Vacuum arc current limiter with oscillating transverse magnetic field and method
US4250364A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 13, 1978 |
| Grant date | Feb 10, 1981 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 13, 1998 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H33/6641
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A vacuum arc current interruption device is installed in a current limiting circuit which includes a parallel resonant circuit. Means are provided for producing transverse lines of magnetic force in the arc gap between the electrodes in the vacuum enclosure. The energizing circuit for the magnetic field coils includes a capacitor bank employing unpolarized capacitors and a switch. After the capacitor bank is charged up, the switch is closed, discharging the capacitors through the field coils and producing lines of magnetic force in the arc gap. The field coils and capacitor bank together form a resonant field circuit having a characteristic resonant frequency which causes periodic reversals in the polarity of the lines of magnetic force. The oscillating magnetic field produces responsive oscillations in the arc voltage of an arc present in the arc gap of the vacuum device, which in turn causes oscillations of the arc current. When oscillations of sufficient magnitude are generated to produce a current zero, the arc is driven to extinction and the circuit current is commuted into a parallel current limiting impedance.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.