Particle extraction system for an interrupter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10483059-B2
Application number	US-201815908142-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2018
Priority date	Aug 31, 2015
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A particle extraction system for an electrical interrupter is disclosed in the present application. The particle extraction system includes a support bay configured to hold an electrical interrupter in position during a particle extraction event. An actuator system is operable for cycling the interrupter to dislodge and release foreign particles internal to the interrupter. A fluid source and pumping system is in fluid communication with at least one internal flowpath within the interrupter to entrain and transport the released particle from the interrupter. A vacuum slot is operable for receiving a fluid flow with entrained particles and transporting the particles to a particle capture device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A particle extraction apparatus comprising: a particle dislodging apparatus operably connectable to an electrical interrupter; a particle removal apparatus operably connectable to the electrical interrupter; and an electronic control system operably connected to the particle dislodging apparatus and to the particle removal apparatus, wherein the electrical interrupter is installed in a support bay, and wherein the particle removal apparatus is in fluid communication with a pumping system that is configured to produce a compressed fluid flow within the support bay that is deliverable to the electrical interrupter.

2. The particle extraction apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the particle dislodging apparatus includes an electrical actuator operable for actuating a movable portion of the electrical interrupter between first and second positions.

3. The particle extraction apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the electrical actuator includes an electric motor.

4. The particle extraction apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the electrical actuator includes a second electric motor.

5. The particle extraction apparatus of claim 2 further comprising an adaptor connected to the electric actuator.

6. The particle extraction apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a rotatable shaft operably connected to the adaptor.

7. The particle extraction apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a reciprocating rod connected between the adaptor and the movable portion of the electrical interrupter.

8. The particle extraction apparatus of claim 2 , wherein foreign particles are dislodged within the electrical interrupter when the movable portion is actuated between the first and second positions.

9. The particle extraction apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronic control system is operable for controlling the particle dislodging apparatus.

10. The particle extraction apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the particle dislodging apparatus is operable for independently actuating a plurality of movable elements within the electrical interrupter.

11. The particle extraction apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a particle separator for removing particles from the fluid.

12. The particle extraction apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the particle separator includes at least one of a filter device and an inertial particle removal device.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the particle dislodging apparatus includes an actuation system for moving internal components of the electrical interrupter when installed in a support bay.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the particle removal apparatus includes at least one vacuum slot formed in the support bay.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the particle removal apparatus includes at least one of a filter system and an inertial particle separator system in fluid communication with the at least one vacuum slot in the support bay.

16. A particle extraction apparatus comprising: a particle dislodging apparatus operably connectable to an electrical interrupter; a particle removal apparatus operably connectable to the electrical interrupter; and an electronic control system operably connected to the particle dislodging apparatus and to the particle removal apparatus, wherein the particle dislodging apparatus includes a compressed air collar connected between the support bay and the electrical interrupter.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the particle dislodging apparatus includes an actuation system for moving internal components of the electrical interrupter when installed in a support bay.

Assignees

• Abb Schweiz Ag

Inventors

• Daehler Christian
• Lange Jeffrey H
• Licastro Mark

Classifications

• H01H33/56

  Gas reservoirs · CPC title

• H02B3/00

  Apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture, assembly, or maintenance of boards or switchgear · CPC title

• H01H11/00

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches (processes specially adapted for manufacture of rectilinearly movable switches having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboards, H01H13/88) · CPC title

• H01H33/565 Primary

  Gas-tight sealings for moving parts penetrating into the reservoir · CPC title

• H01H33/30

  using fluid actuator · CPC title