Active Damping Element for High Voltage Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high voltage switching devices, such as circuit breakers, have a fixed time history for switching movements which cannot be altered, leading to potential damage from unchecked contact piece collisions and inability to control drive movements based on operational conditions like fault currents or planned shutdowns.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an active damping element with adjustable damping constants, controlled via a unit that can change the pressure in hydraulic or gas dampers, allowing for real-time adjustment of the drive movement's time history during switching operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a spring-loaded drive with fixed design is used, then the switching device achieves rapid switching capability, but the temporal profile of the switching movement cannot be altered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the damping characteristic adjustable rather than fixed. The damping element's parameter can be changed between switching operations, allowing the temporal profile of the switching movement to be dynamically adapted to different operational requirements while maintaining rapid switching capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by modifying the damping characteristic of the damping element. By changing the damping parameter, the system can adjust the temporal profile of the switching movement without altering the fundamental spring-loaded drive mechanism, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining rapid switching and enabling adaptability.
2Reliability
If damping elements are added to prevent contact damage, then contact piece protection is improved, but the drive movement becomes less controllable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by making the damping element dynamic rather than static. The adjustable damping characteristic allows the system to provide contact protection when needed while maintaining controllability of the drive movement by modifying the damping parameter according to operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the damping parameter of the damping element, the system can balance between contact protection and drive movement controllability. The parameter adjustment allows optimization for different operational scenarios, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.
3Ease of manufacture
If the damping characteristic is fixed by design, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but operational flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by introducing an adjustable parameter to the damping element. This allows the system to maintain a relatively simple base design while gaining operational flexibility through parameter modification, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and operational adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent resolves the contradiction by enabling parameter changes in the damping characteristic without fundamentally redesigning the damping element structure. This approach maintains manufacturing simplicity while achieving the desired operational flexibility through parameter adjustment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables dynamic control of the switching movement's time history, preventing damage and optimizing switching operations by adjusting damping to match environmental conditions and operational requirements, such as faster fault current handling and slower planned shutdowns.
Implementation Method 1
Damping elements can be used, for example at the end of a movement, to absorb kinetic energy and slow down the movement, thus preventing damage or destruction of contact pieces
Implementation Method 2
Spring-loaded actuators can be used as the drive mechanism, with at least one energy storage spring storing the energy required for switching
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) for switching medium and/or high voltages, the device comprising a spring-loaded drive (5) for driving a kinematic chain (4). At least one energy storage spring (6) and at least one damping element (10) for generating a drive movement with specific drive characteristics are included. The at least one damping element (10) is an active damping element (10). The damping is actively determined during switching or predetermined, in particular depending on environmental variables and/or the type of switching situation, by changing the settings of the at least one damping element (10).