Arc Extinguishing Chamber Segmented Exhaust Ducts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric protection apparatuses, particularly ultra-terminal type protective circuit breakers, face issues with gas plugs forming at the outlet of the arc extinguishing chamber due to conflicting gas flows, leading to partial melting of the bottom grate and inadequate arc extinguishing, especially in smaller circuit breakers with reduced gas collection volumes.
Innovation Solution
The arc extinguishing chamber is designed with a separating wall that forms two distinct removal ducts and exhaust outlets, allowing for complete separation of gas flows, preventing conflicts and ensuring gases exit in a perpendicular direction, thereby eliminating gas plugs and enhancing arc extinguishing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single exhaust volume is used downstream from the arc extinguishing chamber, then the device complexity is reduced, but gas plugs form due to conflicting gas flows causing harmful effects
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust volume is divided into multiple separate exhaust channels (first exhaust channel and second exhaust channel), each handling gas flows from different separators independently. This segmentation prevents conflicting gas flows from mixing and forming gas plugs at the outlet, while maintaining relatively simple individual channel structures.
2Volume of moving object
If the pitch of the circuit breaker is reduced, then the compactness is improved, but the gas collection volume is reduced leading to increased harmful effects
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust channels are arranged in different spatial dimensions and orientations within the limited space. By utilizing three-dimensional space efficiently and routing channels through different paths, sufficient gas collection volume is maintained even in compact circuit breaker designs with reduced pitch, preventing harmful effects while preserving compactness.
3Speed
If gas flows exit perpendicular to the exhaust outlets, then the flow efficiency is improved, but gas plugs still form due to flow conflicts between separators
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust system is segmented into multiple independent channels, each dedicated to collecting and evacuating gas flows from specific separators. This segmentation allows gas flows to exit perpendicular to the exhaust outlets for efficient flow, while preventing conflicts between flows from different separators by providing separate evacuation paths, thus eliminating gas plug formation.
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
This design stabilizes the short-circuit arc voltage, enables faster and cleaner breaks, and reduces the risk of equipment damage by preventing gas flow interference, resulting in improved protection for both equipment and personnel.
Implementation Method 1
the separating wall(s) extend(s) in such a way as to form a substantially complete partitioning in the direction of the flow to these openings and to thereby form at least a first removal duct and a second removal duct, said ducts each being associated with an exhaust outlet, and enabling a substantially complete separation to be achieved between a first flow called main flow and a second flow called secondary flow
Implementation Method 2
an arc extinguishing chamber comprising in usual manner separators designed to cool the gases
Implementation Method 3
as soon as the contacts separate following the occurrence of a short-circuit in an electric circuit, an electric arc occurs between the contacts, which arc will establish an arcing voltage
Data Source
AI summary
An arc extinguishing chamber includes an arc formation chamber containing a stationary contact and a movable contact which form an arc between them when separated. The arc formation chamber communicates with an inlet of a second chamber. A separating wall is placed in a volume downstream from said second chamber. The wall extends in the direction of the gas flow to partition the volume in the direction of the flow of the gases and exhaust outlets enabling the quenching gases to be removed outside of the apparatus. The separating wall(s) extend(s) in such a way as to partition in the direction of the flow to the outlets and to thereby form at least a first removal duct and a second removal duct, said ducts each being associated with an exhaust outlet and enabling a substantially complete separation to be achieved between a first flow and a second flow.