UHV breaker provided with resistances

Abstract: A resistance-provided UHV breaker includes a tank (6), a main contact unit (1), a resistance unit (3), and a resistance contact unit (2). The main contact unit (1) includes plural main contacts (1) arranged in the axial direction of the tank (6). The resistance unit (3) includes plural resistances (3) arranged in the axial direction of the tank (6). The resistance contact unit (2) cooperates with the resistance unit (3) to form a resistant parallel circuit and it is arranged, crossing the axial direction of the tank (6). The main and resistance contact units (1, 2) are opened and closed by an operating mechanism arranged outside the tank (6).

Description: The present invention relates to a UHV (Ultra High Voltage) breaker used in a ultra high voltage power plant such as the substation on a million-volt power supply system line and, more particulaly, a resistance-provided breaker wherein resistance contacts for allowing making and breaking to be achieved through resistances are connected parallel to main contacts for allowing making and breaking to be achieved through no resistance. The breakers provided with making resistances have been well-known as being suitable for 500,000 volts power supply system, see by example EP-A-0 050 826. When power is added to the unloaded transmission line, large overvoltage as caused. In order to suppress this overvoltage, the breaker of this kind is arranged to make resistances operative about 10ms before main contacts are made connected. After the overvoltage is thus suppressed in this manner, the main contacts are connected. One of these making-resistance-provided breakers is shown in Fig. 1. In the case of the resistance-provided breaker shown an Fig. 1, a cylindrical breaker tank 6 has a manhole 7. Main contacts 1 connected to external conductors 5 are housed in the cylindrical breaker tank 6. Main contacts and resistance contacts 2 are arranged parallel to the longitudinal center axis of the tank 6. The main contacts 1 and resistance contacts 2 are arranged to align their end positions with each other. A resistance 3 connected in series to each resistance contact 2 is arranged in a space which is caused from dimensional difference between the main contacts 1 and the resistance contacts 2 in the longitudinal direction of the tank 6. The main contacts and resistance contacts 2 are connected to the operation mechanism 4 through crank mechanisms 8. According to the conventional engineering having the above-described arrangement, each resistance 3 can be conveniently housed in the space caused from the dimensional difference between the main contacts 1 and the resistance contacts 2. This enables the breaker to be made smaller in size. Power supplied through the transmission line becomes higher and higher in voltage and power of ultra high voltage such as million voltage is planned to be supplied through the transmission line. In the case of the UHV breaker used for this transmission line, resistances are inserted parallel to main contacts at the time of breaking. The rise of recovery voltage caused in the main contacts after the breaking of the breaker is thus reduced to make the breaking easy. Resistances are also inserted parallel to the main contacts to suppress overvoltage caused after the breaking when earthed. It is needed that these resistances are separated from the circuit 30 - 40ms after the breaking of the main contacts is finished. This makes it necessary that the resistances are connected parallel to the main contacts and that resistance contacts are also arranged in series to the resistances to select the timing at which the resistances are separated from the circuit. It is therefore supposed that the making resistances and the making resistance contacts used for the 500,000 volts breaker are commonly used as those resistances and contacts which are needed for the UHV breaker at the time of breaking or after the breaking. In the case of the UHV breaker, however, each resistance is needed to have a heat capacity 30 or 40 times larger than that of the resistance used for the 500,000 volts breaker, because voltage becomes 2 times larger and the time during which power is supplied becomes 3 or 4 times longer. In short, each resistance for the UHV breaker must be made larger enough in size to have such a large heat capacity. When the conventional resistance-provided breaker shown in Fig. 1 is to be used as the UHV breaker which needs larger-sized resistances. However, the volume of each resistances 3 becomes so large as to create a large unnecessary space in the tank 6, as shown in Fig. 2. The resistance contacts 2 serve only to achieve making operation in the case of the 500,000 volts breaker, but it is needed in the case of the UHV breaker that resistance current is shut off after the breaking of the main contacts 1 is finished. Further, the resistance contacts 2 are asked to achieve a complicated operation in such a way that they are opened 30 - 40ms later after the main contacts 1 when power is shut off. The linkage system including the operation and crank mechanisms 8 and 11 must be therefore made more complicated and larger in size. On the other hand, the breaker must be designed in such a way that its insulation recovering characteristics becomes quicker as voltage used becomes higher and higher. It is needed in this case that the opening speed of the breaking section is made high. It is therefore preferable that the linkage system for connecting the operation mechanism 4 to the breaking section is made as simple as possible in structure to enable the breaker to have high reliability. In other words, it is quite important in order to enhance the reliability of the breaker how compactly the main contacts 1, the resistance contacts 2 and the resistances 3 can be housed in the tank 6 and how simple the linkage system for connecting the operation mechanism 4 to the breaking section can be made in structure. In the case of the UHV breaker as described above, however, all of the components become large in size and particularly the resistances 3 becomes the largest of all. It is therefore impossible to make the breaker compact unless the conventional arrangement of the resistances 3 in the tank 6 is changed. In the breaker of this kind, each main contact 1 is usually supported in cantilever manner by a box-like center piece member (not shown) which is arranged in the center of the tank 6 and which has high mechanical strength. In the case of each resistance contact 2 which is arranged parallel to the main contacts 1, therefore, its end portion which is located on the center side of the tank is also supported in cantilever manner by the center piece. When the resistance 3 is small in size and light in weight as seen in the case of the 500,000 volts breaker shown in Fig. 1, it can be supported by the front end of the resistance contact 2 which is supported in cantilever manner by the center piece. In the case of the UHV breaker shown in Fig. 2, however, each resistance 3 is large in size and heavy in weight. It becomes difficult, therefore, to support the resistances 3 only by the front end of the cantilever-supported resistance contacts 2. In the case of the conventional UHV breaker, therefore, troublesome means is added to the breaker in such a way that a support insulator 10 is arranged between the resistance contacts 2 and the resistances 3. Unless these means are added to the breaker, there is fear that some components become loose and come out of the breaker when the breaker is being transported or it is made operative. An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a resistance-provided breaker capable of housing main and resistance contacts and resistances in a tank in such a better balance that provides no unnecessary space in the tank to make the breaker smaller in size, making simpler the linkage system for connecting an operation mechanism to the contacts to enhance the reliability of the breaker, and more stably fixing each resistance, large and heavy, to the tank. The object of the present invention can be achieved by a resistance-provided UHV breaker comprising a tank extending in an axial direction; a main contact unit arranged in the tank in the axial direction thereof; a resistance unit arranged in the tank in the axial direction thereof; and a resistance contact unit arranged, crossing the axial direction of the tank, and serving to cooperate with the resistance unit to form the resistant parallel circuit. This invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing an example of the conventional 500,000 volts breaker provided with resistances; Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a UHV breaker provided with resistances originated from the breaker shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the UHV breaker provided with resistances according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a side view showing the UHV breaker provided with resistances according to the embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 5 is a plan showing the UHV breaker provided with resistances viewed in a direction shown by an arrow 700 in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a plan showing the breaker according to the other embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 7 is a plan showing the UHV breaker provided with resistances according to another embodiment of the present invention. An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail, referring to Fig. 3. The present invention is applied, in this case, to the UHV gas insulated breaker of the double breaking type and this UHV gas insulated breaker thus embodied comprises a main contact unit including two main contacts 1, a resistance contact unit including two resistance contacts 2, and a resistance unit including two resistances 3. From results obtained by analyzing the suppression of overvoltage in the UHV breaker, it is needed in this case that the resistances 3 have a resistance value of 750 Ω with each places. The resistance value of one resistance 3 is about 350 Ω. The lengthwise dimension of the resistance 3 is made substantially same as that of the main contact 1 by combining resistance elements in series and parallel. An operation mechanism 4 is located under the center portion of an insulating-gas-sealed breaker tank 6. The operation mechanism 4 is designed to operate its operation rod in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tank 6 so as to open and close the main contacts 1 and the resistance contacts 2. Those ends of the main contacts 1 and the resistance contacts 3 which are located on the side of the operation mechanism 4 are combined and arranged along the longitudinal direction of the tank 6. Each resistance contact 2 is arranged along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tank 6. The direction in which each resistance contact 2 is opened and closed corresponds to that direction in which the operation mechanism 4 is operated. As seen in the case of the conventional breakers, the main contact 1 is fixed relative to a center piece by a cantilever breaker and the resistance contact 2 is fixed vertically onto the center piece. In the resistance-provided breaker having the above-described arrangement, the resistances 3 and the main contacts 1 are arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the tank 6. The space in the tank 6 can be thus more efficiently used and the length and diameter of the tank 6 can be made smaller. The opening and closing direction of the resistance contacts 2 is same as that direction in which the operation mechanism 4 is operated. This makes it unnecessary to use the crank mechanism. In addition, the structure of the breaker thus achieved can be made simpler and more reliable. Further, each resistance contact 2 is fixed to the upper surface of the center piece at right angle. The resistance contacts 2 thus attached can have, therefore, a higher strength and stability, as compared with those fixed in cantilever manner as seen in the conventional cases. Still further, each resistance 3 which is connected to the resistance contact 2 is supported not in cantilever manner but by the resistance contact 2 which has been firmly fixed to the center piece. This makes it unnecessary to use the conventional support members 10 made of insulating matter. Still further, two resistance contacts 2 of the double breaking type breaker are located in the center portion of the tank 6. Therefore, a manhole 7 arranged on the center top of the tank 6 to allow the crank mechanism for the main contacts 1 to be checked through it can also be used to check the resistance contacts 2 and 2 and to exchange them with new ones through it. This makes it unnecessary to provide another manhole of the resistance contact independently of the manhole 7. The tank 6 can be thus made simpler. The resistance-provided breaker according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 5, 6 and 7. This second embodiment is also a UHV gas-insulated breaker of the double breaking type. Fig. 5 is a plan showing the arrangement of the resistance contacts 2 according to the present invention. Two resistance contacts 23 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of a tank 25 when viewed in the horizontal direction of the tank. Each resistance contact 23 is attached to the top of a resistance contact operating rod 29. Each resistance contact operating rod 29 is arranged at right angle relative to the tank 25. The resistance contact operating rods 29 are attached to an operation mechanism (not shown). A main contact operating rod 28 is arranged between the resistance contact operating rods 29. It is arranged at right angle relative to the tank 25 and supported by swing links 30. The swing links 30 are connected, as described above, to the operation mechanism (not shown) by which the main contacts 22 are operated. Each resistance contact 23 comprises fixed and movable electrodes and it is well-known that extremely high recovery voltage is caused between the fixed electrodes when current is shut off. It is therefore needed that a fully long insulating distance is kept between the fixed electrodes of two resistance contacts 23. A center piece 21 is usually located between the two resistance contacts 23. The center piece 21 is a box-like support insulator and the resistance contacts 23 are arranged on those inner walls of the center piece 21 which are opposed to each other. Reference numeral 26 represents conductors, by which the resistance contacts 23 are connected to resistances 24 to form a predetermined circuit. Fig. 6 is a plan showing the breaker according to the other embodiment of the present invention. Insulating gas is sealed in a cylindrical tank 25. Center piece 21 is arranged in the cylindrical tank 25. Main contacts 22 and resistances 24 are arranged on both sides of the center piece 21 in such a way that their longitudinal axes are made parallel to the longitudinal direction of the tank 25. The main contact 22 and the resistance 24 are electrically connected in parallel to each other. Further, the main contact 22 includes movable and fixed electrodes 22a and 22b.. When the movable electrode 22a is moved in the longitudinal direction of the tank 25, the main contact 22 is opened and closed. Two resistance contacts 23 are arranged, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tank 25, on both sides of the upper surface of the center piece 21. They are electrically connected in parallel to the main contacts 22 but in series to the resistances 24. They are also connected in series to each other via the center piece 21. Each resistance contact 23 comprises movable and fixed electrodes 23a and 23b. When the movable electrode 23a is moved in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tank 25, the resistance contact 23 is opened and closed. Conductors 26 are attached to these main contact 22, resistance contact 23 and resistance 24. They are connected to one another via these conductors 26 to form a predetermined circuit. A main contact operating rod 28 and two resistance contact operating rods 29 are arranged, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tank 25, and the center piece 21. These main and resistance contact operating rods 28 and 29 are arranged at a position which is shifted from an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tank 25. The top of the main contact operating rod 28 is connected to an end of a swing link 30. The swing link 30 changes the moving direction of the main contact operating rod 28 by 90 degrees. The other ends of the swing link 30 are connected to the movable electrodes 22a of two main contacts 22. The bottom end of the main contact operating rod 28 is connected to an operating mechanism 31 outside the tank 25. Tops of the resistance contact operating rods 29 are connected directly to the movable electrodes 23a of the resistance contacts 23. Their bottom ends are connected to an operating mechanism 32 outside the tank 25. The main contact operating rod 28 is positioned substantially in the center of the center piece 21. It is made operative in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tank 25. Its operation is changed by the swing link 30. In short, the swing link 30 moves the main contact operating rod 28 in the longitudinal direction of the tank 25, thereby causing the movable electrodes 22a of both main contacts 22 to be moved. On the other hand, the resistance contact operating rods 29 move perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tank 25 to directly move the movable electrodes 23a of the resistance contacts 23 in the same direction without any link interposed. According to the above-described second embodiment of the present invention, the main and resistance contact operating rods 28 and 29 are shifted from a straight line perpendicular to the longitudinal center axis of the tank 25. Two resistance contact operating rods 29 can be therefore neared to both ends of the upper surface of the center piece 21. The resistance contacts 23 which are attached directly to the resistance contact operating rods 29 can be thus positioned more adjacent to both ends of the center piece 21 when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the piece 21. As the result, an insulating distance long enough can be kept between the fixed electrodes 23b of the resistance contacts 23 in which high recovery voltage is caused when power is shut off. According to the second embodiment of the present invention, the insulating distance can be made long enough between the fixed electrodes 23b by locating the resistance contacts 23 more adjacent to both ends of the upper surface of the center piece 21 when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the piece 21. This makes it unnecessary to make the diameter of the center piece 21 larger. The size of the tank 25 in which the center piece 21 is housed can be thus left minimum, thereby enabling the whole of the breaker to be kept smaller in size. Further, the resistance contacts 23 are located on the upper surface of the center piece 21 and they are opened and closed in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tank 25. Operations of the resistance contact operating rods 29 can be thus transmitted directly to the resistance contacts 23 without any swing link interposed. Therefore, no loss is caused in the force with which the resistance contact operating rods 29 are operated, and the resistance contact operating rods 29 can be thus operated with a higher accuracy. Still further, no swing link is provided in the center piece 21 to change the operating force added to the resistance contacts 23. This makes it quite easier to assemble or process the swing link 30 for the main contacts 22. The operating mechanisms 31 and 32 outside the tank 25 can also be left so full of space as to make it easier to assemble them. The resistance-provided breaker of the present invention is not limited to the above-described ones but it may be embodied as shown in Fig. 7. The breaker shown in Fig. 7 is characterized in that two resistance contacts 23 are arranged on a diagonal line of the center piece 21. According to this embodiment, the distance between the resistance contacts 23 and 23 in the longitudinal direction of the tank 25 is same as those in the above-described first and second embodiments, but it can be made actually longer by 20 - 30%. This makes the insulating distance longer enough to enable a higher insulating effect to be achieved. In addition, the resistance contact operating rods 29 are also arranged on the diagonal line of the center piece 21. A larger space can be thus kept in the tank 25 to make it easier to do any work in it. Although each of the main contact, resistance and resistance contact units has included two elements in the above-described first and second embodiments, it may include one or more than three. Further, the resistance unit may be arranged not parallel to the mean contact unit but along the longitudinal direction of the tank. The resistance contact unit may be arranged, crossing the longitudinal direction of the tank. According to the present invention as described above, the main contacts, the resistance contacts and the resistances can be arranged in so a better balance in the tank as not to leave any unnecessary space in the tank. This enables the breaker to be made smaller in size. In addition, the link between each contact and the operating mechanism can be made so simpler as to make the breaker more reliable. Further, the breaker can fix large and heavy resistances in it with a higher stability. According to the present invention, the insulating distance between two resistance contacts can be kept long enough and the whole of the breaker including the tank can be made smaller in size.

Claims: A resistance-provided ultra high voltage (UHV) breaker having a resistant parallel circuit connected in parallel to the main circuit, characterized by comprising: a tank (6) extending in an axial direction; a main contact (1) unit arranged in the tank (6) in the axial direction thereof; resistance unit (3) arranged in the tank (6) in the axial direction thereof; and a resistance contact unit (2) arranged, crossing the axial direction of the tank (6), and serving to cooperate with the resistance unit (3) to form the resistant parallel circuit. The resistance-provided UHV breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that said main contact (1) unit includes plural main contacts (1) arranged along the axial direction of said tank (6). The resistance-provided UHV breaker according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said resistance unit (3) is arranged parallel to the main contact unit (1). The resistance-provided UHV breaker according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said resistance unit (3) includes plural resistances arranged along the axial direction of said tank (6). The resistance-provided UHV breaker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said resistance contact unit (3) is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of said tank (6). The resistance-provided UHV breaker according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said resistance contact unit (2) includes plural resistance contacts (2) arranged in a direction which crosses the axial direction of said tank (6). The resistance-provided UHV breaker according to claim 6, characterized in that said plural resistance contacts (2) are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of said tank (6). The resistance-provided UHV breaker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said main and resistance contact units (2) are opened and closed by an operating mechanism, arranged outside the tank (6). A resistance-provided UHV breaker according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising center piece arranged in the center of the tank when viewed in the axial direction of said tank, and connected to said main contact unit (1) and said resistance contact (2). The resistance-provided UHV breaker according to claim 9, characterized in that said resistance contact unit (2) is arranged at a position shifted from the center of the center piece (21). The resistance-provided UHV breaker according to claim 9, characterized in that said resistance contact unit (2) is arranged, crossing the axial direction of the tank (6), and connected to the center piece (21) at those positions which are adjacent to both ends of the center piece (21). The resistance-provided UHV breaker according to claim 9, characterized in that said plural resistance contacts (2) are arranged in opposite to each other on the center piece (21). The resistance-provided UHV breaker according to claim 9, characterized in that said plural resistance contacts (2) are diagonally arranged on the center piece (21).

Inventors: IKEDA HISATOSHI, KATO NORIMITSU, NISHIZUMI SHIGEKI, SATO HIROSHI, TODA HIROAKI, IKEDA, HISATOSHI, KATO, NORIMITSU, NISHIZUMI, SHIGEKI, SATO, HIROSHI, TODA, HIROAKI, Ikeda, Hisatoshi, c/o Intellectual Property Div., Kato, Norimitsu, c/o Intellectual Property Div., NISHIZUMI, SHIGEKI,C/O INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DIV., Sato, Hiroshi, c/o Intellectual Property Div., TODA, HIROAKI,C/O INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DIV.
Applicants: TOSHIBA KK, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Application year: 1993
Main classification: H01H33
IPC codes: H01H33