Pyrotechnic Disconnect Arc Splitter Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disconnects in electrical circuits face challenges in reliably and safely interrupting large currents, often resulting in electric arcs that can pose hazards, and require complex or expensive components to manage these arcs effectively.
Innovation Solution
A pyrotechnic disconnect system with a housing containing a combustion chamber, a pyrotechnic charge, and arc splitter plates made of ferrous material, which divides the electric arc into multiple arcs by using a gas blast from the pyrotechnic charge to suppress the arc and direct it into the splitter plates, thereby increasing the arc voltage and interrupting the circuit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional disconnects are used to interrupt large currents, then the circuit can be opened, but electric arcs are created that pose safety hazards and may cause further damage
Solution Approach 1:
The single electric arc is divided into multiple smaller arcs by the arc splitter plates. When the busbar is severed, the arc that forms is split into several segments as it passes through the stacked plates with spaced-apart surfaces, reducing the hazard of each individual arc while maintaining effective current interruption.
Solution Approach 2:
Arc splitter plates serve as an intermediary component between the combustion chamber and the external environment. These plates intercept and manage the electric arc through their ferrous material surfaces and spacing, converting a single hazardous arc into multiple controlled smaller arcs.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If complex components are added to manage electric arcs, then arc hazards can be reduced, but the disconnect becomes overly complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single complex arc suppression device, the solution segments the arc management function into multiple simple ferrous plates stacked with spacing. This segmentation approach achieves effective arc control through simplicity and modularity rather than complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The arc splitter plates use simple ferrous material that can be easily manufactured and replaced if needed. These plates are relatively inexpensive components compared to complex arc suppression systems, providing cost-effective arc hazard management.
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 pyrotechnic disconnect effectively suppresses electric arcs by dividing them into multiple arcs, safely interrupting large currents and reducing the risk of further damage, while maintaining a relatively simple and cost-effective design.
Implementation Method 1
using a gas blast from the pyrotechnic charge to suppress the arc and direct it into the splitter plates
Implementation Method 2
divides the electric arc into multiple arcs by using a gas blast from the pyrotechnic charge to suppress the arc and direct it into the splitter plates, thereby increasing the arc voltage and interrupting the circuit
Data Source
AI summary
A pyrotechnic disconnect comprises: a housing with at least a combustion chamber therein; a pyrotechnic charge in the combustion chamber; a busbar covering an opening of the combustion chamber, the busbar configured to be severed by activation of the pyrotechnic charge; and arc splitter plates arranged in the housing on an opposite side of the busbar from the combustion chamber.