Circuit Breaker Gas Channel Barriers for Laminar Flow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing circuit breaker units face challenges in maintaining mechanical stability while efficiently influencing switching gas flow, often leading to turbulence and vibration issues due to large volumes of switching gas, which can compromise cooling performance and structural integrity.

Innovation Solution

The use of barriers connected at fixed angles to pipe sections creates a series of sections within the switching gas duct, allowing for varying flow resistance, deceleration, and acceleration of the switching gas, promoting a laminar flow by creating annular cross-sections and using perforated plates for mechanical stabilization and flow control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a cooling device with large volume is used to handle large quantities of switching gas, then cooling performance is improved, but device complexity and space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling performanceVSAvoidcooling device volume
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The switching gas channel is divided into multiple sections by barriers arranged at different positions. These barriers create segmented flow paths with different flow resistances, allowing efficient cooling without requiring a large-volume cooling device. The segmentation enables targeted flow control in different regions of the switching gas channel.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different sections of the switching gas channel are given different local characteristics through the barriers. Each barrier creates a specific flow resistance in its local region, allowing the system to handle large quantities of switching gas efficiently without uniformly increasing the volume of the entire cooling device.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If barriers are arranged in the switching gas channel to control flow, then flow resistance is increased and cooling efficiency is improved, but mechanical stability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidmechanical stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The barriers are nested within the switching gas channel in a compact arrangement. Multiple barriers are positioned at different locations along the channel, creating a nested structure that controls flow efficiently while maintaining mechanical stability through the integrated design within the channel boundaries.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The barriers are arranged in the axial direction of the switching gas channel, utilizing the length dimension to create flow resistance variations. This axial arrangement allows multiple barriers to be positioned without requiring additional radial or lateral space, maintaining mechanical stability while improving cooling efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Stability of the object's composition

If multiple barriers are arranged in the switching gas channel to create laminar flow, then turbulence is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflow stabilityVSAvoidbarrier arrangement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The switching gas channel is segmented into multiple sections by barriers positioned at different axial locations. This segmentation creates a series of controlled flow regions that progressively stabilize the flow from turbulent to laminar without requiring a single complex barrier structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The barriers utilize the axial dimension of the switching gas channel to control flow stability. By arranging barriers along the axial direction rather than using a single complex three-dimensional structure, the solution achieves flow stabilization with simpler individual components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 configuration enhances mechanical stability, reduces turbulence, and improves cooling efficiency by managing flow resistance and promoting a laminar flow, while also serving as a supporting element for the circuit breaker unit, ensuring efficient gas flow and structural integrity.

Implementation Method 1

a barrier that increases the flow resistance of the switching gas channel is arranged

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFlow resistance: Drag

Implementation Method 2

The temperature of a switching gas flowing through is to be influenced by the cooling device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCooling: Cooling

Data Source

PatentEP2742521B1Circuit breaker unit
Publication Date: 2017.11.15 SIEMENS AG
  • EP2742521B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The invention relates to an arrangement comprising a circuit breaker unit having a first and a second arcing contact piece (4, 5). A contact gap (6) is arranged between the arcing contact pieces (4, 5). A switch gas channel of the circuit breaker unit joins the contact gap to the surrounding area of the circuit breaker unit for removing a switch gas from said contact gap (6). Several barriers (21a, 21b, 21c, 21d, 21e) increasing a flow resistance are arranged successively, at a distance in relation to each other, in the switch gas channel. At least one of the barriers (21a, 21b, 21c, 21d, 21e) is arranged between a first pipe section (12) surrounded by a second pipe section (14), and the second pipe section (14).