Patent Application
20250125593
The invention relates to a switchgear, which comprises a switchgear housing, a number of busbars within the switchgear housing and a number of disconnectors within the switchgear housing, wherein the disconnectors are arranged in the course of the busbars.
Generally, a switchgear of the above kind is known in prior art for distributing electricity and for switching electric circuits on and off. Due to the ever increasing component density, cooling of the components of the switchgear more and more becomes critical. This is particularly true in cases where the switchgears are air-tight and/or water-tight what limits or even inhibits an external air flow for cooling said components.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is the provision of an improved switchgear. In particular, cooling of the components of a switchgear shall be improved.
The object of the invention is solved by a switchgear as defined in the opening paragraph, additionally comprising a disconnector housing, which is arranged within the switchgear housing and encompasses at least the disconnectors, wherein the disconnector housing has at least one bottom opening and at least one top opening allowing an air flow from the at least one bottom opening to the at least one top opening via said disconnectors.
By these measures, an air flow via the disconnectors (in particular based on thermal convection) can be improved because it is focused to the disconnectors, wherein at the same time, insulation requirements can be fulfilled. The openings in the disconnector housing provide improved cooling of the disconnectors and other optional parts enclosed by the disconnector housing. In particular, the disconnector housing can be made from plastic. In this way, a good electric insulation of the disconnectors and other parts enclosed by the disconnector housing can be provided. Nevertheless, the disconnector housing could also be made from a different material, e.g. from metal. If the disconnector housing is made from metal, beneficially it can be grounded.
Advantageously, the switchgear housing can provide an insulation of IP68 according to ISO 20653 what means that the switchgear housing is dust-tight and water-tight up to a depth of at least 1 meter. In this way, the switchgear may be exposed to unfavorable environmental conditions like high humidity and heavy rain without problems. Although, no external air flow is possible in this case, cooling of the disconnectors and other optional parts enclosed by the disconnector housing is ensured by the disconnector housing and the proposed measures.
Further advantageous embodiments are disclosed in the claims and in the description as well as in the figures.
Beneficially, the disconnector housing can have a first bottom opening and a second bottom opening facing downwards, a first top opening and a second top opening facing upwards and a third top opening facing downwards. In this way, a vertical air flow or an air flow at least having a vertical component and thus thermal convection is enabled. By use of the third top opening, the air flow can be directed round about parts in the switchgear which are arranged above the disconnector housing.
Generally, the disconnector housing can have a height, which is its vertical extension, a length, which is its horizontal extension in a direction parallel to a longitudinal extension of a blade of the disconnector, and a width, which is its horizontal extension in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the blade of the disconnector. Advantageously,
In this way, comparably strong air flows based on thermal convection can be achieved.
Beneficially, the third top opening can face downwards and can be arranged at distance of 0.15 to 0.25 times the height of the disconnector housing measured from the top of the disconnector housing. In this way, the air flow can be directed round about parts in the switchgear which are arranged above the disconnector housing without reducing the air flow very much.
In a very advantageous embodiment of the switchgear, a ratio between a total area of the top openings and a total area of the bottom openings is in a range of 0.5 to 0.7. In this way, a strong chimney effect can be achieved.
In another very advantageous embodiment of the switchgear, at least one side wall of the disconnector housing is inclined at an angle of at least 5° measured against a vertical line. In this way, a strong chimney effect can be achieved as well.
Further on it is of advantage if
In this way, first busbar sections of the different busbars exposed to an airflow have different length. The busbar with the longest first busbar section is arranged at the bottom and the busbar with the shortest first busbar section is arranged at the top. Accordingly, the busbar with the longest first busbar section is exposed to cooler air than the busbar with the shortest first busbar section because of the vertical air flow, and an overall temperature reduction of the busbar arrangement can be achieved.
In the above context, it is also of advantage if
Moreover, it is advantageous in the above context if
Advantageously, the disconnector housing has at least one third bottom opening arranged in the region of the vacuum interrupter. In this way, cooling of parts inside the disconnector housing can further be improved.
Beneficially, the switchgear comprises an outer disconnector housing enclosing a plurality of disconnector housings (and other components as the case may be). In this way electrical insulation against other parts of the switchgear out of the outer disconnector housing can be improved.
In particular, the outer disconnector housing can made from metal. In this way, electrical insulation against other parts of the switchgear out of the outer disconnector housing can be further improved, in particular if the outer disconnector housing is grounded.
Further on, the outer disconnector housing can provide an insulation of IP67 according to ISO 20653 what means that the outer disconnector housing is dust-tight and water-tight up to a depth of 1 meter.
The invention now is described in more detail hereinafter with reference to particular embodiments, which the invention however is not limited to.
Generally, same parts or similar parts are denoted with the same/similar names and reference signs. The features disclosed in the description apply to parts with the same/similar names respectively reference signs. Indicating the orientation and relative position is related to the associated figure, and indication of the orientation and/or relative position has to be amended in different figures accordingly as the case may be.
In particular, the switchgear housing 2 can provide an insulation of IP68 according to ISO 20653 what means that the switchgear housing 2 is dust-tight and water-tight up to a depth of at least 1 meter. In this way, the switchgear 1 may be exposed to unfavorable environmental conditions like high humidity and heavy rain without problems. However, this does also mean that no external air flow is possible in this case.
In particular, the outer disconnector housing 6 can provide an insulation of IP67 according to ISO 20653 what means that the outer disconnector housing 6 is dust-tight and water-tight up to a depth of 1 meter.
Moreover,
Moreover, the first busbar sections P are arranged out of the disconnector housing 4 and the second busbar sections Q pass a wall of the disconnector housing 4 and are connected to the first busbar sections P and the disconnectors 3a . . . 3c each in this embodiment. The disconnectors 3a . . . 3c are arranged horizontally next to each other and run parallel to each other in their longitudinal extension.
Further on, the vacuum interrupters 5 are arranged in the disconnector housing 4 and are connected to the disconnectors 3a . . . 3c each in this embodiment. The vacuum interrupters 5 are arranged vertically next to each other and run parallel to each other in their longitudinal extension, wherein third busbar sections R are connected to the vacuum interrupters 5 each.
Generally, the disconnector housing 4 has a height h, which is its vertical extension, a length l, which is its horizontal extension in a direction parallel to a longitudinal extension of a blade of the disconnector 3a . . . 3c, and a width w, which is its horizontal extension in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the blade of the disconnector 3a . . . 3c (see
In a preferred embodiment,
Moreover, it is of advantage if the third top F opening faces downwards and is arranged at distance h1 of 0.15 to 0.25 times the height h of the disconnector housing 4 measured from the top of the disconnector housing 4 as this is the case in this embodiment.
Finally,
In a beneficial embodiment, the disconnector housing 4 is made from plastic. In this way, good electric insulation of the disconnectors 3a . . . 3c (and other parts enclosed by the disconnector housing 4) can be ensured.
Beneficially, the outer disconnector housing 6 can be made from metal. In this way, electrical insulation against other parts of the switchgear 2 out of the outer disconnector housing 6 can be further improved, in particular if the outer disconnector housing 6 is grounded.
It is noted that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed hereinbefore, but combinations of the different variants are possible. In reality, the switchgear 1 may have more or less parts than shown in the figures. Moreover, the description may comprise subject matter of further independent inventions.
It should also be noted that the term “comprising” does not exclude other elements and the use of articles “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. Also elements described in association with different embodiments may be combined. It should also be noted that reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202111040505 | Sep 2021 | IN | national |
| 2115416.6 | Oct 2021 | GB | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2022/025408 | 9/1/2022 | WO |
