the method of directly discharging the high-temperature and high-pressure gas to the outside of the circuit breaker, the high-temperature and high-pressure gas will not cause damage to other components in the power equipment.

[0010] In one implementation, the air chamber includes an upper air chamber disposed within an upper housing. Furthermore, a second gap is formed between the arc chute and the bottom plate of the lower housing, and the first gap communicates with the second gap. A pipe is installed within the lower housing. One end of the pipe communicates with the second gap, and the other end of the pipe communicates with the at least one upper air chamber. The air duct includes the second gap and the pipe.

[0011] Furthermore, energy absorbing material is provided in at least one of the upper air chamber, the first gap, the second gap, and the pipe, or energy absorbing material is provided in the space between the second arc-starting structure and the bottom plate of the lower housing. Thus, the provision of energy absorbing material can improve the speed and effect of cooling.

[0012] In addition, the upper shell further comprises at least one first through hole, each of the first through holes extending from the outer surface of the upper shell to the upper gas chamber, so that the gas after being cooled and decompressed can be discharged outside the circuit breaker through the first through hole.

[0013] In another implementation, the air chamber includes a lower air chamber disposed in the lower shell, the lower air chamber and the arc extinguishing chamber are located on both sides of the bottom plate of the lower shell, and the lower air chamber is connected to the first gap through a third through hole.

[0014] In addition, the lower shell further comprises at least one second through hole, each of the second through holes extending from the outer surface of the lower shell to the lower air chamber, so that the gas after being cooled and decompressed can be discharged outside the circuit breaker through the second through hole.

[0015] In the circuit breaker provided in the present application, the piston includes a first insulating portion extending in a first direction. The piston moves after being subjected to the force of the power mechanism so that the first insulating portion cuts off the flow bar, and the first direction is the movement direction of the piston. The lower shell includes a second insulating portion extending in the opposite direction of the first direction. After the piston moves, an insulating gap is formed between the first insulating portion and the second insulating portion. The arc extinguishing grid includes a plurality of metal sheets, which are stacked in the first direction, and there is a gap between two adjacent metal sheets. The first metal sheet of the plurality of metal sheets includes a first arc-striking structure, and the second metal sheet of the plurality of metal sheets includes a second arc-striking structure. The first metal sheet is closer to the flow bar than the second metal sheet. The first arc-striking structure extends from an end of the first metal sheet close to the first insulating portion toward the flow bar, and the second arc-striking structure extends from an end of the second metal sheet close to the first insulating portion toward the opening of the insulating gap.

[0016] Since an insulating gap is formed between the first insulating part and the second insulating part after the current bar is cut off, the arc can be restricted to flow in the insulating gap, thereby lengthening the arc, increasing the arc voltage, and increasing the voltage of the arc that can be extinguished, thereby enabling the circuit breaker to be effectively used in high-voltage circuits without increasing the volume of the circuit breaker.

[0017] In one implementation, the second insulating portion is provided on a second side wall of the lower housing, and the second side wall and the arc extinguishing grid are located on both sides of the piston. For example, the second insulating portion is integrally formed with the lower housing.

[0018] In another implementation, the first insulating portion includes two insulating arms extending along the first direction, the second insulating portion includes a partition rib extending in the opposite direction to the first direction, and after the piston (140) moves, the partition rib is located between the two insulating arms to form two insulating gaps. In addition, there are two arc extinguishing grids, and the two arc extinguishing grids are located on both sides of the partition rib.

[0019] In the present application, the end of the second insulating portion contacts the through-current bar, and the through-current bar is fixed to the end of the second insulating portion via a fixing member. This allows the portion of the through-current bar that is cut off by the first insulating portion to remain fixed, that is, the arc starting point position can be kept unchanged, thereby improving the safety and practicality of the circuit breaker provided by the present application.

[0020] In the present application, the end of the first arc-starting structure contacts the through-flow bar, or the end of the first arc-starting structure can contact the bent portion of the through-flow bar after it is cut. By setting the length of the first arc-starting structure based on the positional relationship between the easily bendable portion and the easily cut portion on the through-flow bar, the difficulty of manufacturing can be reduced.

[0021] In a second aspect, a photovoltaic inverter is provided, comprising a DC / AC converter, a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) device, a detection circuit, a circuit breaker, and a controller. The input end of the MPPT device is used to connect to a photovoltaic module, and the output end of the MPPT device is used to directly or indirectly connect to the input end of the DC / AC converter. The circuit breaker is connected between the output end of the MPPT device and the input end of the DC / AC converter, or between the output end of the DC / AC converter and an external power grid or load. The circuit breaker comprises an upper housing, a lower housing, and a flow bar fixed between the upper housing and the lower housing, wherein the flow bar is used to connect the output end of the MPPT device and the input end of the DC / AC converter, or connect the output end of the DC / AC converter and an external power grid or load when the circuit breaker is in a conducting state. The upper housing comprises a piston cavity, the piston cavity is open toward the flow bar (130), and the piston cavity (112) accommodates a piston (140). A power mechanism capable of driving the piston to move toward the flow bar is provided in the piston cavity. The piston moves under the force of the power mechanism to interrupt the flow discharge. The lower housing includes an arc-extinguishing chamber, which houses an arc-extinguishing grid. A first gap is defined between the arc-extinguishing grid and the first sidewall of the lower housing. The first sidewall and the moved piston are respectively located on either side of the arc-extinguishing grid. The circuit breaker also includes at least one air chamber and an air duct. At least one air chamber is disposed within the upper housing and / or the lower housing, one end of the air duct communicates with the arc-extinguishing chamber, and the other end of the air duct communicates with the air chamber. The air duct includes the first gap. The detection circuit is used to detect electrical parameters of the DC / AC converter, including at least one of the input terminal voltage of the DC / AC converter, the input terminal current of the DC / AC converter, the output terminal voltage of the DC / AC converter, and the output terminal current of the DC / AC converter. The controller is used to control the power mechanism to drive the piston to move when the electrical parameters of the DC / AC converter exceed a preset threshold value, so that the first insulating portion cuts off the current bar, thereby disconnecting the output terminal of the MPPT device from the input terminal of the DC / AC converter, or disconnecting the output terminal of the DC / AC converter from the external power grid or load.

[0022] The structure of the circuit breaker in the photovoltaic inverter is similar to the structure of the circuit breaker in the first aspect and any possible implementation thereof, and a detailed description thereof is omitted here to avoid redundancy.

[0023] For example, the piston includes a first insulating portion extending in a first direction. The piston moves under the force of the power mechanism so that the first insulating portion cuts off the flow bar, and the first direction is the moving direction of the piston. The lower shell includes a second insulating portion extending in the opposite direction of the first direction. After the piston moves, an insulating gap is formed between the first insulating portion and the second insulating portion. The arc extinguishing grid includes a plurality of metal sheets, which are stacked in the first direction, and there is a gap between two adjacent metal sheets. The first metal sheet among the plurality of metal sheets includes a first arc-striking structure, and the second metal sheet among the plurality of metal sheets includes a second arc-striking structure. The first metal sheet is closer to the flow bar than the second metal sheet. The first arc-striking structure extends from an end of the first metal sheet close to the first insulating portion toward the flow bar, and the second arc-striking structure extends from an end of the second metal sheet close to the first insulating portion toward the opening of the insulating gap.

[0024] For another example, there are two first insulating portions, one located on either side of the second insulating portion, a first gap is defined between the two first insulating portions, and the width of the second insulating portion is smaller than the first gap. Furthermore, in this case, there are two arc chute components, one located on either side of the second insulating portion.

[0025] In a third aspect, an energy storage system is provided, comprising a battery cluster, a circuit breaker, a detection circuit, and a controller. Each battery cluster includes multiple battery packs connected in series. One end of the circuit breaker's current bar is connected to the DC input / output port of the battery cluster, and the other end of the circuit breaker's current bar is used to connect to the DC input / output port of a DC load or a power generation system. The detection circuit is used to detect electrical parameters of the battery cluster, including at least one of the output voltage and output current of the battery cluster. The controller is used to control a power mechanism to drive a piston to move when the electrical parameters of the battery cluster exceed a preset threshold, so that a first insulating portion cuts off the current bar, thereby disconnecting the electrical connection between the battery cluster and the load.

[0026] In a fourth aspect, a photovoltaic inverter system is provided, characterized in that it includes a photovoltaic panel, a photovoltaic inverter, an energy storage system, a circuit breaker, a detection circuit, and a controller. The photovoltaic inverter includes a DC / AC converter and a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) module, one end of the MPPT device is connected to the photovoltaic panel, one end of the circuit breaker's current bar is connected to the other end of the MPPT device, one end of the circuit breaker's current bar is also connected to the energy storage system, the other end of the circuit breaker's current bar is connected to one end of the DC / AC converter, and the other end of the DC / AC converter is used to connect to an AC grid or an AC load. Alternatively, the other end of the MPPT device is connected to one end of the DC / AC converter, the other end of the MPPT device and one end of the DC / AC converter are also connected to the energy storage system, the other end of the DC / AC converter is connected to one end of the circuit breaker's current bar, and the other end of the circuit breaker's current bar is used to connect to an AC grid or an AC load. The detection circuit is used to detect electrical parameters of the DC / AC converter, including at least one of the input terminal voltage of the DC / AC converter, the input terminal current of the DC / AC converter, the output terminal voltage of the DC / AC converter, and the output terminal current of the DC / AC converter. The controller is used to control the power mechanism to drive the piston to move when the electrical parameters of the DC / AC converter exceed a preset threshold value, so that the first insulating portion cuts off the current bar, thereby disconnecting the output terminal of the MPPT device from the input terminal of the DC / AC converter, or disconnecting the output terminal of the DC / AC converter from the external power grid or load.

[0027] In a fifth aspect, an electric vehicle is provided, comprising a battery cluster, an inverter circuit, a motor, and a circuit breaker. The battery cluster is configured to output direct current (DC) power, and the inverter circuit converts the DC power into three-phase alternating current (AC) power and transmits it to the motor. One end of the circuit breaker's current bar is connected to the battery cluster, and the other end is connected to the DC terminal of the inverter circuit. Alternatively, one end of the circuit breaker's current bar is connected to the AC terminal of the inverter circuit, and the other end is connected to the motor. A detection circuit is configured to detect electrical parameters of the inverter circuit, including at least one of the inverter circuit's input voltage, the inverter circuit's input current, the inverter circuit's output voltage, and the inverter circuit's output current. A controller is configured to control a power mechanism to drive a piston to move when the inverter circuit's electrical parameters exceed a preset threshold, causing a first insulating portion to cut off the current bar, thereby electrically connecting the battery cluster's output terminal to the inverter circuit's input terminal, or disconnecting the inverter circuit's output terminal from the motor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the appearance of a circuit breaker provided in the present application.

[0029] FIG2 is an assembly diagram of the circuit breaker provided in this application.

[0030] FIG3 is a front cross-sectional view of an example of a circuit breaker provided by the present application when the circuit is not disconnected.

[0031] FIG4 is a front cross-sectional view of an example of a circuit breaker provided by the present application when the circuit is disconnected.

[0032] FIG5 is a perspective view of an example of a piston of a circuit breaker provided by the present application.

[0033] FIG6 is a perspective view of another example of the piston of the circuit breaker provided by the present application.

[0034] FIG7 is a perspective view of an example of a lower case of a circuit breaker provided in the present application.

[0035] FIG8 is a perspective view of an example of an arc extinguishing grid of a circuit breaker provided in the present application.

[0036] FIG9 is a perspective view of an example of a metal sheet in the arc extinguishing grid provided in the present application.

[0037] FIG10 is a perspective cross-sectional view of another example of the circuit breaker provided by the present application.

[0038] FIG11 is a top view of the lower housing of the circuit breaker shown in FIG10 .

[0039] FIG12 is a front cross-sectional view of yet another example of the circuit breaker provided by the present application.

[0040] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of the arc state of the circuit breaker provided in the present application when arcing.

[0041] FIG14 is a schematic diagram of the arc state of the circuit breaker provided in the present application after arcing.

[0042] FIG15 is a front cross-sectional view of another example of the circuit breaker provided by the present application when the circuit is disconnected.

[0043] FIG16 is a front cross-sectional view of another example of the circuit breaker provided by the present application when the circuit is broken.

[0044] FIG17 is a front cross-sectional view of another example of the circuit breaker provided by the present application when the circuit is broken.

[0045] FIG18 is a front cross-sectional view of another example of the circuit breaker provided by the present application when the circuit is broken.

[0046] FIG19 is a schematic structural diagram of an example of a photovoltaic inverter system to which the circuit breaker provided by the present application is applicable.

[0047] FIG20 is a schematic structural diagram of an example of an energy storage system applicable to the circuit breaker provided by the present application.

[0048] FIG21 is a schematic structural diagram of an example of an electric vehicle to which the circuit breaker provided by the present application is applicable. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] The technical solution in this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0050] The circuit breaker of the present application can be effectively applied to power systems with high-voltage circuits. As shown in FIG1 , the power system may include a high-voltage power supply and a load, with one end of the circuit breaker connected to the high-voltage power supply and the other end connected to the load. Furthermore, the circuit breaker of the present application can also be used in power systems or power equipment with low-voltage circuits.

[0051] For example, the power system may include a photovoltaic inverter system. FIG19 shows a schematic structural diagram of an example of a photovoltaic inverter system having a circuit breaker provided in the present application. As shown in FIG19 , the photovoltaic inverter system includes photovoltaic (PV) panels and a photovoltaic inverter. The photovoltaic panels convert solar energy into electrical energy. Since the photovoltaic panels generate direct current (DC), the DC power needs to be converted into alternating current (AC) by a photovoltaic inverter to facilitate the transmission and utilization of the power.

[0052] The photovoltaic inverter includes a direct current to alternating current (DC / AC) converter, and the DC / AC converter is used to convert direct current into alternating current.

[0053] The photovoltaic inverter also includes a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) module. The MPPT device is used to track the highest voltage and current values ​​so that the power generation system can output current at maximum power.

[0054] The MPPT device and DC / DC module in the photovoltaic inverter can be arranged in the same package device or in different package devices.

[0055] The MPPT device may include a direct current to direct current (DC / DC) converter, which is used to stabilize the DC power generated by the PV module (or, in other words, perform voltage conversion processing). The DC power after voltage stabilization can be output to the power energy storage system. One end A of the DC / AC converter is connected to the MPPT device and an energy storage system, and the other end B is used to connect to the AC grid or AC load. Thus, the DC / AC converter converts the DC power output by the MPPT device or the energy storage system into AC power and provides it to the AC load or the AC grid.

[0056] The other end B of the DC / AC converter can also be connected to another energy storage system via an inverter (i.e., a DC / AC converter). This inverter is used to convert the AC power from the photovoltaic inverter into DC power and store it in the energy storage system. Furthermore, the DC power from the energy storage system can be converted into AC power and supplied to an AC load or the AC grid.

[0057] As shown in Figure 19, in one implementation, the circuit breaker provided in this application can be set in the circuit between the MPPT and the energy storage system and the DC / AC converter. That is, one end of the circuit breaker's current bar is connected to the MPPT and the energy storage system, and one end of the circuit breaker's current bar is connected to the DC / AC converter. In this case, the circuit breaker operates in the DC circuit. The circuit breaker can be used to cut off the electrical connection between the MPPT and the DC / AC converter, and the circuit breaker can also be used to cut off the electrical connection between the energy storage system and the DC / AC converter.

[0058] In another implementation, the circuit breaker provided in this application can be installed between a DC / AC converter and the output interface of a photovoltaic system. Specifically, the circuit breaker can disconnect the electrical connection between the DC / AC converter and an AC load or AC grid. Specifically, one end of the circuit breaker's current busbar is connected to the DC / AC converter, while another end of the circuit breaker's current busbar is connected to the grid or load. In this case, the circuit breaker operates in an AC circuit. The circuit breaker can be used to disconnect the electrical connection between the photovoltaic system and an AC load or AC grid.

[0059] The circuit breaker provided in the present application may also be provided in the above-mentioned photovoltaic inverter. In this case, the photovoltaic inverter includes the above-mentioned DC / AC converter, the MPPT device, the detection circuit, the circuit breaker and the controller.

[0060] The input end of the MPPT device is used to connect to the photovoltaic module, and the output end of the MPPT device is used to directly or indirectly connect to the input end of the DC / AC converter.

[0061] For example, the circuit breaker is connected between the output terminal of the MPPT device and the input terminal of the DC / AC converter.

[0062] Alternatively, the circuit breaker is connected between the output end of the DC / AC converter and the external power grid or load.

[0063] The detection circuit is used to detect electrical parameters of the DC / AC converter, for example, the electrical parameters include at least one of the input terminal voltage of the DC / AC converter, the input terminal current of the DC / AC converter, the output terminal voltage of the DC / AC converter, and the output terminal current of the DC / AC converter.

[0064] When the DC / AC converter's electrical parameters exceed a preset threshold, the controller controls the circuit breaker's motor mechanism to drive the piston, causing the first insulating portion to disconnect the current bar, thereby disconnecting the output of the MPPT device from the input of the DC / AC converter, or disconnecting the output of the DC / AC converter from the external power grid or load. The circuit breaker's structure and the operation of its components after activation are described in detail below.

[0065] For example, the power system may include an energy storage system, and Figure 20 shows a schematic structural diagram of an example of an energy storage system with a circuit breaker provided in this application. As shown in Figure 20, the energy storage system includes one or more battery clusters, each battery cluster includes one or more battery packs, and the battery cluster includes an input and output interface, which is used to output direct current to a load or a photovoltaic inverter system, and the input and output interface is used to input direct current output from a photovoltaic inverter system. The circuit breaker provided in this application can be arranged between the input and output interface (or even, the output bus of the battery cluster) and the photovoltaic system and the load. In this case, the circuit breaker operates in a DC circuit. The circuit breaker can be used to cut off the electrical connection between the energy storage system and the DC load or the photovoltaic inverter system.

[0066] Although not shown, the energy storage system may also include one or more DC / DC converters and one or more battery management systems (BMS). Each battery pack corresponds to a BMS. The BMS is typically used to implement functions such as dynamic battery charging and discharging monitoring, cell balancing, and battery state of charge assessment. The DC / DC converter is used for power conversion within the battery.

[0067] The battery pack can be a single battery or a battery cluster consisting of multiple batteries. Specifically, the battery can be a combination of one or more of a lead-carbon battery, a lithium iron phosphate battery, a ternary lithium battery, a sodium-sulfur battery, and a flow battery.

[0068] For example, the power system may include a power system in an electric vehicle. FIG21 shows a schematic structural diagram of an example of a power system of an electric vehicle having a circuit breaker provided in the present application. As shown in FIG21 , the electric vehicle includes a power battery and an electric drive system. The power battery includes a battery cluster, and the battery cluster includes one or more battery packs connected in series. The electric drive system includes an inverter circuit and a motor. The output port of the battery cluster provides direct current to the inverter circuit, which converts the direct current into three-phase alternating current and transmits it to the motor, thereby driving the motor.

[0069] In one implementation, the circuit breaker provided herein can be installed in the circuit between the battery cluster and the inverter circuit. Specifically, one end of the circuit breaker's current busbar is connected to the battery cluster, and one end of the circuit breaker's current busbar is connected to the DC busbar of the inverter circuit. In this case, the circuit breaker operates in the DC circuit. The circuit breaker can be used to disconnect the electrical connection between the battery cluster and the electric drive system.

[0070] In another implementation, the circuit breaker provided in this application can be installed in the circuit between the inverter circuit and the motor. Specifically, the circuit breaker can cut off the electrical connection between the inverter circuit and the motor. Specifically, one end of the circuit breaker's current bar is connected to the inverter circuit's AC busbar, and one end of the circuit breaker's current bar is connected to the motor. In this case, the circuit breaker operates in the AC circuit. The circuit breaker can be used to cut off the electrical connection between the inverter circuit and the motor.

[0071] The structure of the circuit breaker provided in this application is described in detail below.

[0072] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the appearance of a circuit breaker 100 provided in the present application, and Figure 2 is an assembly diagram of the circuit breaker 100. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the circuit breaker 100 includes: an upper shell 110, a lower shell 120, a flow bar 130, a power mechanism 128, a piston 140, and one or more arc extinguishing grids 160.

[0073] In the present application, the circuit breaker 100 can be formed into a bilaterally symmetrical structure, and the symmetry axis of the circuit breaker 100 is denoted as the X-axis. Then, the upper shell 110, the lower shell 120, the flow bar 130, the power mechanism 128, and the piston 140 form a symmetrical structure relative to the X-axis. In this case, the multiple arc extinguishing grids 160 can be formed into two arc extinguishing grid groups, each arc extinguishing grid group includes one or more arc extinguishing grids, and the two arc extinguishing grid groups are symmetrically arranged relative to the X-axis.

[0074] The circuit breaker 100 shown in Figures 1 to 12 is described by taking the circuit breaker 100 as an example in which the circuit breaker 100 is formed as a structure symmetrical with respect to the X-axis, but the present application is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figure 15, the circuit breaker 100 may not be formed as a bilaterally symmetrical structure. In this case, the circuit breaker 100 may include only one arc extinguishing grid 160.

[0075] For ease of understanding and explanation, the following description will be made using the example of a circuit breaker 100 having a bilaterally symmetrical structure. Unless otherwise specified, the structure of each component of the circuit breaker 100 when it is not bilaterally symmetrical is the same as or similar to the structure of each component of the circuit breaker 100 when it is bilaterally symmetrical.

[0076] 1. Through-flow row 130

[0077] The through-bar 130 is used to connect an electric circuit. That is, the circuit breaker 110 is connected to the used electric circuit via the through-bar 130 .

[0078] Furthermore, the through-flow rib 130 is fixed between the upper shell 110 and the lower shell 120 . For example, the through-flow rib 130 can be fixed to the upper shell 110 and / or the lower shell 120 by fasteners such as bolts.

[0079] In the present application, the through-flow bar 130 includes an easily bendable portion 135 and an easily cut-off portion 137 . The easily cut-off portion 137 is easily cut off compared to other portions of the through-flow bar 130 , and the easily bendable portion 135 is easier to bend than other portions of the through-flow bar 130 .

[0080] In the embodiment of the present application, the easily cut portion 137 is closer to the later-described partition rib 150 than the easily bendable portion 135 .

[0081] Alternatively, the easily-bending portion 135 is located closer to the partition rib 150 than the easily-cut portion 137 .

[0082] In one implementation, the through-flow row 130 may be fixed to the partition rib 150 described later by bolts or the like.

[0083] When the through-flow bar 130 is subjected to an impact force in the first direction, the easily cut-off portion 137 is cut off first, and then the portion between the easily cut-off portion 137 and the easily bendable portion 135 bends around the easily bendable portion 135 in the first direction.

[0084] 2. Upper housing 110

[0085] Figure 3 shows a front cross-sectional view of the circuit breaker when the piston 140 is not moved (i.e., the piston 140 is located at the position when the circuit breaker is not started, recorded as the first position), and Figure 4 shows a front cross-sectional view of the circuit breaker after the piston 140 has moved (i.e., the piston 140 is located at the position after the circuit breaker is started, recorded as the second position).

[0086] As shown in FIG3 and FIG4 , a piston cavity 112 is formed in the upper housing 110 . The piston cavity 112 opens toward the through-flow row 130 . A power mechanism 118 is provided at the bottom of the piston cavity 112 , and a piston 140 is accommodated in the piston cavity 112 .

[0087] The power mechanism 118 is configured to apply a force in a first direction to the piston 140. The first direction is the moving direction of the piston 140, or in other words, the direction from the first position to the second position.

[0088] For example, the power mechanism 118 can convert chemical energy into kinetic energy by, for example, explosion, and so on, thereby generating a thrust for the piston 140 .

[0089] The power mechanism 118 may receive a control signal and generate a thrust for the piston 140 based on the control signal.

[0090] In one implementation, the controller that sends the control signal may be integrated into the circuit breaker 100. In another implementation, the controller that sends the control signal may be independent of the circuit breaker 100.

[0091] The controller can determine whether a preset condition is met, and generate and send a control signal when the preset condition is met.

[0092] As an example and not a limitation, the following preset conditions can be listed.

[0093] 1. Whether the current in the through-current bar is less than a preset first threshold value. That is, when a device in the circuit fails, the current in the through-current bar may be small. In this case, the circuit breaker can be triggered to start, thereby cutting off the circuit.

[0094] 2. Whether the current in the through-current bar is greater than a preset second threshold value. That is, when a device in the circuit is disconnected, the current in the through-current bar may be large. In this case, the circuit breaker can be triggered to start, thereby disconnecting the circuit.

[0095] 3. Check that parameters detected by sensors are within preset ranges. This means that when a device malfunctions, some device parameters may become abnormal. For example, when the brakes of an electric vehicle fail, the motor speed may be excessive. In this case, a circuit breaker can be triggered to activate, thereby disconnecting the circuit and preventing a dangerous situation.

[0096] It should be understood that the conditions listed above for triggering the circuit breaker to start (or triggering the power mechanism 118 to generate thrust against the piston 140) are only exemplary and are not specifically limited in this application. The user can set the starting conditions arbitrarily according to the actual application scenario.

[0097] For example, when the circuit breaker is installed in a photovoltaic inverter, the photovoltaic inverter can be provided with the aforementioned controller and detection device. The detection device can be used to detect electrical parameters of the DC / AC converter, such as the input voltage and current of the DC / AC converter, the output voltage and current of the DC / AC converter, etc. Furthermore, the controller can control the circuit breaker to activate when the aforementioned electrical parameters exceed preset thresholds, that is, control the power mechanism 118 to generate thrust against the piston 140.

[0098] For another example, when a circuit breaker is installed in an energy storage system, the energy storage system may be provided with the aforementioned controller and detection device. The detection device may be used to detect electrical parameters of the battery cluster, such as the output voltage or output current of the battery cluster. Furthermore, when the electrical parameters exceed a preset threshold, the controller may control the circuit breaker to activate, that is, control the power mechanism 118 to generate a thrust against the piston 140.

[0099] For another example, when a circuit breaker is installed in an electric vehicle, the electric vehicle may be provided with the aforementioned controller and detection device. The detection device may be used to detect electrical parameters of the inverter circuit, such as the output voltage or output current of the inverter circuit, or the input voltage or input current of the inverter circuit. Furthermore, the controller may control the circuit breaker to activate when the aforementioned electrical parameters exceed a preset threshold, that is, control the power mechanism 118 to generate a thrust against the piston 140.

[0100] When the power mechanism 118 does not apply force to the piston 140, the piston 140 is located at a first position in the piston chamber 112. When the power mechanism 118 applies force to the piston 140, the piston 140 moves from the first position to the second position along the first direction.

[0101] In order to improve the efficiency of converting the energy provided by the power mechanism 118 into the kinetic energy of the piston 140 , the first direction may be parallel to the axis X, and the piston cavity 112 may be formed in a shape extending along the axis X.

[0102] In one implementation, the piston cavity 112 is formed into a shape symmetrical with respect to the axis X, for example, a cylindrical or prismatic shape. For ease of understanding, the drawings of this application show the piston cavity 112 formed into a cylindrical pair.

[0103] The piston 140 includes a base and a first insulating portion 142 disposed on the base.

[0104] When the circuit breaker 100 is not activated, the power mechanism 118 may be in contact with the base of the piston 140 , and the shape of the base of the piston 140 is the same as that of the piston cavity 112 to improve the force transmission efficiency.

[0105] In one possible implementation, as shown in FIG4 , a groove is formed on the base of the piston 140. When the circuit breaker 100 is not activated, the power mechanism 118 is accommodated within the groove. This saves configuration space, increases the stroke of the piston 140, and increases the speed at which the end of the first insulating portion 142 of the piston 140 reaches the flow bar 130, thereby improving the reliability of the circuit breaker 100. Furthermore, by accommodating the power mechanism 118 within the groove when the circuit breaker 100 is not activated, the length of the first insulating portion 142 of the piston 140 can be increased, thereby increasing the length of the insulation gap formed between the first insulating portion 142 and the barrier rib 150.

[0106] Next, the configuration of the first insulating portion 142 will be described in detail.

[0107] As shown in Figures 3 to 6, when the circuit breaker 100 is formed into a structure symmetrical with respect to the X-axis, the first insulating portion 142 is formed into two insulating arms 142, which are formed into strips or columns extending from the base of the piston 140 along the first direction. The insulating arms 142 are made of an insulating material such as plastic.

[0108] The two insulating arms 142 are symmetrically arranged with respect to the X-axis. The facing surfaces (ie, first and second surfaces) of the two insulating arms 142 are formed into planes. The first and second surfaces are parallel to each other and to the X-axis.

[0109] The space enclosed by the facing surfaces (first and second surfaces) of the two insulating arms 142 is referred to as a first space. The shape of this first space corresponds to the shape of the barrier ribs 150, described later. Thus, when the piston 140 moves to the second position, the barrier ribs 150 can be inserted into this first space. Furthermore, the width of this first space (the dimension on the Y-axis shown in FIG. 7 ) is greater than the width of the barrier ribs 150, so that when the piston moves to the second position, an insulating gap is formed between the barrier ribs 150 and each first insulating wall 142.

[0110] The insulating gap can limit the path of the arc, thereby lengthening the arc. As an example and not a limitation, the width of the insulating gap can be between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm.

[0111] For example, the partition rib 150 is formed into a rectangular parallelepiped. In this case, the opposing surfaces of the two insulating arms 142 are parallel to the X-axis. The distance between the opposing surfaces of the two insulating arms 142 (i.e., the distance on the Y-axis) is greater than the width of the partition rib 150 (i.e., the dimension on the Y-axis).

[0112] In one implementation, the insulating arm 142 is formed with a tip 144. For example, the tip 144 can be formed by forming an inclined surface at the end of the insulating arm 142. The orientation or position of the inclined surface can be set based on the positions of the easy-bending portion 135 and the easy-breaking portion 137 on the flow bar 130. For example, the tip 144 can be located on the side of the end of the insulating arm 142 near the easy-breaking portion 137. As shown in FIG4, when the easy-breaking portion 137 on the flow bar 130 is located near the barrier rib 150, the inclined surface of the tip 144 can be longer on the side near the barrier rib 150 and shorter on the side away from the barrier rib 150. As shown in FIG12, when the easy-bending portion 135 on the flow bar 130 is located near the barrier rib 150, the inclined surface of the tip 144 can be shorter on the side near the barrier rib 150 and longer on the side away from the barrier rib 150.

[0113] As an example and not a limitation, the base of the piston 140 may further be provided with a plurality of guide portions 146, the length of each guide portion 146 being greater than the length of the insulating arm 142. The shape of each guide portion 146 matches the shape of a guide groove 157 in the lower housing 120 described below.

[0114] Therefore, when the piston 140 moves, the guide portion 146 enters the lower shell 120 before the insulating arm 142, and through the cooperation between the guide portion 146 and the guide groove 157, the moving direction or trajectory of the piston 140 can be limited, so that the partition 150 can be accurately inserted into the first space between the two insulating arms 142, and the reliable formation of the above-mentioned insulating seam can be ensured.

[0115] Moreover, in the embodiment of the present application, through the cooperation between the guide portion 146 and the guide groove 157, a closed space can be formed on the side, thereby limiting the arc to flow within the above-mentioned insulating gap, thereby ensuring that the arc is elongated through the insulating gap.

[0116] 3. Lower housing 120

[0117] The lower housing 120 includes a cavity surrounded by a bottom plate and four side walls.

[0118] When the piston 140 moves from the first position to the second position, the guide portion 146 and the first insulating portion 142 on the piston 140 enter the cavity from the upper housing 110 (specifically, the piston cavity 112 of the upper housing 110 ).

[0119] A second insulating portion 150 is provided on the bottom plate of the lower housing 120. As shown in Figures 3 to 6, when the circuit breaker 100 is formed into a structure symmetrical with respect to the X-axis, the second insulating portion 150 may include a partition rib 150 extending from the bottom plate of the lower housing 120 in a direction opposite to the first direction. The partition rib 150 is located in the center of the cavity of the lower housing 120, for example, with the X-axis passing through the partition rib 150. The partition rib 150 divides the cavity of the lower housing 120 into two parts.

[0120] As described above, the shape of the rib 150 corresponds to the shape of the first space, that is, the second insulating portion includes a third surface and a fourth surface that are parallel to each other. The distance between the third surface and the fourth surface, that is, the width of the rib 150 (i.e., the dimension in the Y-axis direction shown in FIG. 7 ), is less than the distance between the opposing surfaces of the two insulating arms 142.

[0121] For example, the partition rib 150 is formed into a rectangular parallelepiped. In this case, the first and second opposing surfaces of the two insulating arms 142 are parallel to the X-axis. The distance between the opposing surfaces of the two insulating arms 142 is greater than the width of the partition rib 150 (i.e., the distance between the third and fourth surfaces).

[0122] Thus, when the piston 140 moves to the second position, an insulating gap is formed between the first surface and the third surface, and an insulating gap is formed between the second surface and the fourth surface.

[0123] As an example and not a limitation, as shown in FIG7 , guide grooves 157 are formed on both sides of the partition rib 150 . The shape and size of the guide grooves 157 match the guide portion 146 to limit the moving direction or trajectory of the piston 140 .

[0124] The ribs 150 are made of insulating material and extend upward from the bottom plate of the lower housing 120 along the X-axis and contact the through-flow ribs 130 .

[0125] Therefore, when the piston 140 moves to the second position shown in FIG. 4 , two insulating gaps are formed between the surfaces on both sides of the partition rib 150 and the two insulating arms 142 .

[0126] In one implementation, as shown in FIG7 , the barrier rib 150 may further be provided with a threaded hole 155, and the flow bar 130 may be fixed to the barrier rib 150 by engaging a screw with the threaded hole 155. When the flow bar 130 is cut off by the two insulating arms 142, the portion between the two first insulating portions is fixed to the flow bar 130 by the screws, thereby preventing displacement of the cut-off portion, which serves as the arc starting point, and further improving the reliability and safety of the circuit breaker 100 of the present application.

[0127] As shown in FIG15 , when the circuit breaker includes only one arc chute, the second insulating portion 150 can be disposed on a side wall of the lower housing. Furthermore, the second insulating portion 150 and the arc chute 160, described later, are located on either side of the piston 140. When the piston 140 moves to the second position, an insulating gap is formed between the first insulating portion 142 and the second insulating portion 150. In one possible implementation, the second insulating portion 150 is integrally formed with the lower housing, or the second insulating portion 150 itself is a side wall of the lower housing 120.

[0128] As shown in Figures 3 and 7, the cavity of the lower housing 120 is divided into two arc-extinguishing chambers 122 by partition ribs 150. Each arc-extinguishing chamber 122 houses an arc-extinguishing grid 160.

[0129] As shown in FIG. 8 , the arc chute 160 includes a plurality of metal sheets 163 stacked in the X-axis direction.

[0130] The metal sheet 163 can also be called a metal blank, which is made of a metal with conductive properties. As shown in Figure 9, the metal sheet 163 has a "V"-shaped opening, and the "V"-shaped opening of each metal sheet 163 in the arc extinguishing grid 160 is facing the partition 150, so that the "V"-shaped openings of the multiple metal sheets 163 form a "V"-shaped groove.

[0131] Insulating support plates 164 are provided on both sides of the arc extinguishing grid 160 , and both side edges of each metal sheet 163 (i.e., the adjacent edges of the “V”-shaped opening) are fixed to the insulating support plates 164 to thereby realize a stacked configuration of multiple metal sheets 163 .

[0132] The arc chute 160 further includes insulating members 165 on both sides covering the V-shaped slot.

[0133] The multiple metal sheets of the arc extinguishing grid 160 are arranged horizontally, or the multiple metal sheets of the arc extinguishing grid 160 are tilted so that the side close to the partition ribs 150 is higher than the side close to the side wall of the lower housing 120. Therefore, the arrangement plane of the multiple metal sheets 163 is perpendicular to or forms an angle with the movement direction of the piston 140 (the first direction, or the X-axis direction).

[0134] There is a gap between adjacent metal sheets 163, which can be used to increase the voltage of the arc. Therefore, the number of metal sheets 163 and the gap between adjacent metal sheets can be set according to the voltage of the circuit actually used by the circuit breaker 100, or the voltage of the arc that needs to be extinguished.

[0135] A first arc-striking structure 170 is provided on the metal sheet 161 located in the uppermost layer (i.e., the side closest to the upper housing 110) of the multiple metal sheets of the arc-extinguishing grid 160. The first arc-striking structure 170 is also provided on the metal sheet 161 located in the uppermost layer (i.e., the side closest to the through-current bar 130) of the multiple metal sheets of the arc-extinguishing grid 160. Furthermore, a first arc-striking structure 180 is provided on the metal sheet 162 located in the lowermost layer (i.e., the side closest to the bottom plate of the lower housing 120) of the multiple metal sheets of the arc-extinguishing grid 160.

[0136] The first arc-starting structure 170 and the second arc-starting structure 180 are used to direct the arc to the arc-extinguishing grid 160 .

[0137] As shown in Figures 4, 8 and 12, when the piston 140 moves to the second position, an insulating gap is formed between the insulating arm 142 and the partition rib 150, and the second arc-starting structure 180 is configured as follows: one end is connected to the metal sheet 162, and the other end is close to the opening of the insulating gap.

[0138] 4 , 8 and 12 , the first arc-starting structure 170 is configured such that one end is connected to the metal sheet 161 and the other end is bent upward (ie, in the opposite direction to the first direction).

[0139] In the present application, the position of the first arc-starting structure 170 on the Y axis is aligned with the position of the easy-to-cut-off portion 137 on the Y axis, or

[0140] The position of the first arc-initiating structure 170 on the Y axis is aligned with the position of the relatively easy-bending portion 135 on the Y axis.

[0141] As shown in Figure 4, when the easily cut-off portion 137 of the flow bar 130 is closer to the easier-to-bend portion 135 than the partition 150, the position of the first arc-starting structure 170 on the Y-axis is aligned with the position of the easier-to-bend portion 135 on the Y-axis. In this case, after the flow bar 130 is cut off, the portion between the easily cut-off portion 137 and the easier-to-bend portion 135 (hereinafter referred to as the first portion for ease of understanding and explanation) is bent downward on the side close to the first arc-starting structure 170. At this time, the length of the first arc-starting structure 170 is sufficient to be able to contact or be close to the bent first portion.

[0142] As shown in Figure 12, when the easy-to-cut-off portion 137 of the flow bar 130 is farther away from the partition rib 150 than the easy-to-bend portion 135, the position of the first arc-starting structure 170 on the Y-axis is aligned with the position of the easy-to-cut-off portion 137 on the Y-axis. In this case, after the flow bar 130 is cut off, the first part bends downward on the side close to the partition rib 150. At this time, the length of the first arc-starting structure 170 needs to be in contact with or close to the flow bar 130.

[0143] Next, the operation of each component after the circuit breaker 100 is started will be described in detail.

[0144] As shown in FIG. 3 , when the circuit breaker 100 is not activated, the piston 140 and the insulating arm 142 are housed in the upper housing.

[0145] When the current in the through-current row 130 is abnormal, the power mechanism 128 applies a force in a first direction, ie, a downward force along the X-axis, to the piston 140 .

[0146] Under the force in the first direction and the guidance of the piston chamber 112 , the piston 140 moves downward, and the insulating arm 142 causes the through-flow drain 130 to be cut off at the easy-to-cut-off portion 137 .

[0147] As shown in FIG. 4 , the piston 140 stops at the position shown in FIG. 4 , the partition rib 150 is inserted into the space between the two insulating arms 142 , and insulating gaps are formed between the partition rib 150 and the two insulating arms 142 .

[0148] Since the first arc-strike structure 170 contacts or is close to the easily cut-off portion 137 or the easily bendable portion 135 , the first arc-strike structure 170 can guide the arc at the arc starting point corresponding to the easily cut-off portion 137 or the easily bendable portion 135 to the topmost metal sheet 161 of the arc extinguishing grid 160 .

[0149] Since the second arc-strike structure 180 contacts or is close to the opening of the insulation gap, the second arc-strike structure 180 can guide the arc from the insulation gap to the metal sheet 162 at the bottom layer of the arc-extinguishing grid 160 .

[0150] Figure 13 shows a schematic diagram of the arc state before the arc is struck by the first arc-striking structure 170 and the second arc-striking structure 180. As shown in Figure 13, after the current bar 130 is cut off, the arc is elongated by the insulating arm 142, that is, the arc at the arc-starting point on the current bar 130 near the partition 150 flows along the insulating gap.

[0151] FIG14 is a schematic diagram illustrating the arc state after being struck by the first arc-striking structure 170 and the second arc-striking structure 180. As shown in FIG14 , the arc at the arc-starting point on the through-current bar 130, away from the barrier ribs 150, is directed by the first arc-striking structure 170 to the topmost metal sheet 161 of the arc-extinguishing grid 160. The arc in the insulating gap is directed by the second arc-striking structure 180 to the bottommost metal sheet 162 of the arc-extinguishing grid 160, thereby causing the arc to flow in the arc-extinguishing grid 160.

[0152] According to the circuit breaker provided in the present application, by providing the first insulating portion, the arc can be elongated, thereby increasing the voltage of the arc, and the arc extinguishing grid 160 can further increase the voltage. Therefore, when extinguishing an arc of the same voltage, the number of layers of metal sheets required for the arc extinguishing grid 160 can be reduced compared to a solution in which the first insulating portion is not provided, thereby increasing the voltage at which the circuit breaker can safely extinguish the arc without increasing the volume of the circuit breaker.

[0153] The circuit breaker 100 generates a large amount of heat energy and high-temperature and high-pressure gas during the arc extinguishing process. How to quickly release this heat energy and high-temperature and high-pressure gas is also an urgent problem to be solved.

[0154] In this regard, this application provides the following solutions.

[0155] As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 16 to FIG. 18 , the circuit breaker is provided with one or more gas chambers and gas passages for connecting the gas chambers and the arc extinguishing chamber 122 .

[0156] The plurality of air chambers may include an air chamber disposed in the upper shell and / or an air chamber disposed in the lower shell.

[0157] The configurations of the two gas chambers are described in detail below.

[0158] 1. Upper air chamber 119

[0159] The upper air chamber 119 is independent of the piston chamber 112 , or in other words, the gas in the multiple air chambers 119 does not flow into the piston chamber 112 .

[0160] As shown in Figures 4, 10, 11, and 16, a gap 190 is provided between the side wall A of the lower housing 120 and the arc chute 160. For example, when the circuit breaker has a symmetrical structure with respect to the X-axis, the side wall A may be the side wall opposite the barrier rib 150, or in other words, the arc chute 160 is provided between the side wall A and the barrier rib 150. A gap 192 is provided between the bottom plate of the lower housing 120 and the arc chute 160. A duct 194 is provided within the lower housing 120.

[0161] The gap 190 is connected to the gap 192 , and the gap 192 is connected to one end of a pipe 194 , and the other end of the pipe 194 is connected to each upper air chamber 119 .

[0162] Since the arc chute 160 is housed in the lower housing 120 and space is required to accommodate the piston 140 after it moves, the conduit 194 can be disposed on the side wall B, which is adjacent to the side wall A. For example, the conduit 194 can be disposed at the intersection of the side wall B and the guide groove 157 on the periphery of the partition rib 150 .

[0163] Because the arc is generated on the side of arc chute 160 near barrier ribs 150, the gas pressure on this side is higher. Arc chute 160 is located between sidewall A and barrier ribs 150. Therefore, the gas pressure on the side of gap 190 is lower than the gas pressure on the side of arc chute 160 near barrier ribs 150. As a result, high-temperature, high-pressure gas flows from the barrier ribs 150 to the gap 190. Because gap 190 is connected to gap 192, which is in turn connected to pipe 194, and pipe 194 is in turn connected to upper gas chamber 119, high-temperature, high-pressure gas, under pressure, flows sequentially through gap 190, gap 192, and pipe 194 into upper gas chamber 119.

[0164] In addition, metal meshes can be respectively arranged in the gap 190, the gap 192, the pipe 194 and the upper gas chamber 119. The metal meshes can be made of metal materials that can easily absorb energy, so that the heat energy and high-temperature and high-pressure gas generated by the arc extinguishing process can be filtered and absorbed through the metal meshes.

[0165] The circuit breaker 110 of the present application is formed into an airtight structure, which will not release heat and high-temperature and high-pressure gas to the outside during the arc extinguishing process, and can protect other components or devices in the electrical equipment.

[0166] In one possible implementation, the upper housing 110 may be provided with one or more through holes (i.e., an example of a first through hole), one end of each through hole being connected to one or more upper air chambers 119 and the other end being connected to the external environment. Thus, gas within the upper air chambers 119 can be exhausted through the through holes.

[0167] Furthermore, each through hole may be provided with an openable and closable cover, and the discharge of the gas in the gas chamber is controlled by opening and closing the cover.

[0168] 2. Lower air chamber 129

[0169] As shown in FIG17 and FIG18 , the lower air chamber 129 is separated from the arc extinguishing chamber 122 by the bottom plate of the lower shell, or in other words, the lower air chamber 129 and the arc extinguishing chamber 122 are respectively located on both sides of the bottom plate of the lower shell.

[0170] As shown in FIG. 17 and FIG. 18 , the lower air chamber 129 is connected to the arc extinguishing chamber 122 through the gap 190 .

[0171] Because the arc is generated on the side of arc chute 160 near barrier ribs 150, the air pressure on this side is higher. Because arc chute 160 is located between sidewall A and barrier ribs 150, the air pressure on the side of gap 190 is lower than that on the side of arc chute 160 near barrier ribs 150. As a result, high-temperature, high-pressure gas flows from the barrier ribs 150 to the gap 190. Because gap 190 is connected to lower gas chamber 129, the high-temperature, high-pressure gas flows into lower gas chamber 129 through gap 190 under pressure.

[0172] Furthermore, metal meshes may be provided in the gap 190 and the lower gas chamber 129 respectively. The metal meshes may be made of metal materials that are easy to absorb energy, so that the heat energy and high-temperature and high-pressure gas generated during the arc extinguishing process can be filtered and absorbed by the metal meshes.

[0173] The circuit breaker 110 of the present application is formed into an airtight structure, which will not release heat and high-temperature and high-pressure gas to the outside during the arc extinguishing process, and can protect other components or devices in the electrical equipment.

[0174] In one possible implementation, the lower housing 120 may be provided with one or more through holes (i.e., an example of a second through hole), one end of each through hole being connected to one or more lower air chambers 129 and the other end being connected to the external environment. Thus, the gas in the air chambers 129 can be exhausted through the through holes.

[0175] Furthermore, each through hole may be provided with an openable and closable cover, and the discharge of the gas in the gas chamber is controlled by opening and closing the cover.

[0176] It should be understood that the above-listed processes for handling the energy and high-temperature, high-pressure gas generated during the arc extinguishing process are merely exemplary and are not intended to be limiting. For example, a metal mesh for energy absorption may be provided in the space between the second arc-strike structure 180 and the bottom plate of the lower housing 120. For another example, the circuit breaker may be configured with only one of the upper gas chamber 119 and the lower gas chamber 129, or both, which is not specifically limited in this application.

[0177] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A circuit breaker, characterized in that: include: An upper shell (110), a lower shell (120) and a through-flow drain (130) fixed between the upper shell (110) and the lower shell (120), The upper housing (110) comprises a piston chamber (112), the piston chamber (112) is open toward the through-flow row (130), a piston (140) is accommodated in the piston chamber (112), a power mechanism capable of driving the piston (140) to move toward the through-flow row (130) is arranged in the piston chamber, and the piston (140) moves after receiving the force of the power mechanism to cut off the through-flow row (130). The lower housing (120) comprises an arc extinguishing cavity (122), wherein the arc extinguishing cavity (122) accommodates an arc extinguishing grid (160), a first gap (190) is provided between the arc extinguishing grid (160) and a first side wall of the lower housing (120), and the first side wall and the moved piston (140) are respectively located on both sides of the arc extinguishing grid (160), The circuit breaker further comprises at least one air chamber and an air duct, wherein the at least one air chamber is arranged in the upper shell (110) and / or the lower shell (120), one end of the air duct is connected to the arc extinguishing chamber (122), and the other end of the air duct is connected to the air chamber, and the air duct comprises the first gap (190).

2. The circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper housing (110) includes at least one upper air chamber (119) among the at least one air chamber. A second gap (192) is formed between the arc extinguishing grid (160) and the bottom plate of the lower housing (120), and the first gap (190) is communicated with the second gap (192). A pipe (194) is installed in the lower shell (120), one end of the pipe (194) is connected to the second gap (192), and the other end of the pipe (194) is connected to the at least one upper air chamber (119). The airway includes the second void (192) and a conduit (194).

3. The circuit breaker according to claim 2, characterized in that: The upper shell (110) further comprises at least one first through hole, each of the first through holes penetrating from the outer surface of the upper shell (110) to the upper air chamber (119).

4. The circuit breaker according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The lower housing (110) comprises at least one lower air chamber (129) of the at least one air chamber, wherein the lower air chamber (129) and the arc extinguishing chamber (122) are located on both sides of a bottom plate of the lower housing, The first gap (190) is in communication with the at least one lower air chamber (129).

5. The circuit breaker according to claim 4, characterized in that: The lower shell (120) further comprises at least one second through hole, each of the second through holes passing through from the outer surface of the lower shell (120) to the lower air chamber (129).

6. The circuit breaker according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: Energy absorbing material is arranged in the air chamber and / or the air passage.

7. The circuit breaker according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The piston (140) comprises a first insulating portion (142), the first insulating portion (142) extending along a first direction, the piston (140) moves after being subjected to the force of the power mechanism so that the first insulating portion (142) cuts off the through-flow row (130), and the first direction is the moving direction of the piston (140). The lower shell (120) comprises a second insulating portion (150), wherein the second insulating portion (150) extends in a direction opposite to the first direction, and after the piston (140) moves, an insulating gap is formed between the first insulating portion (142) and the second insulating portion (150). The arc extinguishing grid (160) comprises a plurality of metal sheets, the plurality of metal sheets are stacked in the first direction, and a gap is provided between two adjacent metal sheets, a first metal sheet among the plurality of metal sheets comprises a first arc-striking structure (170), a second metal sheet among the plurality of metal sheets comprises a second arc-striking structure (180), the first metal sheet is closer to the through-current bar (130) than the second metal sheet, the first arc-striking structure (170) extends from an end of the first metal sheet close to the first insulating portion (150) toward the through-current bar (130), and the second arc-striking structure (180) extends from an end of the second metal sheet close to the first insulating portion (150) toward an opening of the insulating slit.

8. The circuit breaker according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first insulating portion (142) comprises two insulating arms extending along the first direction, The second insulating portion (150) comprises a partition rib extending in a direction opposite to the first direction, and after the piston (140) moves, the partition rib is located between the two insulating arms to form two insulating gaps. There are two arc extinguishing grids (160), and the two arc extinguishing grids (160) are located on both sides of the partition rib.

9. The circuit breaker according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: An end of the second insulating portion (150) contacts the through-current bar (130), and the through-current bar (130) is fixed to the end of the second insulating portion (150) via a fixing member.

10. The circuit breaker according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that: The end of the first arc-starting structure (170) contacts the through-current bar (130), or After the piston (140) moves, the end of the first arc-starting structure (170) contacts the bent portion of the flow-through row (130) after being cut off.

11. The circuit breaker according to any one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that: Energy absorbing material is arranged in the space between the second arc striking structure (180) and the bottom plate of the lower shell (120).

12. A photovoltaic inverter, characterized in that: It includes a DC / AC converter, a maximum power point tracking MPPT device, a detection circuit, a circuit breaker and a controller; The input end of the MPPT device is used to connect to the photovoltaic module, and the output end of the MPPT device is used to directly or indirectly connect to the input end of the DC / AC converter; The circuit breaker is connected between the output end of the MPPT device and the input end of the DC / AC converter, or between the output end of the DC / AC converter and an external power grid or load, and comprises an upper shell (110), a lower shell (120), and a current-carrying bar (130) fixed between the upper shell (110) and the lower shell (120), wherein the current-carrying bar (130) is used to connect the output end of the MPPT device and the input end of the DC / AC converter, or connect the output end of the DC / AC converter and an external power grid or load when the circuit breaker is in a conducting state; The upper housing (110) comprises a piston chamber (112), the piston chamber (112) is open toward the flow row (130), a piston (140) is accommodated in the piston chamber (112), a power mechanism capable of driving the piston (140) to move toward the flow row (130) is provided in the piston chamber, the piston (140) moves after receiving the force of the power mechanism to cut off the flow row (130), and the lower housing (120) comprises an arc extinguishing chamber (122), an arc extinguishing grid (160) is accommodated in the arc extinguishing chamber (122) , a first gap (190) is provided between the arc extinguishing grid (160) and the first side wall of the lower shell (120), the first side wall and the moved piston (140) are respectively located on both sides of the arc extinguishing grid (160), the circuit breaker further comprises at least one air chamber and an air passage, the at least one air chamber is arranged in the upper shell (110) and / or the lower shell (120), one end of the air passage is communicated with the arc extinguishing cavity (122), the other end of the air passage is communicated with the air chamber, and the air passage comprises the first gap (190); The detection circuit is used to detect electrical parameters of the DC / AC converter, wherein the electrical parameters include at least one of an input terminal voltage of the DC / AC converter, an input terminal current of the DC / AC converter, an output terminal voltage of the DC / AC converter, and an output terminal current of the DC / AC converter; The controller is used to control the power mechanism to drive the piston (140) to move when the electrical parameter of the DC / AC converter exceeds a preset threshold value, so that the first insulating portion (142) cuts off the current-carrying bar (130), thereby disconnecting the electrical connection between the output end of the MPPT device and the input end of the DC / AC converter, or disconnecting the electrical connection between the output end of the DC / AC converter and an external power grid or load.

13. The photovoltaic inverter according to claim 12, characterized in that: The piston (140) comprises a first insulating portion (142), the first insulating portion (142) extending along a first direction, the piston (140) moves after being subjected to the force of the power mechanism so that the first insulating portion (142) cuts off the through-flow row (130), and the first direction is the moving direction of the piston (140). The lower shell (120) comprises a second insulating portion (150), wherein the second insulating portion (150) extends in a direction opposite to the first direction, and after the piston (140) moves, an insulating gap is formed between the first insulating portion (142) and the second insulating portion (150). The arc extinguishing grid (160) comprises a plurality of metal sheets, the plurality of metal sheets are stacked in the first direction, and a gap is provided between two adjacent metal sheets, a first metal sheet among the plurality of metal sheets comprises a first arc-striking structure (170), a second metal sheet among the plurality of metal sheets comprises a second arc-striking structure (180), the first metal sheet is closer to the through-current bar (130) than the second metal sheet, the first arc-striking structure (170) extends from an end of the first metal sheet close to the first insulating portion (150) toward the through-current bar (130), and the second arc-striking structure (180) extends from an end of the second metal sheet close to the first insulating portion (150) toward an opening of the insulating slit.

14. The photovoltaic inverter according to claim 13, characterized in that: The first insulating portion (142) comprises two insulating arms extending along the first direction, The second insulating portion (150) comprises a partition rib extending in a direction opposite to the first direction, and after the piston (140) moves, the partition rib is located between the two insulating arms to form two insulating gaps. There are two arc extinguishing grids (160), and the two arc extinguishing grids (160) are located on both sides of the partition rib.

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