Patent Description:
The term "external and internal" refers to any electromagnetic stress such as shocks, electrical vibrations (of electric charges), pulses with steep fronts of atmospheric and terrestrial origin and alternating at frequencies above the fundamental (due to manoeuvres and resonances in lines, i.e. harmonics), the latter pulses being produced by the operation of the electrodes (transport lines for the electric energy) and coming therefrom.

In particular, the apparatus arranged to be connected to the low-voltage electrical supply plant, both with direct current and alternating current (single phase or polyphase), comes in various dimensional types to meet, according to the ratio of its exclusive prevention method, all the levels of preventive protection of the electrical supply plant (<NUM>) and of the electrical user apparatuses connected to and supplied by the electrical supply plant (<NUM>) ; the aforesaid dimensional types are arranged to be connected from the largest to the smallest on a scale: immediately downstream of and in junction with the point of delivery of the electrical energy of the supplier body, immediately upstream of and in junction with the main switches of the electric panels, in junction with the conductors and equally distributed along distinct sections of the plant and at set pitches depending on whether the aforesaid sections are indoor or outdoor, immediately upstream of and in junction with the electrical supply inputs (in) of the electrical user apparatuses.

In yet greater detail, the apparatus is used for low voltage electrical supply plants running on alternating current single phase or polyphase industrial frequencies of <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> or <NUM>, depending on the distribution lines, by connection to a conductor/conductors of the low voltage electrical supply plant (<NUM>) and to the earthing system (<NUM>), as described below.

As is known, power lines (transport lines of the very high, high and medium voltage electric energy) to which low-voltage electrical supply plants (circuits) are connected are generally high risk structures because of the great linear extent thereof over the terrain and the intrinsic capacity thereof to attract direct and indirect lightning, they are equally dangerous because they also produce line overvoltages and overcurrents and, at the same time, they are a leading source of electromagnetic pollution (electrosmog). Currently, the so-called "protection" devices from overvoltages (international acronym: SPD, Surge Protective Device) used today (so-called "protective" discharges into air, gases, varistors, diodes) in both power lines and in low voltage electrical supply plants are limited to diverting the energy of overvoltages and overcurrents to earth, with all the known harmful and destructive effects deriving therefrom.

In particular, as known, such "protection" devices that have been used until today claim to divert to earth by an earthing system, without harm, the overvoltages and overcurrents but instead harm the environment (people and assets: the electrical supply plants themselves, the electrical user apparatuses, with fire and/or explosion hazards).

In fact, it should be noted that the devices that are currently used intervene only on the "tail" of a voltage and current pulse, thus on a pulse that has already formed, without preventing this hazard situation; for example, the varistors (dischargers with a non-linear resistance) act as an open circuit between the phase and the earthing system, whereas when an overvoltage and overcurrent occur, the impedance of the varistor is reduced for a few dozen nanoseconds and the device acts as a closed circuit, discharging the overvoltage and overcurrent to earth via the earthing system, always with all the known direct and indirect harmful and destructive effects arising therefrom: electrical discharges from the electrical system to earth, reverse electrical discharges (from earth to the electrical system) and resulting electroinduction.

An example of known prior art is disclosed in document ITVA950008 filed in the name of the same Applicant.

In this situation, the object of the present invention is to realise an apparatus and a method for preventing and damping of voltage and current peaks of external and internal origin for low voltage electrical supply lines which overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

In particular, the object of the present invention is to realise an apparatus and a method for preventing and damping of voltage and current peaks of external and internal origin for low voltage electrical supply plants that enables the formation of such voltage and current peaks to be prevented. In particular, the object of the present invention is to realise an apparatus and a method for preventing and damping of voltage and current peaks of external and internal origin for low voltage electrical supply plants that enables the formation of such voltage and current peaks to be damped and dissipated, preventing the discharge to earth by the earthing system. The indicated objects are substantially achieved by an apparatus and a method for preventing and damping of voltage and current peaks of external and internal origin for low voltage electrical supply plants according to what is described herein.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will more greatly emerge from the detailed description of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of an apparatus and a method for preventing and damping of voltage and current peaks illustrated in the appended drawings, in which:.

With reference to the figures cited, an apparatus for preventing and damping of voltage and current peaks of external and internal origin for low voltage electrical supply plants according to the present invention is indicated in its entirety by reference number <NUM>.

In particular, the apparatus <NUM> comprises at least one electrical phase input 2a, 2b, in use, connected in junction to a phase of the low voltage electrical supply plant <NUM> to receive an electrical (voltage) signal. Preferably, the apparatus <NUM> comprises two electrical phase inputs 2a, 2b in which:.

In the accompanying figures, these electric inputs 2a, 2b are represented by a pair of clamps or could be made as connectors or something similar.

In accordance with the present invention, the apparatus <NUM> comprises a tuner-damper <NUM> having its own casing <NUM> and internal volume <NUM>, the latter comprising a mixture of an incoherent, non-hygroscopic sediment of particles (such as quartz, tourmalines, hemimorphites and the like) of a piezoelectric and pyroelectric material and a refractory inert material (dolomitic, marble grit and the like), in air, interposed between the input polar electrodes and the heat dissipation bar <NUM>, configured to transform the energy load of the external and internal electromagnetic stress, which causes the overvoltages and overcurrents, into mechanical energy (vibrations, resulting relative movements of the particles and subsequent shocks to the particles) and into thermal energy (endogenous heat). Preferably, but not necessarily, this mixture of incoherent non hygroscopic sediment, of particles of a piezoelectric and pyroelectric material and a refractory inert material, in air, is possibly supplemented with semi-conductors (such as silicon carbide and the like) with variable valence that, adjusted together with the other essential particles of the mixture at different calibrations, contribute to preventing, absorbing and dissipating the hazardous energy load of the external and internal electromagnetic stress defined above, starting from the more energetic stress of the "head" of the voltage pulse with a steep curve of atmospheric and terrestrial origin.

The tuner-damper <NUM> comprises at least one first input polar electrode <NUM> at least partially immersed inside said mixture and in contact therewith. This input polar electrode <NUM> is connected to the electrical phase input 2a, 2b. Further, the tuner-damper <NUM> comprises at least one heat dissipation and electrically conductive bar <NUM> immersed inside said mixture and connected, in use, to the earthing system <NUM>, preferably by interposing an earth-block filter (preferably Antimpatto® SCt).

This heat dissipation bar <NUM> does not have any metal contact with the input polar electrode <NUM>, the mixture itself being interposed between the heat dissipation bar <NUM> and the input polar electrode <NUM>.

Preferably, the input polar electrode <NUM> comprises a metal bar <NUM> (for example in the form of a screw) partially inserted into the mixture.

In addition, the tuner-damper <NUM> can comprise a second input polar electrode connected to the second phase or neutral input 2a, 2b and at least partially immersed inside said mixture and in contact therewith. In fact, in the case of two input polar electrodes, the first and second both are partially immersed in the mixture and spaced apart from one another. Preferably, as is visible in the accompanying figures, the two input polar electrodes <NUM> are arranged on (diametrically) opposite sides of the tuner-damper <NUM>.

Preferably, the casing <NUM> (<FIG>), <NUM> (<FIG>) of said tuner-damper <NUM> is cylinder-shaped and said first input polar electrode <NUM> is inserted through the cylindrical casing <NUM> (<FIG>), <NUM> (<FIG>) in a given point.

The second input polar electrode is inserted through the cylindrical casing <NUM> (<FIG>), <NUM> (<FIG>), but on a side diametrically opposite the position of the first input polar electrode <NUM>.

The heat dissipation bar <NUM> is positioned in the centre of the cylinder and orthogonally to the bases 10a, 10b of said cylinder. Further, the heat dissipation bar <NUM> and the input (in) female connectors (according to the greater axis thereof) 2a and 2b (<FIG>), are orthogonal to one another.

The heat dissipation bar <NUM> has an inner portion 7a immersed in the mixture and an outer portion 7b defining an output 7c connected, in use, to an earthing system <NUM>.

In particular, each input polar electrode <NUM> extends between two opposite ends, an inner end which is immersed in the mixture and an end that is an outer end and connected to the respective phase input 2a, 2b. In addition, the inner end of the input polar electrode <NUM> is preferably shaped as a half sphere.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus <NUM> comprises a safety fuse <NUM> interposed along the electrical connection wire or cable present between the at least one phase input 2a, 2b and the at least one input polar electrode <NUM>.

The fuse <NUM> is configured to break (with consequent opening of the circuit) when the tuner-damper <NUM> has tripped several times and/or has become worn and thus needs to be serviced/replaced.

Further, the apparatus <NUM> also comprises a signalling device <NUM>, preferably of luminous type (LED), electrically connected between the at least one input polar electrode <NUM> and the heat dissipation bar <NUM> outside the tuner-damper <NUM> and configured to signal whether the device <NUM> is working correctly (active signal, for example switched on light) or not (light switched off). If the device is working correctly the potential difference between the input polar electrode <NUM> and the heat dissipation bar <NUM> is other than zero and thus the signal is active.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus <NUM> comprises a resonating antenna <NUM>, which is preferably flat, mounted on a flat support (wafer), arranged in contact with the exterior of the casing <NUM>, <NUM> of the tuner-damper <NUM> and configured with the object of maintaining the anti-electromagnetic pollution (electrosmog) work of the tuner damping device (<NUM>) at extremes (operating tolerance: <NUM>%) by selectively discriminating between external and local electromagnetic radiation.

As is visible in the example of <FIG>, the resonating antenna <NUM> comprises a plurality of concentric metal elements <NUM>, preferably of rectangular or square or circular shape that are separated from one another. Further, <FIG> also shows that the metal elements <NUM> are concentric and each is broken at a detachment point <NUM>. Preferably, the position of this detachment point <NUM> between one element <NUM> and the other is opposed with respect to a median plane that cuts the antenna <NUM> orthogonally.

This resonating antenna <NUM> is configured to receive external signals having a frequency comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>.

Further, as shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, the tuner-damper <NUM> is housed inside a casing <NUM> that is made of different materials and shapes according to the overvoltages and overcurrents that can be distinguished into three energy classes depending on the space and plant context of the formation thereof, starting from the most energetic and on a sliding scale: lateral, indirect and local.

It should be noted that in <FIG> the apparatus <NUM> is shown rotated <NUM>° anticlockwise to show the perspective matching identical views 5b and 6b. In use, the apparatus <NUM> of the aforesaid figures is in fact rotated <NUM>° clockwise so as to be interposed between the other modules installed on the guide DIN.

For lateral overvoltages and overcurrents, i.e. overvoltages and overcurrents coming from the transport lines of the electric energy, immediately downstream of the electricity meter 400V/230V (panel for controlling and measuring the electric energy) or downstream of the medium voltage/low voltage transformer cabinet on low voltage side, and for indirect overvoltages and overcurrents, i.e. produced by electroinduction in the electric plant (circuit), the outer casing or container <NUM> is made of metal material (<FIG>) having an isotropic endogenous heat distribution and dispersion characteristic (such as Dural - Duralluminium) and a finned cylindrical shape <NUM> or <NUM>/<NUM> of finned cylinder <NUM>, joined metallically solidly to the metal dissipation bar <NUM> dissipating heat, shaped into a module of the type for an electrical panel adapted to be installed on a DIN guide and the like by suitable couplings <NUM>, and in general occupies the space of four standard installation modules or of two standard installation modules, the latter version being specifically for prevention apparatuses dedicated to local electrical panels, 230V of switches of electrical user apparatuses (for example: electrical panel 230V switches- home appliances-kitchen).

On the visible front part of the outer casing <NUM> there are the aforesaid signalling LEDs <NUM>.

The overall apparatus <NUM>, in use, must be equipped with the appropriate fuses and relative fuse boxes on the basis of the polarity of the electrical supply plant <NUM> to which it has to be connected.

For local overvoltages and overcurrents, i.e. near and outside the electrical user apparatuses, the casing <NUM> of the tuner-damper <NUM> can be made of dielectric material, preferably polyamide (PA6) and the like, still more preferably loaded with <NUM>% graphite.

The outer casing <NUM> has a shape that is similar to a normal electrical panel module adapted to be installed on a DIN guide and the like and occupies the space of two standard installation modules.

With reference to the embodiment of the invention shown in <FIG>, the end of the heat dissipation bar <NUM> arranged on the opposite side of the connection (in use) to an earthing system <NUM>, is joined firmly metallically to a metal finned plate/crown <NUM> (such as Dural - Duralluminium) for dissipating heat, which also acts as a cover. The fins of the plate/crown <NUM> are concentric and made of alternating projections and recesses with a circular shape (shown in <FIG> with alternating black and white crowns).

The casing made of polyamide (PA6) and the like is adapted specifically to bipolar connections (phase+neutral) of the prevention apparatus near the electrical user apparatus and with two installation methods: on a DIN guide and the like constrained directly on the wall and, with two or more prevention units that are the object of this patent, arranged with an interaxis equal to the thickness of the prevention units; or, also on a DIN guide and similar inside dedicated boxes arranged by Ingelva, pre-cabled, in an insulating case, with at least an IP55 protection rating and, also in this option, with two or more prevention units that are the object of this patent, arranged with an interaxis that is equal to the thickness thereof. On the visible front part of the casing, there are the aforesaid signalling LEDs and fuse <NUM>.

The present invention further relates to a single phase or polyphase low voltage electrical supply plant <NUM> and the apparatus <NUM> described above to which at least one electrical phase conductor of the aforesaid electrical supply plant is connected in junction by the phase input 2a, 2b to prevent, absorb, damp and dissipate the energy load of the electromagnetic stress, which causes the overvoltages and overcurrents, relating to the electrical phase conductor, transforming the energy load into mechanical energy (vibrations, resulting relative movements of the particles and subsequent shocks to the particles) and into thermal energy (endogenous heat).

In this manner, discharging the energy load to earth is avoided.

The present invention achieves the set objects with the intrinsic and exclusive ability to ensure safety.

The apparatus <NUM> serves for preventing, absorbing, damping and dissipating also the disturbance phenomena present in the low voltage electrical supply plant (<NUM>), such as harmonics and spurious emissions, which are harmful not only to the electrical supply plant itself but particularly also to electrical and electronic user apparatuses supplied by the electrical supply plant.

Claim 1:
An apparatus (<NUM>) for preventing and damping of voltage and current peaks of internal and external origin with respect to a low voltage electrical supply plant (<NUM>), based on detection and transformation of electromagnetic energy causing overvoltages and overcurrents, comprising:
at least one phase input (2a, 2b) connected, in use, in junction to a phase of the electrical supply plant (<NUM>) to receive an electric voltage signal;
a tuner-damper (<NUM>) having its own casing (<NUM>; <NUM>) and internal volume (<NUM>), the latter comprising a mixture of an incoherent, non-hygroscopic sediment of particles of a piezoelectric and pyroelectric material and a refractory inert material, in air, configured to transform the energy load of outer and inner electromagnetic stress, that causes the overvoltages and overcurrents, into mechanical energy and into heat energy;
said tuner-damper (<NUM>) comprising at least one first input polar electrode (<NUM>) partially immersed inside said mixture and in contact therewith; said input polar electrode (<NUM>) being connected to the phase input (2a, 2b) to receive said electrical signal;
said tuner-damper (<NUM>) comprising at least one heat dissipation and electrically conductive bar (<NUM>) at least partially immersed inside said mixture,
characterised in that said heat dissipation and electrically conductive bar (<NUM>) is connected, in use, to an earthing system (<NUM>).