Cooling device for an electrical switching installation and method for operating a cooling device of this kind

A cooling device for an electrical installation, said cooling device comprising:

• a cooling path in which at least one power loss source is arranged and through which a coolant is able to flow in a transport direction;
• a temperature sensor system for detecting the presence of a failure of a mass flow of the coolant, said temperature sensor system comprising at least two temperature sensors which are arranged in the cooling path in spaced-apart relationship in the transport direction of the coolant upstream of a passage of the mass flow of the coolant through a region of overlap of the cooling path with the power loss source, with one of the at least two temperature sensors arranged in the transport direction of the coolant in a region of an entry of the mass flow into the cooling path, and with the other one of the at least two temperature sensors arranged upstream in vicinity of the passage of the mass flow through the region of overlap of the cooling path with the power loss source;
• and
• a computer device configured to
• determine a temperature difference between a temperature detected by the one of the at least two temperature sensors and a temperature detected by the other one of the at least two temperature sensors,
• compare the temperature difference with a limit value,
• determine a detection sequence of a temperature change of the coolant at measuring points of the at least two temperature sensors, and
• compare the detection sequence with a limit value.