Universal junction interface for power electrical cabinet or source inverter

A fixed connection interface with insulated conductive busbars and a junction box addresses the challenge of handling large cables in nuclear power plants, enabling efficient and space-saving connections/disconnections of electrical cabinets.

WO2026037920A1PCT designated stage Publication Date: 2026-02-19AMC SARL
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Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/EP2025/073396
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2024-08-14
Filing Date
2025-08-14
Publication Date
2026-02-19

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The existing transfer switches in nuclear power plants face challenges with large-diameter electrical cables that are difficult to handle and occupy significant floor space, making it hard to maintain precise connections and facilitate reconnection, especially for high-voltage and high-current applications.

Method used

A fixed connection interface using insulated conductive busbars grouped into assemblies, with a junction box, allowing easy connection and disconnection of electrical cabinets to high-voltage power transmission cables, reducing space requirements and enabling rapid interchangeability.

Benefits of technology

The solution allows for rapid and efficient connection/disconnection of electrical cabinets, reducing operating time and space requirements, essential for nuclear power plants by using a compact design with interchangeable components.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical junction interface (10) comprising a set of junction elements for electrical cables (620, 630, 640) for transporting high-voltage electricity, which interface is intended to be plugged into an electrical cabinet (101), the interface comprising a set of insulated busbars (21, 22, 23, 31, 32, 33, 41, 42, 43) that are grouped together into three bar assemblies (20, 30, 40), the bars, which are fixed and rigid, being configured to form an electrical contact between the junction elements and the cabinet so as to facilitate the interchangeability of the electrical cabinet. According to the main feature, the junction elements (520, 530, 540, 420, 430, 440, 102) are grouped into a fixed junction box (61), second contact pads (220, 230, 240) located at the second end of the three bar assemblies (20, 30, 40) being designed to be connected to one or two junction elements each. The invention also relates to a method for connecting and disconnecting the electrical cabinet to a network of cables for transporting high-voltage and / or high-amperage electricity.
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Description

Universal connection interface for source inverter or power electrical cabinet

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of electrical connection devices for powering equipment and, in particular, to a universal electrical connection interface for a transfer switch or power switch cabinet. The device according to the invention finds applications in the field of high voltage and, in particular, in nuclear power plants. State of the art

[0002] Nuclear power plants are supplied with electricity by a main power supply or a secondary power supply, which may consist of one or more auxiliary safety supplies and an ultimate backup power supply. Switching from one power source to another is generally achieved using a compact transfer switch, such as the one described in the applicant's document FR1800523. Such a transfer switch operates for electricity with a voltage between 5,000 and 20,000 volts and a current between 100 A and 4,000 A. The transfer switch is connected to at least one load, the main power source, and the secondary power source using insulated electrical cables with a diameter between 15 mm and 50 mm. Indeed, the transmission of high-voltage currents requires the use of large-diameter electrical conductors and thick insulation.The rigidity of the cables used and their large bend radius make them difficult to handle and insufficient to maintain a precise position, which would facilitate reconnection after disconnection, for example, when changing the inverter. Furthermore, in the case of three-phase current, this requires at least nine cables to be connected to the source inverter. If more cables need to be connected to the inverter or an electrical cabinet, their size prevents connecting several to a single terminal on the inverter or cabinet. Junction boxes exist for connecting multiple cables to a single output cable, but these also require cable handling and take up space. Indeed, the floor space occupied by a large number of cables is a major problem in the electrical rooms of nuclear power plants.

[0003] Therefore, the aim of the invention is to overcome these disadvantages by providing a fixed connection interface for high voltage power transmission cables and allowing easy connection and disconnection of a source inverter or any other electrical cabinet while limiting the floor space required.

[0004] Another objective of the invention is to provide an easy method for connecting and disconnecting a source inverter or any other electrical cabinet to a high-voltage power transmission cable network.

[0005] The object of the invention is therefore an electrical connection interface comprising a set of connection elements for high-voltage power transmission cables intended for connection to an electrical cabinet. The interface comprises a set of insulated conductive busbars, grouped into three busbar assemblies. The fixed and rigid busbars are configured to provide an electrical connection between the connection elements and the cabinet, thus facilitating the interchangeability of the electrical cabinet. According to the main feature, the connection elements are grouped in a fixed junction box. Secondary contact areas located at the other end of the three busbar assemblies are designed to connect to one or two connection elements each.

[0006] Another object of the invention is a method for connecting an electrical cabinet to a connection interface in an electrical room, comprising the following steps: Supplying the electrical cabinet to the electrical room, Mounting the electrical cabinet on the fixed frame, Moving the electrical cabinet by translation between the rails from front to back until it is in its connection position on the fixed bars of the connection interface, Connecting the contact areas of the electrical cabinet to the connection areas of the conductor bars.

[0007] According to advantageous but optional features of the invention, taken individually or in any technically permissible combination:

[0008] - Each busbar assembly comprises three electrically independent bars held together by being encased in a layer of insulation and fixed to a fixed frame designed to be integral with the slab of an electrical room. This is to stiffen the connection interface.

[0009] - the first ends of the busbar assemblies located on the side of the electrical cabinet form flat contact areas located in the same plane in order to facilitate their connection to the electrical cabinet.

[0010] - the busbar assemblies are fixed to the fixed chassis located at the end and between two rails on which the electrical cabinet slides between two positions, a first position away from the busbar assemblies where it can be removed from the rails and a second position in which it can be connected to the contact areas of the busbar assemblies located at their first end.

[0011] - the cross-section of the conductor bars is rectangular.

[0012] - the cross-section of the bars is circular.

[0013] - the connecting elements are connecting sleeves grouped in a fixed junction box, with second contact areas located at the second end of the three busbar assemblies designed to connect to one or two connecting sleeves each.

[0014] - the connecting elements are flexible cables and connecting sleeves, with second contact areas located at the second end of the three busbar assemblies being designed to connect to one or two connecting sleeves each.

[0015] - the junction box is designed to be fixed to the opposite face of the slab on which the chassis and said electrical cabinet are fixed, the busbar assemblies being configured to pass through the slab via a hopper so that their two ends are located on either side of the slab.

[0016] - the contact areas of the second end of the conductor bars of the second bar assembly are oriented differently from the contact areas of the first and third bar assemblies so that the connecting sleeves connected to the bar assembly are oriented in a different direction from the orientation of the sleeves connected to the bar assemblies.

[0017] - the electrical cabinet is a source inverter configured to connect at least one electrical load to at least one main power source or to at least one backup secondary power source, the second bus assembly being designed to connect said at least one electrical load to the inverter by being connected by its first end to the second contact ranges of the inverter and by its second end to the connecting sleeves, the third bus assembly being adapted to connect said at least one main source to the inverter by being connected by its first end to the third contact ranges of the inverter and by its second end to the connecting sleeves, the first bus assembly being designed to connect said at least one backup source to the inverter by being connected by its first end to the first contact ranges of the inverter and by its second end to the connecting sleeves.

[0018] - the connecting element includes at least one conductor connected between the contact area of ​​the conductor bars and the connection area of ​​the end part of an initial current distribution bar, the part of the conductor bars comprising the contact areas having a cross-sectional area less than the cross-sectional area of ​​the central part of said conductor bars and the end part of the distribution bar comprising the connection area has a cross-sectional area less than the cross-sectional area of ​​the central part of the distribution bars so that the electrical conductor has a transverse footprint which does not exceed that of the cross-section of the central parts of the bars to which it is connected.

[0019] - the initial distribution bars are connected to distribution bars in series by means of connection devices in order to supply the electrical installation of a building such as a nuclear power plant or a submarine.

[0020] - the connection device comprises a first distribution bar and a second distribution bar adjacent to the first, both bars having a main part covered with insulation and at least one end part, the end part comprising at least one connection zone, the two bars being electrically connected to each other by means of their connection zone, the cross-section of the end part of each distribution bar has an area less than the cross-section of the main part of each distribution bar such that the ends of at least one electrical conductor are configured to assemble to the connection zones of the end parts of the bars so that said at least one electrical conductor once assembled has a cross-sectional area which does not exceed that of the cross-section of the main part of each bar.

[0021] - The electrical conductor is assembled to the end parts of the distribution bars by means of at least one screw placed in a transverse threaded hole in the end part.

[0022] - An intermediate conductive foam element is configured to be placed between the electrical conductor and either the connection area or the contact area on which it rests in order to reduce electrical contact resistance.

[0023] - The elongated electrical conductor includes two angles between 90 and 120 degrees.

[0024] - The distribution bar includes a conductive branch perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bar and allows the connection of a cable via a lug or any other means.

[0025] - the electrical conductor is formed from a single rigid piece of a conductive material and includes at least two narrowings in its cross-section located at the apex of the two angles.

[0026] - The electrical conductor is formed from a set of strips placed against each other, each strip being a thin, flat, elongated band of a conductive material. Brief description of the figures

[0027] The aims, objects, and features of the invention will become clearer upon reading the following description, made with reference to the drawings in which:

[0028] The diagram represents a perspective view of the connection interface according to the invention.

[0029] This represents a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of conductive bars,

[0030] This represents a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of conductive bars,

[0031] This represents a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of conductive bars,

[0032] This represents a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an assembly of conductor bars,

[0033] This represents a rear view of the inverter.

[0034] Lare represents the inverter connected to the connection interface according to the invention in a first embodiment,

[0035] Lare represents the inverter connected to the connection interface according to the invention in a second embodiment,

[0036] Lare represents the inverter connected to the connection interface according to the invention in a third embodiment.

[0037] This represents a schematic view of the connection device between a conductor bus and a power distribution bus.

[0038] Lare represents a distribution bar with a square cross-section,

[0039] This represents a schematic view of the connection device with rectangular cross-section bars,

[0040] Lare represents a schematic view of the connection device with rectangular cross-section bars and according to an alternative embodiment,

[0041] This represents a schematic view of the connection device with bars of circular cross-section.

[0042] Lare represents a section of the according to an XZ plane passing through the longitudinal axis and symmetrical to the bars of the. Detailed description of the invention

[0043] The orientation of the figures is located using an orthogonal coordinate system comprising the X, Y and Z axes. As used in the following description, the terms "vertical", "top", "height" and "bottom" are understood relative to the Z axis, the terms "left", "right", "lateral", "width" are understood relative to the X axis and the terms "front", "back", are understood relative to the Y axis.

[0044] According to the figure, the device according to the invention is an electrical connection interface 10 comprising a set of 9 insulated and rigid conductive busbars 21 to 23, 31 to 33 and 41 to 43, used to connect an electrical cabinet to a high-voltage and / or high-current power transmission cable network, the cables being grouped in an electrical room such as an electrical room in a nuclear power plant. The total number of busbars is not a limiting feature of the invention.

[0045] The conductor bars are made of an electrically conductive material, for example copper or aluminum, and have a solid cross-section. The bars are insulated by coating their outer surface with an electrically insulating material that limits the formation of electric arcs, such as an epoxy or polyester insulator. The thickness of this coating depends on the efficiency of the insulator used and is generally between 2 and 5 mm. As shown in Figure 2b and 2c, the cross-section of the bars is circular. Preferably, the cross-section of the bars is rectangular to obtain a larger heat dissipation surface area than that of a circular conductor of the same cross-sectional area.With reference to the original, the independently insulated bars are grouped in threes so that they can be securely encased in a second layer of insulation 25 while remaining electrically independent of each other. The three joined bars provide greater rigidity than three separate bars. In the following description, the bars held together are considered to be bar assemblies. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the conductive bars thus form three bar assemblies, referenced 20, 30, and 40. The first assembly 20, located laterally on the left, comprises the conductive bars 21, 22, and 23; the second assembly 30, located in the center, comprises the bars 31, 32, and 33; and the third assembly 40, located laterally on the right, comprises the bars 41, 42, and 43.

[0046] The bar assemblies are fixed to a fixed frame 53 designed to be integral with the slab 50 of the electrical room and pass through the slab via a hopper 51 so that the ends of the bar assemblies are positioned on either side of the slab. Since the slab is horizontal along the X and Y axes, the bar assemblies are parallel to the Z axis. The bar assemblies 20, 30, and 40 can also be encased together over part of their height to provide greater rigidity to the bar assemblies.

[0047] The first end of the busbar assemblies is adapted to connect to an electrical cabinet 101 shown in the following figures. The second end of the busbars is adapted to connect to terminals attached to high-voltage power transmission cables or conductor bars. The fixed frame 53 on which the busbars are held is located at the end of a base 55 and two rails 54 parallel to the Y-axis.

[0048] This is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of bars 20, 30, or 40 along a longitudinal vertical plane YZ passing through the midpoint of the assemblies. As can be seen in this figure, the conductor bars, straight over a length H representing their height and curved at their ends, are designed to be connected and are uninsulated. The height H of the bar assemblies is between 1 m and 2 m when reaching the level below the slab. In a multi-story configuration, the height of the three bar assemblies varies and is greater than 2 m. The main axis of the bars is vertical along the Z-axis, and their first end is curved to form a bend in a plane perpendicular to their main axis.The first end 120 of the busbar assembly 20 includes three first contact areas 125 located on each of the conductor bars 21, 22 and 23 on the side of the electrical cabinet, and the second end 220 of the busbar assembly 20 includes three second contact areas for connection to the cables, located at the termination of each of the conductor bars 21, 22 and 23. Similarly, the first end 130 of the busbar assembly 30 includes three first contact areas 135 located at the termination of each of the conductor bars 31, 32 and 33 on the side of the electrical cabinet, and the second end of the busbar assembly 30 includes three second contact areas for connection to the cables, located at the termination of each of the conductor bars 31, 32 and 33.Finally, the first end of the busbar assembly 40 includes three first contact areas 145 located at the termination of each of the conductor bars 41, 42 and 43 on the side of the electrical cabinet, and the second end of the busbar assembly 40 includes three second contact areas to be connected to the cables, located at the termination of each of the conductor bars 41, 42 and 43.

[0049] The contact points 125, 135, and 145 of the busbars are preferably in the same vertical plane to facilitate their connection to the electrical cabinet. They are positioned relative to each other to match the contact points of the electrical cabinet to which the connection interface will be attached. Each contact point has a hole into which a stud, fixed to the electrical cabinet, is inserted. A nut is screwed onto this stud to ensure tight contact between the busbar contact points and the cabinet contact points. This reduces the time required to connect and disconnect the busbars from the electrical cabinet and facilitates cabinet interchangeability.

[0050] The second end of the bars of the same assembly 20, 30 or 40 is bent in a direction common to the three bars which may be the opposite direction to the direction of the bends of the first end as illustrated on the or the same direction (to the right according to the) or any other direction.

[0051] According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the electrical cabinet 101 is a current source inverter 101 configured to connect one or more electrical loads to at least one main current source or to at least one secondary backup current source.

[0052] This is a schematic view of the rear of the inverter without the connection interface according to the invention. The first contact areas of the inverter, 121, 122, and 123, located on the left, are designed to be connected to the backup power source; the second contact areas of the inverter, 131, 132, and 133, located in the center, are designed to be connected to the electrical load; while the third contact areas of the inverter, 141, 142, and 143, located on the right, are designed to be connected to the main power source. In our example, since the current sources deliver electrical energy in three-phase form, three contact areas are therefore required for each phase of the current.The upper contact areas 121, 131, and 141 are used to connect the first-phase conductors; the central contact areas 122, 132, and 142 are used to connect the second-phase conductors; and the lower contact areas 123, 133, and 143 are used to connect the third-phase conductors. The contact areas of the inverter are housed in an insulating support 111, which has partitions to prevent any risk of arcing between the contact areas.

[0053] According to figures 5 and 6, the inverter 101 is in its connection position.

[0054] The inverter 101 is positioned in this position by sliding it back and forth between the rails 54 along the Y-axis, a movement represented by arrow 74. The inverter (or the electrical cabinet) slides between two positions: a first position away from the conductor bars where it can be removed from the rails, and a second position, called the connection position, where it can be connected to the contact points 125, 135, and 145 of the bars. The inverter reaches its connection position when it has reached the end position on the rails, which corresponds to a position where the contact points of the inverter are positioned close enough to the bar assemblies 20, 30, and 40 to be connected together using a stud located on each contact point and a nut, or any other equivalent means.The busbar assembly 30 located in the middle is connected to the central contact ranges 131, 132, and 133 of the inverter, which are configured to connect to at least one electrical load, such as the cooling circuit pump of nuclear power plants. The busbar assembly 20 located on the left in the figures is connected to the contact ranges 121, 122, and 123, which are configured to connect to at least one backup power source, and the busbar assembly 40 located on the right in the figures is connected to the contact ranges 141, 142, and 143, which are configured to connect to at least one primary power source.

[0055] According to the, the cable connection elements are 520, 530 and 540 connection sleeves of three, six or more, for example deep crimped, designed to connect to an electrical transmission cable, connected to the second contact areas of the busbar assemblies, respectively 20, 30 and 40. In our example, the second contact areas 220, 230 and 240 of the three assemblies 20, 30 and 40 are designed to connect to one or two connection sleeves each, making a total of 9 or 18 connection sleeves (18 in the figure). The six 520 connecting sleeves are connected to the bars 21, 22 and 23 and to the 620 power transmission cables, the six 530 connecting sleeves are connected to the bars 31, 32 and 33 and to the 630 power transmission cables and the six 540 connecting sleeves are connected to the bars 41, 42 and 43 and to the 640 power transmission cables.Each connecting sleeve 520, 530, and 540 is connected to one of the busbars, either via two contact plates clamped together with a stud and nut, or by any equivalent means. The cross-section of each busbar is equal to or less than half the cross-section of a 620, 630, or 640 power transmission cable, thus allowing a greater number of cables to be connected to the electrical cabinet or inverter 101. For clarity in the figure, the power transmission cables are shown partially and in various lengths. The busbar assembly 20 can connect to one or two backup power sources, the busbar assembly 30 can connect to one or two electrical loads, and the busbar assembly 40 can connect to one or two primary power sources.

[0056] According to the diagram, all the connecting sleeves are contained in a junction box 61, fixed to the slab 50 on the side opposite to that where the inverter 101 is fixed. The contact surfaces of the ends of the three conductor bars of the first vertical bar 20 are each located in a partitioned slot within the junction box 61. Since the slots are located one below the other, all nine ends of the three assemblies of conductor bars 20, 30, and 40 are contained within the junction box. The partitioning provides better insulation between the contact surfaces and the connecting elements. According to the described embodiment, the connecting elements 520, 530, and 540 are grouped in pairs within each partitioned slot of the junction box. With reference to the figures, the junction box 61 containing the connecting sleeves 520 is fixed to the ceiling of the floor below that of the inverter.The junction box can also be mounted on the ceiling of the floor where the switch is located. In this case, the busbar assemblies 20, 30, and 40 are oriented upwards. In both cases, the connecting sleeves are designed to connect to electrical cables running along the ceilings of electrical rooms. In the first configuration, the connecting sleeves are all oriented in the same direction along horizontal planes. However, the second configuration, contact ranges 220, 230, and 240, can be oriented differently, and the connecting sleeves can be oriented in different directions, to connect to cables or busbars that converge at the junction box in those directions.

[0057] According to the, the connection elements between the bars and the cables include a flexible cable and a connection sleeve, for example with deep crimping. According to the diagram, the cable connection elements are six flexible cables 420, 430, and 440 (but there could be three or more per busbar assembly), connected on one side to the second contact areas of the busbar assemblies, respectively 20, 30, and 40, and on the other side to as many connection sleeves 520, 530, and 540, for example, deep-crimped, designed to connect to a 620, 630, and 640 power transmission cable. The six flexible cables 420 are connected to the busbars 21, 22, and 23 and to the six connection sleeves 520, which are themselves connected to the 620 power transmission cables. The six flexible cables 430 are connected to the busbars 31, 32, and 33 and to the six connection sleeves 530, which are themselves connected to the 630 power transmission cables.The six flexible cables 440 are connected to the busbars 41, 42, and 43 and to the six connecting sleeves 540, which are themselves connected to the power transmission cables 640. Although not shown in the figure, all the connecting elements 420, 430, and 440 are contained in a junction box 61, which can also be fixed to the slab 50 on the opposite side from where the inverter 101 is fixed. According to the described embodiment, the connecting elements 420, 430, and 440 are grouped in pairs in each partitioned location of the junction box.

[0058] Laillustrates a case where all the cables connected to the side bus assemblies 20 and 40 converge in a direction opposite to the direction in which the cables connected to the central bus assembly 30 converge. In the case of an inverter 101, the cables connected to the bus assembly 30 supply one or two electrical loads while the cables connected to the bus assemblies 20 and 30 come respectively from the backup and main power sources.

[0059] The connecting sleeves according to diagram 6 are placed in parallel and horizontal planes to facilitate cable routing along a ceiling. In the example shown, the connecting sleeves connected to the second busbar assembly 30 are oriented 180° relative to the orientation of the connecting sleeves connected to the first and third busbar assemblies 20 and 40. This is the case for the inverter, allowing connection to cables from electrical loads and power sources. Generally, cables connected to the same busbar assembly are all oriented in the same direction and can be oriented in different directions and at different levels.

[0060] To disconnect the electrical cabinet or the inverter from the connection interface according to the invention, it is sufficient to carry out the steps of the connection process in reverse order: Disconnect the contact areas of the electrical cabinet or the inverter from the connection areas 125, 135, 145 of the conductor bars, Move the electrical cabinet or the inverter by translation between the rails 54 from back to front until it is in its disconnection position from the fixed bars of the connection interface, Remove the electrical cabinet or the inverter from the fixed frame 53, Remove the electrical cabinet or the inverter from the electrical room.

[0061] The connection interface according to the invention allows for the rapid interchangeability of the electrical cabinet or the inverter 101 without having to disconnect any electrical cables, which considerably reduces the operating time. In the case of a nuclear power plant, where safety is essential, the reduced dismantling and reassembly time is a significant advantage.

[0062] According to the diagram, the cables 620, 630, and 640 are replaced by initial electrical power distribution busbars 621, 631, and 641 with a solid circular or rectangular cross-section. The distribution busbars are connected directly to the second contact areas 220, 230, and 240 located at the second end of the three busbar assemblies 20, 30, and 40 by means of at least one electrical conductor of a connecting element 102. The connecting elements 102 are contained within the junction box such that each connecting element is in a partitioned location within the junction box 61, with the locations situated one below the other. All nine ends of the three conductor busbar assemblies 20, 30, and 40 are contained within the junction box.

[0063] Connection devices 100 also allow additional distribution bars 13 to be connected in series to the ends of the initial distribution bars 621, 631, and 641, thus supplying electrical power to any type of building requiring high current and / or high voltage, such as a nuclear power plant or a submarine. The connection element 102 is shown in detail between a bar 621 and the contact points 220 and would be equivalent between a bar 631 and the contact points 230 and between a bar 641 and the contact points 240.

[0064] According to the figure, the bar 621 has an end portion with a cross-section smaller than the constant cross-section of the central and main portion of the bar. The end portion is delimited by a shoulder and includes at least one connection area. Similarly, on the side of the conductive bar 21, the end portion corresponding to the part comprising the contact area 220 has a cross-section smaller than the cross-section of the central portion of the conductive bar 21. Each end is provided with connection means comprising at least one flat connection area and at least one threaded hole per connection area, capable of receiving a bolt or screw. The bar 621 is connected to the contact area 220 by at least one, and preferably two, elongated electrical conductors 46. Each conductor is connected to the bar 621 at its connection area.Each electrical conductor 46 consists of a set of strips placed against each other, each strip being a thin, flat, elongated band of conductive material, for example, copper or aluminum. Each strip is flexible, and the set of strips gives the electrical conductor 46 the property of deformability under thermal stress. The electrical conductors 46 have an elongation direction oriented along the longitudinal axis of the connecting device 102, represented by a dashed axis in the figure, and have two angles between 90 and 120 degrees, the edges of which are oriented in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The two electrical conductors 46 are clamped together by at least one bolt 48.When a bar is bent in its central part, as with bar 20, the longitudinal axis of the connecting device is understood to be the longitudinal axis of the end part of the bar.

[0065] The connecting element 102 of the conductor bar 21 to the distribution bar 621 has the advantage that the (at least) one electrical conductor 46, once assembled, has a transverse footprint that does not exceed that of the cross-section of the main part of the bars to which it is connected.

[0066] The characteristics of the connection device 100, illustrated in detail in Figures 9 to 12, also apply to the connection element 102, which is similar to an angled connection device 100. Both the connection device 100 and the connection element 102 are suitable for rectangular cross-section bars. The distribution bar 11 has a central main section 110 coated with an electrically insulating material 115 that limits arcing, such as an epoxy or polyester insulator that covers the entire main section 110 of the bar. The thickness of the insulator is between 2 and 5 mm (millimeters) and depends on its effectiveness. The bar 11 comprises two end parts 108 each provided with connection means comprising respectively at least one flat connection zone 113 and at least one threaded hole 114 per connection zone, capable of receiving a bolt or a screw.The end portions 108 of the bars are separated from the main portion by at least one shoulder 112 and have a cross-section smaller than the cross-section of the main portion 110 of the bars. The connection zone 113 is located immediately after the shoulder 112 on the periphery of the bar and is flat and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bar.

[0067] According to the standard, the connecting device 100 comprises at least one rigid, elongated electrical conductor 26 formed from a single piece of a conductive material such as aluminum or copper. The electrical conductor 26 connects two adjacent distribution bars 11 by joining its ends to the connection areas 113 of the end portions 111 of each bar and is oriented longitudinally. The electrical conductor includes two angles 211 between 90 degrees and 120 degrees, the angles also being oriented in the direction of the conductor's elongation. The electrical conductor has a constant thickness along its entire length except at the apex of the angles, where its thickness is reduced to between 25% and 35%, and preferably to 30%, in order to deform and absorb the transverse, longitudinal, and lateral displacements of the bars due to their expansion.The two bars 11 are connected to the electrical conductor by means such as a screw 215 and a contact plate 214, and an auxiliary element such as a conductive foam plate located between each end of the electrical conductor 26 and the connection area 113 on which it rests. The conductive foam plate is preferably the same size as the contact area between the connection area and the end of the conductor.

[0068] Optionally, the electrical conductor may also include a narrowing zone 213 of its cross-section near its ends to increase its deformability and improve its ability to absorb deformations of the bars 11. The narrowings of the electrical conductor make it deformable under thermal stress.

[0069] With reference to the, the adjacent distribution bars 12 to be connected together each have two connection zones 136 on their end part 111 and on each zone opens at least one threaded hole equivalent to the threaded hole 114 of the bar 11.

[0070] The two connection zones 136 are preferably parallel. The connection zones 136 are located on the end portions of the bars, immediately after a shoulder 126. The end portion of the bar to be connected therefore comprises two shoulders 126 positioned symmetrically to the first shoulder with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bar. The two connection zones are thus also symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bar and are located on the periphery of the bar. For a given bar, each zone 136 is configured to connect to the end of a conductor 26. The connection device 100 comprises two conductors 26 joined to each other by welding but can also be joined by clamping. The clamping means are generally bolts. Thus, the two conductors 26 are mechanically held to each other and electrically connected.This connection creates an equipotential point which, in the event of a connection failure, limits the overall resistance. The rectangular bars 11 and 12 have a width and height between 20 mm and 100 mm.

[0071] According to the diagram, the two distribution bars 13 are circular in cross-section and are connected to each other by two elongated electrical conductors 46. The circular bars have a diameter between 40 and 100 mm and have connection zones 139 and shoulders 138 on their ends, exhibiting the same characteristics as the connection zones 113, 136 and the shoulders 112, 126 of the bars 11 and 12. Each electrical conductor 46 consists of a series of strips placed side by side, each strip being a thin, flat, elongated band of conductive material, for example, copper or aluminum. Each strip is flexible, and the series of strips gives the electrical conductor 41 the property of deformability under thermal stress.As with the electrical conductors 26, the electrical conductors 46 have an elongation direction oriented along the longitudinal axis of the connecting device and have two angles between 90 and 120 degrees, as can be seen in the cross-section. The edges of the angles are oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The two electrical conductors 46 are clamped together by at least one bolt 48. The deformability of the conductors 26 and 46 allows for an expansion of the bars of ±10 mm in the longitudinal direction, ±2 mm in the vertical direction, and ±1 mm laterally.

[0072] According to the diagram, a sliding insulator 155 is configured to fit onto the end portions of the two adjacent bars and cover the connecting device to protect it from any foreign matter resulting from moisture, dust, or smoke. The sliding insulator 155 has a circular seal on its inner surface at each end to enhance the seal. When the connecting device is disassembled, the insulator 155 is moved along one of the adjacent bars by sliding it in the case of the connecting device 100, and is moved to the side of the straight bar in the case of the connecting element 102.

[0073] When connecting two adjacent busbars, the electrical conductors 26 and 46 have a transverse dimension that does not exceed the cross-sectional area of ​​the main part of the busbars to which they connect. The busbar also has a busbar 13 comprising a conductive branch 134 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the busbar 13 and allowing the connection of a cable 136 via a lug 135 or any other means. The cable 136 is used to power a machine or collect current from a battery.A set of bars and connecting devices can be positioned, for example, along the hull of a submarine in order to supply all the compartments of the submarine by means of a set of conductive branches 134 distributed at regular intervals and allowing the connection of a cable 136 for the distribution or supply of electricity, from an inverter or an electrical cabinet 101, of any type of load such as a network, a device, a machine or other type of electrical equipment.

[0074] Advantageously, the connection device has a transverse footprint that does not exceed that of the cross-section of the main part of the bars to which it connects, which guarantees the possibility of installing the connection devices in the places intended for the bars, which greatly facilitates the assembly and disassembly of electrical installations for high current.

[0075] The electricity transmitted from one end of a first busbar to the other passes through at least one conductor, via at least one connection point, and through the mounting hardware to at least one connection point of the second busbar. Thanks to the connection device and the short distance between the connected busbars, the reduced cross-sectional area of ​​the electrical conductor between the two busbars dissipates only 5 to 10% more power due to Joule heating for every 2 to 4 meters of busbar length. The distance between the two busbars to be connected is between 50 and 200 mm. This result is achieved with a compact design and easily interchangeable parts. This provides greater modularity for circuits carrying currents between 1000 and 10,000 A while minimizing space requirements.

Claims

Electrical connection interface (10) comprising a set of connection elements for high-voltage power transmission cables (620, 630, 640) intended for connection to an electrical cabinet (101), the interface comprising a set of insulated conductive busbars (21, 22, 23, 31, 32, 33, 41, 42, 43), grouped according to three busbar assemblies (20, 30, 40), the fixed and rigid busbars being configured to make an electrical connection between said connection elements and said cabinet so as to facilitate the interchangeability of said electrical cabinet, characterized in that the connection elements (520, 530, 540, 420, 430, 440, 102) are grouped in a fixed junction box (61), with secondary contact areas (220, 230, 240) located at the second end of the three bar assemblies (20, 30, 40) being designed to connect to one or two connecting elements each. Electrical connection interface according to claim 1, wherein each assembly of bars (20, 30, 40) comprises three electrically independent conductive bars, respectively (21, 22, 23), (31, 32, 33) and (41, 42, 43) held together by being encased in a layer of insulation (25) and fixedly held to a fixed frame (53) designed to be integral with the slab (50) of an electrical room. Electrical connection interface according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first ends (120, 130, 140) of the busbar assemblies (10, 30, 40) located on the side of the electrical cabinet form flat contact areas (125, 135, 145) located in the same plane in order to facilitate their connection to the electrical cabinet (101). Electrical connection interface according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the bus assemblies are fixed to said fixed frame (53) located at the end and between two rails (54) on which the electrical cabinet (101) slides between two positions, a first position away from the bus assemblies where it can be removed from the rails and a second position in which it can be connected to the contact areas (125, 135, 145) of the bus assemblies located at their first end. Electrical connection interface according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cross-section of the conductive bars is rectangular or circular. Electrical connection interface according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the junction box (61) is designed to be fixed to the opposite face of the slab (50) on which the chassis and said electrical cabinet are fixed, the bus assemblies being configured to pass through the slab (50) by a hopper (51) so that their two ends are located on either side of said slab. Electrical connection interface according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the contact areas (230) of the second end of the conductive bars of the second bar assembly (30) are oriented differently from the contact areas (220, 240) of the first and third bar assemblies (20, 40) so that the connecting sleeves connected to the bar assembly (30) are oriented in a different direction from the orientation of the sleeves connected to the bar assemblies (20, 40). Electrical connection interface according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the electrical cabinet is a source inverter configured to connect at least one electrical load to at least one main current source or to at least one backup secondary current source, said second busbar assembly (30) being designed to connect said at least one electrical load to said inverter by being connected by its first end (130) to the second contact ranges (131, 132, 133) of the inverter and by its second end (230) to the connection sleeves (530), said third busbar assembly (40) being adapted to connect said at least one main source to said inverter by being connected by its first end (140) to the third contact ranges (141, 142, 143) of the inverter and by its second end (240) to the connection sleeves (540),said first busbar assembly (20) being designed to connect said at least one backup power source to said inverter by being connected by its first end (120) to the first contact areas (121, 122, 123) of the inverter and by its second end (220) to the connecting sleeves (520). Connection interface according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the connection element (102) comprises at least one conductor (26, 46) connected between the contact area (220, 230, 240) of said conductive bars and the connection area of ​​the end portion of an initial current distribution bar (621, 631, 641), the portion of said conductive bars comprising the contact areas having a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the central portion of said conductive bars and the end portion of the initial distribution bar (621, 631,641) comprising the connection area has a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the central part of the distribution bars so that said electrical conductor has a transverse footprint that does not exceed that of the cross-section of the central parts of the bars to which it is connected. Connection interface according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the initial distribution bars (621, 631, 641) are connected to distribution bars (11, 12, 13) by means of connection devices (100) so as to supply the electrical installation of a building such as a nuclear power plant or a submarine. Connection interface according to claim 10 wherein the connection device (100) comprises a first distribution busbar (621, 631, 641) or (11, 12, 13) and a second distribution busbar (11, 12, 13) adjacent to the first, the two busbars having a main portion (110) encased in insulation (115) and at least one end portion (111), said end portion comprising at least one connection zone (113, 136, 139), the two busbars being electrically connected to each other by means of their connection zone, the cross-sectional area of ​​the end portion (108) of each distribution busbar has a smaller area than the cross-sectional area of ​​the main portion of each distribution busbar such that the ends of at least one electrical conductor (26,46) are configured to assemble at the connection areas of the end portions (108) of the bars such that said at least one electrical conductor, once assembled, has a transverse footprint that does not exceed that of the cross-section of the main portion of each bar. Connection interface according to claim 11, wherein said electrical conductor (26, 46) is assembled to the end parts (108) of the distribution bars by means of at least one screw (215) placed in a transverse threaded hole (114) of said end part. Connection interface according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein an intermediate conductive foam element is configured to be placed between the electrical conductor (26, 46) and either the connection area or the contact area, on which it rests in order to reduce the electrical contact resistance. Connection interface according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the elongated electrical conductor (26, 46) comprises two angles between 90 and 120 degrees. Connection interface according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the distribution bar (11, 12, 13) comprises a conductive branch (134) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bar and allows the connection of a cable (136) via a lug (135) or any other means. Connection interface according to any one of claims 9 to 15, wherein the electrical conductor (26) is formed from a single rigid piece of a conductive material and includes at least two constrictions (211) of its cross-section located at the top of the two angles. Connection interface according to any one of claims 9 to 15, wherein the electrical conductor (46) is formed of a set of strips placed against each other, each strip being a thin, flat, elongated strip of a conductive material. A method for connecting an electrical cabinet (101) to a connection interface in an electrical room, said interface comprising a set of connection elements for high-voltage power transmission cables (620, 630, 640) as defined in claims 1 to 9, comprising the following steps: – Supplying the electrical cabinet (101) to the electrical room, – Mounting the electrical cabinet on the fixed frame (53), – Moving the electrical cabinet by translation between the rails (54) from front to back until it is in its connection position on the fixed busbars of the connection interface, – Connecting the contact areas (121, 122, 123), (131, 132, 133) and (141, 142, 143) of said electrical cabinet to the connection areas (125, 135, 145) of the conductor busbars, – grouping them in a fixed junction box (61), connecting elements such as connecting sleeves (520, 530, 540), second contact areas (220,230, 240) located at the second end of the three bar assemblies (20, 30, 40) are designed to connect to one or two connecting sleeves each.

Citation Information

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