Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Electric switch details – Contact
Patent
1979-11-01
1982-07-20
Little, Willis
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Electric switch details
Contact
200 16A, 200153LB, H01H 952
Patent
active
043407943
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
In electro-chemical installations, for production of chlorine for example, or installations for electrolytic refining of metals, it is necessary to be able to break the circuit of one of numerous production cells arranged in a series in order to proceed to maintenance or replacement, without stopping the production of the installation.
In certain procedures, there is used a displaceable disconnector known as a short-circuiter, capable of being connected electrically, in an "open" position, to two production cells connected to the cell to be short-circuited. In a "closed" position, the short-circuiter maintains the current of the installation and puts out of service the short-circuited cell which can be disconnected and taken out without disturbing the regular operation of the other cells.
The short-circuiter has two current-taking plates which are connected, directly or by means of connecting pieces, onto connecting areas of each of the cells. The plates for taking the current, which are generally connected by bolts onto the cells, are connected to the semi-conductor device, properly speaking, by means of deformable conductive parts which have the effect of compensating for variations of geometry of the different production cells, and also sometimes of permitting displacement of the current-taking plates toward the connecting areas.
In short-circuiter models for known high currents, the conducting parts are cooled by circulation of water through conduits in the solid conductive pieces or in tubes brazed to the conductive parts. The known devices are relatively complex and in addition are poorly adapted to the very high currents, from 100 to 150 kA, which are used in the most modern cells for electrolysis.
The short-circuiter for high direct currents with low voltage which is the object of the present invention is characterized by the presence of two sets of movable contact pieces working with two groups of two stationary contact plates. The overall arrangement, including the driving mechanism of the movable contact pieces, being symmetrical in relation to the axis of the driving shaft of the movable contact pieces which is thereby submitted only to torsion forces. Each of the groups of two stationary contact plates are connected by deformable conductor elements to one of the current taking plates in order to constitute an assembly surrounded by an enclosure in which a cooling liquid circulates. The only parts of said assembly outside this enclosure are the stationary contact plates cooperating with the movable contact pieces, on the one hand, and the current taking plates cooperating with the connection area of the affected cell on the other hand. Said enclosure includes a flexible, deformable portion to permit a slight movement of the current taking plate in relation to the fixed contact plates in order to compensate for the imprecisions of construction of the cells.
In the short-circuiter according to the invention, the two conductive parts, with their cooling enclosures, as well as two sets of the movable contact pieces with their mechanism and their control shaft are carried by a chassis from which they are electrically insulated, said chassis being able to rest on the ground or even be suspended by two pivots to a strap in which it can move, the strap itself being suspended either from a trackway with rollers, or from a portico.
The two enclosures surrounding the two conductive parts of the short-circuiter, as provided in this invention, permit obtaining a large heat-exchanger surface between the conductors and the cooling liquid. It is possible to increase this exchange surface, by providing the two stationary contact plates with metallic fins in contact with the cooling liquid.
When the cooling liquid is water, one advantage of the cooling enclosure, according to the invention, is that the volume of cooling water contained in the short-circuiter is sufficient so that a reduction or even a temporary stopping of the circulation of water is not inconvenient, because the evacuation of the calories produ
REFERENCES:
patent: 2933577 (1960-04-01), Wintel et al.
patent: 3045092 (1962-07-01), Bundy
patent: 3852544 (1974-12-01), Grunert et al.
patent: 4025738 (1977-05-01), Erwin et al.
patent: 4064381 (1977-12-01), Mullen et al.
patent: 4160885 (1979-07-01), Ellicott et al.
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