Fused distribution power system with clamp device for preventing arc damage to insulated distribution conductors
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorPaul H. Stiller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An insulated distribution conductor separated from the substation by one or more fuses is protected from arc damage by a clamp device having sufficient mass to absorb the arc energy and thereby prevent burndown and diameter reduction of the conductor at a point where the insulation covering has been removed. The clamp comprises two members which are bolted together to surround the bare section of the conductor and provide additional heat-absorbing mass at the point where the arc tends to dwell, i.e. at the end face of the insulation covering farthest from the power source.
Claims15
A fused distribution power system protected from damage caused by an arc, said distribution power system comprising:
- a distribution substation;
- a fuse for extinguishing the arc, thereby limiting the arc energy to less than a predetermined value;
- an electrical conductor connected to said distribution substation via said fuse, said electrical conductor surrounded by an insulating cover, with a section of said insulating cover being removed thereby forming two insulating cover end faces and an intervening bare segment of said electrical conductor wherein the arc tends to dwell on said intervening bare segment before extinguishment;
- metallic arc protection clamp means secured in electrical communication with said bare segment and substantially surrounding said intervening bare segment and with the spacing between said clamp means and a one of said two insulating cover end faces being less than a predetermined distance, said clamp means having a predetermined mass sufficient for dissipating the arc energy up to but not in excess of said predetermined value.
A fused distribution power system protected from damage caused by an arc, said distribution power system comprising:
- a distribution substation;
- a fuse for extinguishing the arc, thereby limiting the arc duration;
- an electrical conductor connected to said distribution substation via said fuse, said electrical conductor surrounded by an insulating cover, with a section of said insulating cover being removed thereby forming two insulating cover end faces and an intervening bare segment of said electrical conductor wherein the arc tends to dwell on said intervening bare segment before extinguishment;
- metallic arc protection clamp means secured in electrical communication with said bare segment and substantially surrounding said intervening bare segment and with the spacing between said clamp means and a one of said two insulating cover end faces being less than a predetermined distance, said clamp means having a predetermined mass dependent on the duration of the arc as limited by said fuse.
A fused distribution power system protected from damage caused by an arc, said distribution power system comprising:
- a distribution substation;
- a fuse for extinguishing the arc;
- an electrical conductor connected to said distribution substation via said fuse, said electrical conductor surrounded by an insulating cover, with a section of said insulating cover being removed thereby forming two insulating cover end faces and an intervening bare segment of said electrical conductor wherein the arc tends to dwell on said intervening bare segment before extinguishment;
- metallic arc protection clamp means secured in electrical communication with said bare segment and substantially surrounding said intervening bare segment and with the spacing between said clamp means and a one of said two insulating cover end faces being less than a predetermined distance, said clamp means having a mass of about 1/3M, wherein M is the mass that would be required in an unfused distribution power system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.