Horn Spark Gap Cooling Surface Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing non-rotationally symmetrical horn spark gaps with deion chambers face limitations in handling higher surge currents (12.5 kA to 25 kA), leading to potential failures due to high thermal energy from ionized gases, despite cooling mechanisms, which restrict their operational efficiency and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A non-rotationally symmetrical spark gap design featuring a multi-piece insulating material housing with a cooling surface surrounding the housing on all sides, supported by webs to conduct gas flow and maintain close contact, ensuring unimpeded gas flow while enhancing heat dissipation through a metallic or heat-conductive material sheathing with embossings and structural stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling mechanisms are implemented in horn spark gaps, then heat dissipation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling surface is integrated directly into the insulating material housing, merging the cooling function with the structural housing component. This eliminates the need for separate cooling mechanisms while maintaining effective heat dissipation from the arc running area and deion chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating material housing serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, electrical insulation, and heat dissipation through the integrated cooling surface. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity by combining several components into one.
2Ease of manufacture
If the insulating material housing is divided into half shells, then ease of manufacture is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating material housing is divided into two half shells that can be manufactured separately and then assembled. This segmentation allows for easier manufacturing and assembly of the complex housing structure while maintaining the integrated cooling surface design.
3Volume of stationary object
If a compact structure is maintained, then volume is reduced, but heat dissipation capability is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling surface extends along the longitudinal axis of the housing, utilizing the length dimension to provide adequate cooling surface area within a compact volume. This allows effective heat dissipation without increasing the overall footprint of the device.
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
The enhanced design effectively manages higher surge currents by maintaining a compact structure and ensuring efficient cooling, thereby preventing function impairments and extending the operational range without occupying additional constructional space.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling surface which surrounds the housing on all sides with the exception of the sections of the plug or screw connections leading out and which lies against the housing surface
Implementation Method 2
means for conducting the gas flow related to the arc
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a non-rotationally symmetrical spark gap, in particular a horn spark gap with a deion chamber, a multi-part insulating material housing (1) as a support and receiving body for the horn electrodes and the deion chamber, means for conducting the gas flow related to the arc, wherein the insulating material housing (1) is divided on the plane defined by the horn electrodes and has two half shells, and plug or screw connections (4, 5) which lead out on the end face. According to the invention, with the exception of the sections of the plug or screw connections (4, 5) leading out, the insulating material housing is surrounded on all sides by a cooling surface (14) which is near the housing and lies against the housing surface, and the cooling surface (14) is at least partly supported on webs (8) which are designed to conduct the gas flow on the outer surface of the half shells.