Corrugated Switchgear Housing for 6 Bar Gas Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inflatable switchgear housings are inadequate for high-pressure environmental-friendly gases, as they are excessively heavy, costly, and large when thickened for increased pressure resistance, and reinforcing ribs do not meet the required pressure resistance of 6 bar.
Innovation Solution
A corrugated plate with alternating rigid protrusions and recesses is fixed to the housing, providing enhanced pressure resistance while maintaining a lightweight and cost-effective design, with adjustable protrusion shape, size, and spacing to adapt to various requirements, and improved heat dissipation through engagement with the housing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the housing plate thickness is increased to bear high gas pressure (6 bar), then the pressure resistance is improved, but the weight, cost, and size become excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a thin-walled housing structure (plate thickness 2-5mm) instead of thick-walled conventional housings, achieving high pressure resistance (6 bar) through geometric corrugation patterns rather than material thickness. The corrugated plates with rigid protrusions and recesses create structural reinforcement while maintaining thin overall wall thickness, thus reducing weight while bearing high gas pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a flat plate structure to a three-dimensional corrugated structure with rigid protrusions and recesses. This dimensional transformation creates additional structural support in the thickness direction without proportionally increasing material usage, enabling the thin-walled housing to resist high pressure effectively while maintaining low weight.
2Strength
If the housing plate thickness is increased to bear high gas pressure (6 bar), then the pressure resistance is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses thin-walled corrugated plates (2-5mm thickness) with standardized rigid protrusion patterns that can be manufactured using conventional sheet metal forming processes. This approach avoids the high costs associated with thick-walled pressure vessels while achieving equivalent or superior pressure resistance through geometric design, thereby reducing material costs and manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is divided into multiple corrugated plate segments with standardized rigid protrusion patterns. These modular plates can be manufactured independently using standard fabrication processes and then assembled, reducing overall manufacturing cost compared to producing a single thick-walled pressure vessel.
3Strength
If the housing plate thickness is increased to bear high gas pressure (6 bar), then the pressure resistance is improved, but the housing size becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs thin-walled corrugated plates (2-5mm) with rigid protrusions that provide high pressure resistance without increasing the external dimensions of the housing. The corrugation pattern provides structural strength within the existing housing envelope, avoiding the need for larger housing volumes that would result from thick-walled construction.
Solution Approach 2:
By transforming the flat plate into a corrugated three-dimensional structure with rigid protrusions and recesses, the patent achieves enhanced pressure resistance within the same external housing dimensions. The geometric features utilize the available thickness space efficiently without proportionally increasing the overall housing volume.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a switchgear and an electrical assembly. The switchgear according to the present disclosure comprises: a housing and a corrugated plate. The housing is configured to house a switch assembly in an inflated state, and the corrugated plate comprises a plurality of rigid protrusions; and a plurality of rigid recesses arranged alternatingly with the plurality of rigid protrusions, the plurality of rigid recesses configured to be fixed to a surface of the housing. Both the airtightness and pressure resistance of the switchgear according to the present disclosure are improved as compared with conventional known switchgears. Embodiments of the present disclosure further have the advantages such as lightweight, low cost, and flexibility to follow design requirements.