Checking a multi-pole electrical circuit breaker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10088509-B2
Application number	US-201515312090-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2015
Priority date	Jul 29, 2014
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

The present method relates to a method for checking a multi-pole electrical circuit breaker. The multi-pole electrical circuit breaker comprises a plurality of poles (101-103). Each of the plurality of poles (101-103) comprises a first connection (121-123) and a second connection (131-133). Closing the particular pole (101-103) makes it possible to electrically connect the first connection (121-123) of the particular pole (101-103) to the second connection (131-133) of the particular pole (101-103) via the pole. In the method, a plurality of micro-ohm measurements are carried out at the plurality of poles (101-103), while the plurality of poles (101-103) are earthed on both sides in a P-P-P-E configuration. A contact resistance of one of the plurality of poles (101-103) is determined on the basis of the plurality of micro-ohm measurements.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Method for testing a multi-pole electrical circuit breaker, wherein the multi-pole circuit breaker comprises a three-pole circuit-breaker having three poles wherein each of the plurality of poles comprises a first connection and a second connection, wherein closing a respective pole of the plurality of poles makes it possible to electrically connect the first connection of the respective pole to the second connection of the respective pole, wherein the first connection of one of the plurality of poles is connected to an earth potential by means of a first grounding cable and the second connection of the one pole is connected to the earth potential by means of a second grounding cable, and wherein each further pole of the plurality of poles is either switched in parallel to the one pole or in parallel to one of the other poles, wherein the method comprises:
carrying out a plurality of micro-ohm measurements at the plurality of poles while the plurality of poles are grounded on both sides, and
determining a contact resistance of one of the plurality of poles on the basis of the plurality of micro-ohm measurements, wherein the micro-ohm measurements are carried out using two micro-ohm meters which are connected simultaneously to two of the three poles.

2. Method according to claim 1 , wherein a current is applied to the first connection of a respective pole of the plurality of poles with each of the plurality of micro-ohm measurements, and the current at the second connection of the respective pole is withdrawn and a voltage is measured between the first connection of the respective pole and the second connection of the respective pole.

3. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the multi-pole circuit breaker comprises a multi-pole circuit breaker having three poles, wherein the micro-ohm measurements are carried out using three micro-ohm meters which are connected simultaneously to the three poles.

4. Method according to claim 1 , wherein each micro-ohm meter comprises a current source and a voltage measuring device.

5. Method according to claim 4 , wherein an amperage of the current source of a first of the micro-ohm meters and an amperage of the current source of a second of the micro-ohm meters are different.

6. Method according to claim 1 , wherein carrying out the plurality of micro-ohm measurements comprises:
setting a first switching position combination, wherein, in a first switching position combination, poles of a first group of the plurality of poles are closed and the remaining poles of the plurality of poles are open,
carrying out a plurality of first micro-ohm measurements at the plurality of poles while the plurality of poles are set in the first switching position combination and are grounded on both sides,
setting a second switching position combination, wherein, in the second switching position combination, poles of a second group of the plurality of poles are closed and the remaining poles of the plurality of poles are open, wherein the second group is different from the first group, and
carrying out a plurality of second micro-ohm measurements at the plurality of poles while the plurality of poles are set in the second switching position combination and are grounded on both sides.

7. Method according to claim 1 , wherein carrying out the plurality of micro-ohm measurements at the plurality of poles comprises:
connecting a respective micro-ohm meter to the first connection and the second connection of a respective pole of the plurality of poles.

8. Method according to claim 1 , wherein carrying out the plurality of micro-ohm measurements comprises:
opening or closing a pole of the plurality of poles, and
detecting a chronological sequence of the micro-ohm measurement while opening or closing the pole, and
determining a chronological sequence of the contact resistance of the pole on the basis of the detected chronological sequence of the micro-ohm measurement.

9. Measuring device for testing a multi-pole electrical circuit breaker, wherein the multi-pole circuit breaker comprises a three-pole circuit-breaker having three poles wherein each of the poles comprises a first connection and a second connection, wherein closing a respective pole of the three poles makes it possible to electrically connect the first connection of the respective pole to the second connection of the respective pole, wherein the measuring device comprises:
a first grounding cable for connecting the first connection of a selected one of the three poles to an earth potential, and
a second grounding cable for connecting the second connection of the selected one of the three poles to the earth potential, and
further connecting cables for switching of each other pole of the three poles either in parallel to the selected one of the three poles or in parallel to one of the other poles,
a micro-ohm measuring device for carrying out a plurality of micro-ohm measurements at the three of poles while the poles are grounded on both sides, wherein the micro-ohm measurements are carried out using two micro-ohm meters which are connected simultaneously to two of the three poles, and
a processing device, which is designed to determine a contact resistance of one of the poles on the basis of the micro-ohm measurements.

10. Method for testing a multi-pole electrical circuit breaker, wherein the multi-pole circuit breaker comprises a plurality of poles, wherein each of the plurality of poles comprises a first connection and a second connection, wherein closing a respective pole of the plurality of poles makes it possible to electrically connect the first connection of the respective pole to the second connection of the respective pole, wherein the first connection of one of the plurality of poles is connected to an earth potential by means of a first grounding cable and the second connection of the one pole is connected to the earth potential by means of a second grounding cable, and wherein each further pole of the plurality of poles is either switched in parallel to the one pole or in parallel to one of the other poles, wherein the method further comprises:
carrying out a plurality of micro-ohm measurements at the plurality of poles while the plurality of poles are grounded on both sides using a plurality of micro-ohm meters which are simultaneously connected to at least two of the plurality of poles of the multi-pole circuit breaker, wherein each of the plurality of micro-ohm meters comprises a current source and a voltage measuring device, and wherein an amperage of the current source of a first of the plurality of micro-ohm meters is different from an amperage of the current source of a second of the plurality of micro-ohm meters; and
determining a contact resistance of one of the plurality of poles on the basis of the plurality of micro-ohm measurements.

11. Measuring device for testing a multi-pole electrical circuit breaker, wherein the multi-pole circuit breaker comprises a plurality of poles, wherein each of the plurality of poles comprises a first connection and a second connection, wherein closing a respective pole of the plurality of poles makes it possible to electrically connect the first connection of the respective pole to the second connection of the respective pole, wherein the first connection of one of the plurality of poles is connected to an earth potential by means of a first grounding cable and the second connection of the one pole is connected to the earth potential by means of a second grounding cable, and wherein each further pole of the plurality of poles is either switched in parallel to the one pole or in parallel to one of the other poles,
wherein the measuring dev

Assignees

• Omicron Electronics Gmbh

Inventors

• Klapper Ulrich

Classifications

• G01R31/327

  Testing of circuit interrupters, switches or circuit-breakers · CPC title

• G01R27/205 Primary

  Measuring contact resistance of connections, e.g. of earth connections · CPC title

• G01R31/333

  Testing of the switching capacity of high-voltage circuit-breakers {; Testing of breaking capacity or related variables, e.g. post arc current or transient recovery voltage} · CPC title

• G01R31/2827

  Testing of electronic protection circuits (testing switches G01R31/327; checking alarm systems G08B29/00; self test of summation current transformers H02H3/335) · CPC title

• G01R31/3274 Primary

  Details related to measuring, e.g. sensing, displaying or computing; Measuring of variables related to the contact pieces, e.g. wear, position or resistance (measuring contact resistance G01R27/205) · CPC title