Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Safety and protection of systems and devices – High voltage dissipation
Patent
1998-07-10
1999-11-30
Jackson, Stephen W
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Safety and protection of systems and devices
High voltage dissipation
361111, 361115, 361118, 361123, H02H 100
Patent
active
059953551
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is in the field of electronic components and is the construction of gas-filled discharge paths having at least two electrodes in which an electrode activation compound having several components is applied to at least one of the electrodes in order to ensure their ignition properties.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In order to ensure the particularly desired performance characteristic such as igniting voltage, response time, static response voltage and dynamic response voltage, extinction voltage and glow operating voltage in discharge paths such as ignition gaps or overvoltage diverters filled with inert gas, various measures such as the structural design of the electrodes, the type and pressure of the gas filling and the selection of the activation compound applied to the active surfaces of the electrodes must be adjusted to one another. To produce definitive ignition conditions, it is also customary in this connection to arrange one or several ignition strips on the inside wall of the glass or ceramic insulator and a special ionization source may be provided, if necessary. Thus, for instance, a conventional overvoltage diverter has two electrodes inserted into the front ends of a ceramic insulator, the electrode surfaces facing each other being coated with an activation compound, the latter being arranged in depressions in the electrode surface. Several ignition strips extending in the axial direction of the ceramic insulator are arranged on the inside wall, the ignition strips being designed as middle ignition strips without a direct connection to the electrodes (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,260 corresponding to German Patent No. 28 28 650 C2). It is more customary to apply an additional ionization source in the form of a punctiform deposit of a radioactive material on the inside wall of the insulator in gas-filled overvoltage diverters which are located in a space sealed off against the ionization source in the form of a punctiform deposit of a radioactive material on the inside wall of the insulator in gas-filled overvoltage diverters which are located in a space sealed off against the effect of external light during their operation. Alternatively, the gas filling of the overvoltage diverter may include a radioactive gas (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,715). In order to ensure a very low ignition delay in gas-filled overvoltage diverters in the dark space, the use of an electroluminescent material as an additional ionization source is also known, the electroluminescent material being applied to the inside wall of the insulator as a coating connecting the two electrodes of the diverter (see German Patent No. 43 18 944 C2).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a gas-filled discharge path (such as a spark gap or an overvoltage diverter) with at least two electrodes so that the gas-filled discharge path has a very low ignition delay in the dark space even without the use of an additional ionization source.
In order to attain this objective, according to the invention an electrode activation compound made up of several components is applied to at least one of the electrodes of the diverter, the electrode activation compound containing in addition to the customary basic components in the form of one or several alkaline halides or alkaline earth halides and/or sodium silicate and/or potassium silicate in an amount of 30-60% by weight, as further components a barium compound and a so-called transition metal in metallic form such as titanium, hafnium, zirconium, vanadium, niobium or chromium in a quantity of 5 to 25% by weight each and an oxide compound of cesium and a so-called transition metal such as tungsten, chromium, molybdenum, niobium or vanadium, i.e., cesium wolframate (Cs.sub.2 WO.sub.4), cesium chromate (Cs.sub.2 Cr.sub.2 O.sub.7), cesium molybdate (Cs.sub.2 MoO.sub.4), cesium niobate (CsNbO.sub.3) or cesium vanadate (Cs.sub.2 VO.sub.3) also in an amount of approximately 5 to 25% by weight.
When an activation compound composed according t
REFERENCES:
patent: 3942161 (1976-03-01), Byrum, Jr. et al.
patent: 4493004 (1985-01-01), Lange et al.
Jackson Stephen W
Siemens AG
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