Switchgear Eddy Current Tripping Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical switchgear devices for fast limitation and interruption of fault currents require additional mechanical components and actuators, leading to slower tripping and increased wear, as seen in prior art technologies like US6777635 and WO 2014/048483 A1.
Innovation Solution
An electrical switchgear device with a fixed electrode arrangement, a movable electrode arrangement having a contact portion and a repelling portion, and a flat coil that induces eddy currents in the repelling portion, eliminating the need for additional actuators by directly affecting the movable electrode arrangement through Lorentz forces, allowing for faster and more robust operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If additional mechanical components and actuators are used to achieve fast tripping, then the tripping speed is improved, but the device complexity and mechanical wear increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical actuator system with an electromagnetic coil system that directly interacts with the movable electrode arrangement. The coil generates eddy currents in the repelling portion, which interacts with the magnetic field to produce Lorentz forces that move the contacts, eliminating the need for separate mechanical actuators and reducing device complexity while maintaining fast tripping speed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the intermediate mechanical actuator components from the tripping mechanism. By using the coil to directly induce eddy currents in the repelling portion of the movable electrode arrangement, the system removes unnecessary mechanical linkages, reducing wear and simplifying the overall device structure
2Force
If additional actuators are used to move the movable electrode arrangement, then the tripping force is improved, but the mechanical wear and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes mechanical force transmission with electromagnetic force generation. The coil creates a magnetic field that induces eddy currents in the repelling portion, and the interaction between these eddy currents and the magnetic field produces Lorentz forces directly on the movable electrode arrangement, eliminating mechanical wear from actuator components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the repelling portion by inducing eddy currents that create magnetic fields. This transformation of electrical energy to magnetic energy and then to mechanical force via Lorentz interaction provides reliable tripping force without mechanical wear
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 solution provides a faster and more robust electrical switchgear device with fewer mechanical components subjected to wear, enabling quicker tripping and improved handling of high-power fault currents without additional actuators.
Implementation Method 1
the repelling portion is arranged adjacent to the coil to enable the coil to induce eddy currents in the repelling portion
Implementation Method 2
allowing for faster and more robust operation
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an electrical switchgear device (1) comprising: a fixed electrode arrangement (3), a movable electrode arrangement (5) having a contact portion (5f) and a repelling portion (5e), wherein the movable electrode arrangement (5) is arranged to move between a closed position in which the contact portion (5f) contacts the fixed electrode arrangement (3), and an open position in which the contact portion (5f) is mechanically separated from the fixed electrode arrangement (3), wherein one of the fixed electrode arrangement (3) and the contact portion (5f) comprises a plurality of contact fingers(5a-5d) which are all parallel connected when the movable electrode arrangement (5) is in the closed position, and a coil (7)which is fixed relative to the repelling portion (5e), wherein the repelling portion (5e) is arranged adjacent to the coil (7) to enable the coil (7) to induce eddy currents in the repelling portion (5e), which coil (7) is fixed relative to the repelling portion (5e), wherein the coil (7) has a first dimension (d2) between two of its opposite lateral ends, which first dimension (d2) corresponds to a majority of the distance between the two outermost contact fingers(5a, 5d), and wherein the coil (7) defines an area which corresponds to a majority of a surface area of the repelling portion (5e), and wherein the repelling portion (5e) is adapted to provide a continuous current path, having a dimension corresponding to the first dimension (d2) of the coil (7), for eddy currents induced by the coil (7) in the repelling portion(5e).