Green switchgear apparatuses, methods and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9390873-B2
Application number	US-201414340472-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2014
Priority date	Jul 24, 2013
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

Abstract

This disclosure relates to switchgear equipment for electrical power systems. A switchgear comprises a switchgear body housing, having an upper boot and a lower boot, the upper boot having an insulating material and the lower boot having an insulating material, a vacuum interrupter having at least one stationary electrical contact, a moveable contactor coupled to a moveable electrical contact, and at least two bushings having conductor material passing therethrough, the switchgear further comprising at least one of a bushing boot having at least one of a helical groove and an array of heat-removal fins, a flexible, insulating cover enclosing at least a portion of the vacuum interrupter and an adjacent bushing, a helical groove in the upper boot, and a finned connector constrained within a channel in the moveable contactor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A switchgear apparatus comprising:
a switchgear body housing having an upper boot and a lower boot, the upper boot having an insulating material and the lower boot having an insulating material;
a vacuum interrupter having at least one stationary electrical contact and an insulating moveable contactor coupled to a moveable electrical contact; and
at least two bushings having conductor material passing therethrough,
the apparatus further comprising at least one of the following:
a bushing boot, separate from the upper boot and the lower boot, having at least one of a helical groove and/or an array of heat-removal fins;
a flexible insulating cover enclosing at least a portion of the vacuum interrupter and an adjacent bushing;
a helical groove in the upper boot; and
a finned connector constrained within a channel in the moveable contactor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus does not contain sulphur hexafluoride.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of components forming a conductive path extending through the apparatus, the plurality of components being at least one of sealed, insulated and/or covered by a flexible insulating material or a rigid insulating material.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the insulating material, the bushing boot, or the insulating cover includes a flexible dielectric material.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the flexible dielectric material comprises silicone rubber.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the flexible dielectric material comprises ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the insulating material includes a conductive coating on at least a portion of its inner surface and/or a conductive material embedded therein.

8. A switchgear apparatus comprising:
a switchgear body housing having an upper boot and a lower boot, the upper boot and the lower boot each including an insulating material;
a vacuum interrupter coupled at a first end to the upper boot and including an at least one stationary electrical contact and an at least one moveable electrical contact;
at least one flexible conductor element housed within the switchgear body housing;
a pushrod coupled to the at least one moveable electrical contact;
at least one bushing boot, separate from the upper boot and the lower boot, and having conductor material passing through the at least one bushing boot;
a first bushing coupled to the bushing boot; and
a second bushing coupled to a second end of the vacuum interrupter and forming an interface therebetween, the interface surrounded by an insulating cover.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the pushrod penetrates a wall of the lower boot, the interface between the pushrod and the lower boot being sealed by cooperation between a perimeter groove of the pushrod and a complementary finned connector of the lower boot.

10. A switchgear apparatus comprising:
a switchgear body housing comprising an upper boot and a lower boot, the upper boot and the lower boot each including an insulating material;
a vacuum interrupter coupled at a first end to the upper boot and including an at least one stationary electrical contact and an at least one moveable electrical contact;
at least one flexible conductor element housed within the switchgear body housing;
a pushrod coupled to the at least one moveable electrical contact;
a first bushing coupled to the upper boot and having conductor material passing therethrough;
a second bushing received by an insulating bushing boot that is separate from the upper boot and the lower boot; and
at least one bushing connected to a second end of the vacuum interrupter and forming an interface, the interface surrounded by an insulating cover.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein at least one of the upper boot or the lower boot defines a perimeter groove, the perimeter groove defining a creepage distance sufficient to prevent at least one of flashover or voltage breakdown in the switchgear apparatus when in an energized condition.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the bushing boot defines a perimeter groove, the groove defining a creepage distance sufficient to prevent at least one of flashover or voltage breakdown in the switchgear apparatus when in an energized condition.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the bushing boot includes a plurality of heat removal fins configured to promote at least one of conduction or radiation of heat generated by the apparatus when in an energized condition.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the plurality of heat removal fins includes an additive whose thermal conductivity exceeds a thermal conductivity of a base material of the plurality of heat removal fins, the additive configured to promote heat transfer.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein at least one of the insulating material, the bushing boot, or the insulating cover includes a flexible dielectric material.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the flexible dielectric material comprises silicone rubber.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the flexible dielectric material comprises ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the bushing boot defines a perimeter groove, the perimeter groove defining a creepage distance sufficient to prevent at least one of flashover or voltage breakdown in the switchgear apparatus when in an energized condition.

Assignees

• Schneider Electric Ind Sas

Inventors

• Thomas Rajesh

Classifications

• H01H33/122

  both breaker and sectionaliser being enclosed, e.g. in SF6-filled container · CPC title

• H01H33/664 Primary

  Contacts; Arc-extinguishing means, e.g. arcing rings · CPC title

• H01H2033/6648

  Contacts containing flexible parts, e.g. to improve contact pressure · CPC title