Intra-compartment cooling channel component for a metal-clad switchgear assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9768593-B2
Application number	US-201615050762-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2016
Priority date	Feb 23, 2016
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

Electrical enclosure including circuit breaker, exterior panels defining a volume, wall separating compartments defined in the volume, and cooling channel component. Cooling channel component includes first plate coupled to wall. First plate includes first end and a second opposite end coupled to wall, the first plate covering an opening defined in wall and having a first aperture defined therethrough, first aperture having a first shape and a first orientation. Cooling channel component also includes electrically conductive second plate coupled to first plate and having a first end coupled to first plate first end and a second opposite end coupled to first plate second end, the second plate having at least one second aperture defined therethrough, the second aperture having a second shape and a second orientation, where a hollow cavity is defined between the first and second plates, and where the first and second apertures are arranged in a non-overlapping configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical enclosure comprising:
at least one circuit breaker;
a plurality of exterior panels defining a volume;
a wall separating two compartments defined in the volume; and
a cooling channel component comprising:
an electrically conductive first plate coupled to said wall, said first plate comprising a first end coupled to said wall and a second opposite end coupled to said wall, said first plate covering an opening defined in said wall and having at least one first aperture defined therethrough, the at least one first aperture having a first shape and a first orientation; and
an electrically conductive second plate coupled to said first plate and comprising a first end coupled to said first plate first end and a second opposite end coupled to said first plate second end, said second plate having at least one second aperture defined therethrough, the at least one second aperture having a second shape and a second orientation, the second orientation is different from the first orientation, wherein a hollow cavity is defined between said first plate and said second plate, and wherein the at least one first aperture and the at least one second aperture are arranged in a non-overlapping configuration.

2. An electrical enclosure in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said first plate is coupled to said wall that separates a busbar portion of said electrical enclosure from a bus connection portion of said electrical enclosure.

3. An electrical enclosure in accordance with claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first shape and the second shape is an elongate arcuate shape.

4. An electrical enclosure in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first shape and the second shape are the same.

5. An electrical enclosure in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first orientation is substantially perpendicular to the second orientation.

6. An electrical enclosure in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said second plate comprises:
a first planar section;
a second planar section;
a third planar section offset from said first and second planar sections; and
a plurality of sidewalls extending substantially perpendicular from said third planar section to at least partially enclose the hollow cavity.

7. An electrical enclosure in accordance with claim 6 , wherein at least one flue is defined in at least one sidewall of said plurality of sidewalls.

8. A cooling channel component for an electrical enclosure that includes at least one circuit breaker, said cooling channel component comprising:
an electrically conductive first plate coupled to a wall of the electrical enclosure that separates two compartments of the electrical enclosure, said first plate comprising a first end coupled to the wall and a second opposite end coupled to the wall, said first plate covering an opening defined in the wall and having at least one first aperture defined therethrough, the at least one first aperture having a first shape and a first orientation; and
an electrically conductive second plate coupled to said first plate and comprising a first end coupled to said first plate first end and a second opposite end coupled to said first plate second end, said second plate having at least one second aperture defined therethrough, the at least one second aperture having a second shape and a second orientation, the second orientation is different from the first orientation, wherein a hollow cavity is defined between said first plate and said second plate, and wherein the at least one first aperture and the at least one second aperture are arranged in a non-overlapping configuration.

9. A cooling channel component in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said first and second plates comprise at least one of a metal material and a metal-clad material.

10. A cooling channel component in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said first plate is coupled to the wall that separates a busbar portion of the electrical enclosure from a bus connection portion of the electrical enclosure.

11. A cooling channel component in accordance with claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first shape and the second shape is an elongate arcuate shape.

12. A cooling channel component in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the first shape and the second shape are the same.

13. A cooling channel component in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the first orientation is substantially perpendicular to the second orientation.

14. A cooling channel component in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said second plate comprises:
a first planar section;
a second planar section;
a third planar section offset from said first and second planar sections; and
a plurality of sidewalls extending substantially perpendicular from said third planar section to at least partially enclose the hollow cavity.

15. A cooling channel component in accordance with claim 14 , wherein at least one flue is defined in at least one sidewall of said plurality of sidewalls.

16. A method of assembling an electrical enclosure including at least one circuit breaker, a plurality of compartments, and a wall separating two compartments of the plurality of compartments, said method comprising:
forming, from an electrically conductive material, a cooling channel component, the cooling channel component including a hollow cavity defined between a first plate and a second plate of the cooling channel component;
defining at least one first aperture having a first shape and a first orientation through the first plate;
defining at least one second aperture having a second shape and a second orientation through the second plate, the second orientation is different from the first orientation; and coupling the cooling channel component to the wall, wherein the at least one first aperture and the at least one second aperture are arranged in a non-overlapping configuration.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein defining the at least one first aperture through the first plate comprises at least one of: defining the at least one first aperture having the first shape that is the same as the second shape; and
defining the at least one first aperture having the first orientation that is substantially perpendicular to the second orientation.

18. A method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein coupling the cooling channel component to the wall comprises coupling the cooling channel component to a wall that separates a busbar portion of the electrical enclosure from a bus connection portion of the electrical enclosure.

19. A method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein forming the cooling channel component comprises forming the cooling channel component having the second plate that includes a first and a second planar section, a third planar section offset from the first and second planar sections, and a plurality of sidewalls extending substantially perpendicular from the third planar section to at least partially enclose the hollow cavity.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein forming the cooling channel component having the second plate comprises defining at least one flue in at least one sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Rajauria Samir
• Jakkireddy Ayyappa Reddy
• Kurra Guru Moorthy
• Pokkula Lenin

Classifications

• H02B1/565 Primary

  for cabinets · CPC title

• H02B1/46

  Boxes; Parts thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• H02B13/025 Primary

  Safety arrangements, e.g. in case of excessive pressure or fire due to electrical defect · CPC title

• H02B3/00

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