Technical Field
The present invention relates to a switch or breaker according to claim 1, and being adapted for high voltage and/or current, particularly in three-phase systems or lines.
In this connection with the term “switch” it is also meant switching or switch devices with switching function. It can also concern circuit breakers or switches, such as disconnecting switches/disconnectors, or the like.
Technical Background
In connection with oil installations on the bottom of the sea, there has been, in the last years, a development where the oil companies demand disconnecting switches and circuit breakers for high voltage and/or current, which can be installed or operated under water.
It is known that a type of medium voltage disconnector or disconnecting switch has been developed and delivered for use under water. Yet this can break and close the electrical circuit in a power-off or voltageless mode.
There are not any pure high voltage circuit breakers for underwater use, from the surface and down to depths as for example 3000-4000 m, or even deeper.
The current invention is presented in the independent claim 1. Additional features of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims. Further details will become apparent from the following exemplifying description with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The advantages with the switch according to the invention are that the high oil pressure in the switching device will provide for improved switching properties such as for example electric arc extinguishing.
High pressure is obtained by pressure adjusting or balancing at deeper waters or pressure setting at shallow waters.
Under circuit switching or current interruption, a momentary increase or rise of pressure is obtained.
In what follows, the invention shall be explained in details under reference to the drawings, where:
The phase 10 can be put in a pipe or tube 21. The switch 1 can additionally comprise at least one pipe 23 for communication with a driving mechanism 14, and there can be arranged a cathodic protection 24. On the top or upper part of the switch 1 a lifting eye can also be arranged. If necessary, the switch 1 can be marked with a marking plate and/or an indicator 26 so that a ROV vessel (“remotely operated vehicle”) could find the switch 1 when it is used under water. The switch 1 has also means for fastening to any installation.
The switch 1 according to the invention can also be used on land. In this case the pressure in that part or section 2′ (
On
The switching device 3 that is shown comprises a contact chamber 7 with three stationary electrical conductive contact elements 81, 82, 83 for a phase 10 and a piston 9 in this contact chamber 7. The piston 9, which is made of insulating material, is in its one end 9A connected with the actuator device 4 and comprises a moveable electrical conductive contact element 11 for the phase 10, which in a first stable position of the piston 9 establishes contact between a first 81 and a middle 82 of the three contact elements 81, 82, 83, and which in a second stable position of the piston 9 makes contact between the middle 82 and a second 83 of the three contact elements 81, 82, 83.
The actuator device 4 further comprises a drive mechanism 14 in combination with a spring mechanism 15 for quick movement of the piston 9 in said at least one switching device 3 from the first stable position to the second stable position and vice versa. The spring mechanism 15, if necessary in combination with a holding and releasing device 16, can be adapted to ensure that there are only two stable positions of the piston 9, 9′, namely a first and a second. When failure in the driving mechanism 14 occurs, the switch 1 will remain in one of its two stable positions and will never stop in a middle unstable position. The hold and release device 16 holds back the piston 9 and ensures that there is enough spring power accumulated within the device in order to make or execute the piston movement, and also releases the piston 9 and allows it make or execute its quick switching movement, driving the contact elements 11, 81, 82, 83 of the switch 1 from the first stable position to the second stable position and vice versa. The holding and releasing device 16 can be made by use of permanent magnets or electromagnets. The hold and release device 16 can also be made by using one in principle known mechanical hold and release device. The driving power of the drive mechanism 14 is produced by means of at least one of the following: hydraulic, electrical, pneumatic, mechanical, manual or other suitable driving power. The power in the spring mechanism 15 is achieved by means of any suitable accumulating power source, such as for example helical or coil spring or gas spring.
The three stationary, electrical conductive contact elements 81, 82, 83 can be ring-shaped and arranged on the inside of the contact chamber 7 which also can be ring-shaped, and the moveable, electrical conductive contact element 11 can be substantially sleeve-shaped and fastened around the piston 9 approximately in its middle area (
In a first embodiment the switch 1 according to the invention comprises three switching devices 3 for use in three-phase systems or lines. In this case the three pistons 9 are connected with said at least one actuator device 4 in its one ends 9A.
In a second embodiment shown on
An additional advantage of the switch 1 according to the invention is that the two parts or sections of the housing 2, when used under water, provide for forming of a double barrier between the contact chamber and the sea water.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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20044811 | Nov 2004 | NO | national |