Hybrid D.C. power controller

A D.C. power controller for rapidly and effectively interrupting a high voltage high current D.C. power line in a low atmospheric pressure environment such as is present at high altitudes comprising:

• contact means comprising power contacts in said power line;
• operating means for said power contacts;
• an arc horn for said power contacts;
• a magnetic field amplifier for said power contacts and said arc horn;
• one of said power contacts being configured to conduct current in a loop to energize said magnetic field amplifier and thereby cause an arc to move from said power contacts along said arc horn;
• an arc splitter for receiving and acting on the arc as it moves along said arc horn and comprising spaced insulated electrically-conductive plates for splitting the arc;
• a housing enclosing and supporting the aforementioned parts;
• gas-ablating electrically-insulating material lining the surfaces exposed to the arc except said contacts, arc horns and splitter plates to provide an atmosphere conducive to movement of the arc;
• and control means comprising:
• controllable arc-shunting means across said power contacts;
• means for controlling said operating means to open said power contacts;
• means for sampling the power line current and the voltage across said open power contacts to determine when said current is below a given current value and said voltage is above a given voltage value;
• means for allowing said power contacts to arc until said given current and voltage values are reached or exceeded;
• and means thereupon operable for turning said controllable arc-shunting means on to divert the current from arcing across said contacts.

A hybrid D.C. power controller for interrupting a high voltage D.C. power line in a low pressure environment comprising:

• contacts in said power line;
• actuating means for closing and opening said contacts to respectively complete and interrupt said power line;
• an arc horn extending from said contacts for stretching an arc thereacross as it moves along said arc horn toward its outer end;
• a magnetic field amplifier embracing said contacts and at least a portion of said arc horn for providing an amplified magnetic field to move the arc along said arc horn toward its outer end;
• a gas ablating electrically-insulating cover lining portions of said field amplifier that are exposed to the arc when said contacts are opened;
• an arc splitter for receiving the arc as it moves toward said outer end of said arc horn, said arc splitter comprising a plurality of spaced electrically conductive plates held in a gas-ablating electrically-insulating retainer;
• a housing enclosing and mounting the aforementioned parts;
• gas-ablating electrically-insulating members sandwiching the portions of said arc horn between and about said field amplifier and said arc splitter therebetween;
• and control means comprising:
• on-off controllable arc shunting means connected across said contacts;
• means for sensing the current in said power line and providing a current signal proportional thereto;
• means for controlling said actuating means to open said contacts;
• means for sensing the voltage across said contacts when said contacts are opened and providing a voltage signal proportional thereto;
• means responsive to the ratio of said voltage signal to said current signal passing a predetermined value provided said current is below another predetermined value for turning said arc-shunting means on thereby to shunt the arc from said contacts;
• and means operable when the current in said power line has decreased below a further predetermined value for turning said arc-shunting means off thereby to interrupt said power line.

A hybrid D.C. power controller for rapidly and effectively interrupting a high voltage D.C. power line in a low atmospheric pressure environment such as is present at high altitudes comprising:

• contact means comprising double-break power contacts including two stationary contacts and a movable bridging contact in said power line;
• operating means for said power contacts;
• a pair of arc horns with one for each side of said double-break contacts;
• a pair of magnetic field amplifiers with one for each side of said double-break contacts and the associated arc horn;
• each said stationary contact being formed to conduct current in a loop so as to energize the respective field amplifier and thereby cause an arc between said stationary contact and said movable bridging contact to move therefrom along the respective arc horn;
• a pair of arc splitters with one for each of said arc horns for receiving and breaking up the arc as it moves along the respective arc horn and each comprising spaced insulated electrically-conductive plates for breaking up the arc;
• a housing enclosing and supporting the aforementioned parts;
• gas-ablating insulating material lining the surfaces exposed to the arcs except said contacts, arc horns and splitter plates to provide an atmosphere conducive to movement of the arc;
• and control means comprising:
• controllable turn-on turn-off arc-shunting elements in parallel across said stationary contacts;
• means for controlling said operating means to actuate said movable bridging contact to disengage said stationary contacts;
• means for sampling the voltage across the open power contacts and the power line current to determine when said current is at a value that can be conducted by said arc-shunting elements and when the ratio of said voltage to said current is proportional to the resistance of one of said elements divided by the number of said elements used;
• means allowing said power contacts to arc until said current value and said ratio is reached;
• and means thereupon operable for turning said elements on to divert the current from the arcing contacts.

A D.C. power controller for effectively interrupting a high voltage high current D.C. power line supplying a load from a D.C. power supply source without the help of any controllable arc-shunting elements across the power contacts comprising:

• at least one stationary contact;
• a movable contact;
• an arc horn extending away from said contacts;
• a magnetic field amplifier spanning opposite sides of said contacts and at least the initial portion of said arc horn where it extends away from said contacts;
• said stationary contact being configured to provide a loop of current flow for energizing said magnetic field amplifier;
• an arc splitter associated with said arc horn and having plates to receive a moving arc therein;
• a housing supporting and enclosing the aforementioned parts;
• and gas-ablating insulating material lining the surfaces between and about said magnetic field amplifier and said arc splitter exposed to the arc except said contacts, said arc horn and said arc splitter plates.