System and method for quenching an arc

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9355798-B2
Application number	US-201414464721-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2014
Priority date	Aug 21, 2014
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

An arc quenching system is presented. The arc quenching system includes a mounting structure, a plurality of movable arc chute plates mounted on the mounting structure, and a motion delivery unit mechanically coupled to the mounting structure. The motion delivery unit is configured to impart at least one of a rotation motion and a vibration motion to one or more movable arc chute plates of the plurality of movable arc chute plates.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An arc quenching system, comprising:
a mounting structure;
a plurality of movable arc chute plates mounted on the mounting structure; and
a motion delivery unit mechanically coupled to the mounting structure and configured to impart at least one of a rotation motion and a vibration motion to one or more movable arc chute plates of the plurality of movable arc chute plates to quench an arc.

2. The arc quenching system of claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure comprises a bar, a rod, a cylinder, or combinations thereof.

3. The arc quenching system of claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure comprises one or more insulating materials.

4. The arc quenching system of claim 1 , wherein the motion delivery unit comprises a motor, a spring, a gear, or combinations thereof.

5. An arc quenching system, comprising:
a mounting structure;
a plurality of movable arc chute plates mounted on the mounting structure; and
a housing configured to enclose at least the mounting structure and the plurality of movable arc chute plates, wherein the housing comprises a window configured to channelize a pressurized gas to impart at least one of a rotation motion or a vibration motion to one or more movable arc chute plates of the plurality of movable arc chute plates.

6. The arc quenching system of claim 5 , wherein at least one end of the mounting structure is movably supported by the housing.

7. The arc quenching system of claim 5 , wherein one or more movable arc chute plates of the plurality of movable arc chute plates comprise one or more protrusions.

8. The arc quenching system of claim 5 , wherein at least one movable arc chute plate of the plurality of movable arc chute plates is configured to rotate in a clockwise direction and other movable arc chute plates of the plurality of movable arc chutes are configured to rotate in an anticlockwise direction.

9. A circuit breaker, comprising:
a fixed contact;
a moving contact detachably coupled to the fixed contact; and
an arc quenching system comprising a plurality of movable arc chute plates arranged proximate to the fixed contact and the moving contact, wherein one or more movable arc chute plates of the plurality of movable arc chute plates are configured to rotate, vibrate, or both, in response the generation of an arc to facilitate quenching of the arc.

10. The circuit breaker of claim 9 , further comprising a lever coupled to the moving contact, wherein the lever is in a first position when the moving contact is coupled to the fixed contact, and the lever is transitioned to a second position when the moving contact is decoupled from the fixed contact.

11. The circuit breaker of claim 9 , further comprising a current sensing unit configured to detect a current flowing through an electrical path.

12. The circuit breaker of claim 11 , wherein the current sensing unit comprises at least one of a solenoid, a current transformer, and a Rogowski coil.

13. The circuit breaker of claim 11 , further comprising a control unit configured to:
detect an over-current condition based on the detected current flowing in the electrical path; and
generate a control signal representative of the over-current condition.

14. The circuit breaker of claim 13 , further comprising an actuator unit configured to:
receive the control signal; and
separate the moving contact from the fixed contact in response to receipt of the control signal.

15. The circuit breaker of claim 9 , wherein the arc quenching system further comprises a mounting structure for mounting the plurality of movable arc chute plates thereon.

16. The circuit breaker of claim 15 , wherein the arc quenching system further comprises a motion delivery unit coupled to the mounting structure and configured to impart at least one of a rotation motion and a vibration motion to the plurality of movable arc chute plates.

17. The circuit breaker of claim 16 , wherein the motion delivery unit comprises a motor, a spring, a gear, or combinations thereof.

18. The circuit breaker of claim 9 , further comprising a housing configured to enclose at least the plurality of movable arc chute plates.

19. A method for quenching an arc in a circuit breaker connected in an electrical path, the circuit breaker comprising a moving contact detachably coupled to a fixed contact, the method comprising:
determining one or more fault conditions in the electrical path;
enabling a separation of the moving contact from the fixed contact in response to the determination of the one or more fault conditions; and
imparting a rotation motion, a vibration motion, or both to one or more movable arc chute plates of a plurality of movable arc chute plates upon separation of the moving contact from the fixed contact to quench the arc.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein enabling the separation of the moving contact from the fixed contact comprises:
generating a control signal in response to the detection of the one or more fault conditions; and
communicating the control signal to an actuator unit.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein imparting the rotation motion, the vibration motion, or both to the one or more movable arc chute plates of the plurality of movable arc chute plates comprises delivering the rotation motion, the vibration motion, or both to the one or more movable arc chute plates of the plurality of movable arc chute plates via a motion delivery unit in response to the control signal indicative of the occurrence of the one or more fault conditions.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein imparting the rotation motion, the vibration motion, or both to the one or more movable arc chute plates of the plurality of movable arc chute plates comprises delivering the rotation motion, the vibration motion, or both to the one or more movable arc chute plates of the plurality of movable arc chute plates via a flow of a pressurized gas through a window formed in an housing of the circuit breaker, and wherein the pressurized gas is generated due an occurrence of the arc.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Nanrudaiyan Nalini
• Jacobs Linda Yvonne
• Naik Rajendra
• Bohori Adnan Kutubuddin
• Lagiewka Marcin Piotr
• Abdulla Raheel

Classifications

• H01H9/30 Primary

  Means for extinguishing or preventing arc between current-carrying parts · CPC title

• H02H3/08

  responsive to excess current (responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04) · CPC title

• H01H33/08 Primary

  Stationary parts for restricting or subdividing the arc, e.g. barrier plate · CPC title

• H01H33/82

  the fluid being air or gas · CPC title

• H01H2009/348

  Provisions for recirculation of arcing gasses to improve the arc extinguishing, e.g. move the arc quicker into the arcing chamber · CPC title