Circuit breaker system with heating radiator and particle trap

A sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) insulated circuit breaker system, comprising:

• a tank constructed to hold a quantity of SF6, the tank having a wall for containing the SF6;
• a circuit breaker having contacts insulated by the SF6;
• and
• an SF6 heating system having a heater and a radiator thermally coupled to the heater via the wall, the heater being disposed on the wall externally of the tank and the radiator being disposed on the wall inside the tank and opposite the heater, wherein the heating system is constructed to conduct heat from the heater through the wall to the radiator;
• and wherein the radiator is constructed to radiate heat received from the heater via the wall to the SF6 in the tank,
• wherein the radiator is constructed to trap particles at a bottom of the tank;
• and
• wherein the radiator has a spar extending radially inward from the wall, and a wing extending from each side of the spar, each wing being spaced apart from the wall and forming a region having no electric field at the bottom of the tank adjacent to the spar and between the wing and the wall.

A sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) insulated circuit breaker system, comprising:

• a tank constructed to hold a quantity of SF6, the tank having two ends and a shell having a length extending between the two ends, the shell having a wall for containing the SF6;
• a circuit breaker having contacts insulated by the SF6;
• and
• a particle trap mounted on the wall, the particle trap having a spar extending radially inward from the wall and a wing extending outward from each side of the spar, each wing being spaced apart from the wall and forming a region having no electric field at a bottom of the tank adjacent the spar, wherein the particle trap has a length corresponding substantially to the length of the shell;
• and wherein the particle trap is constructed to trap particles at the bottom of the tank to prevent flashover with the circuit breaker.

A sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) insulated circuit breaker system, comprising:

• a tank constructed to hold a quantity of SF6, the tank having a wall for containing the SF6;
• a heater operative to supply heat for heating the SF6, wherein the heater is disposed outside the tank;
• a circuit breaker having contacts insulated by the SF6;
• and
• combined means for radiating heat to the SF6 in the tank and means for trapping particles at a bottom of the tank,
• wherein the wall is disposed between the heater and the combined means for radiating heat and means for trapping particles, and separates the heater from the combined means for radiating heat and means for trapping particles;
• wherein the wall defines a conduction path that conducts the heat from the heater to the combined means for radiating heat and means for trapping particles;
• and wherein the combined means for radiating heat and means for trapping particles radiates heat, received from the heater by conduction along the conduction path, to the SF6 in the tank.