# US 5,353,186 A · Reactor switch > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,353,186 A - Document ID: US5353186A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/030,575 - Filed: 1993-03-12 - Granted: 1994-10-04 - Earliest claimed: 1992-03-13 - Inventors: Erich Ruoss; Georg Schett - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5353186A ## CPC - H02J 3/1828: with stepwise control, e.g. switched capacitor banks - H01H 33/161: {Variable impedances} - H01H 33/59: Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the switch and not otherwise provided for, e.g. for ensuring operation of the switch at a predetermined point in the AC cycle - Y02E 40/30: Reactive power compensation - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract The reactor switch is provided for switching on and off a reactor (2) in a multiphase electrical high-voltage network. It has switch poles (3) which are arranged phase-by-phase between the reactor (2) and a part of the network containing, a high-voltage line (1). These switch poles (3) in each case contain at least two series-connected switching chambers (11, 12; 13, 14) in parallel with which at least two series-connected varistors (15, 16; 18, 19) are connected. This reactor switch is intended to be capable of disconnecting short-circuits occurring between the reactor switch and the reactor (2) without problems. This is achieved in that the at least two varistors (15, 16, 17, 18, 19) and the at least two switching chambers (11, 12; 13, 14) are connected together in the form of a network on which the high-voltage network acts in terms of current and voltage and in which, in the event of restriking of some (11, 12) of the at least two switching chambers, the energy which is supplied to those varistors (17, 18, 19) which are connected in parallel with the switching chambers (13, 14) which are free of restrikes is less than in the case of a reactor switch having a network which is acted on in a corresponding manner, but in which each of the at least two switching chambers is bridged by at least one of the at least two varistors. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A reactor switch for switching a reactor on and off, wherein the reactor is arranged in a multi-phase electrical high-voltage network, the reactor switch including switch poles which are provided phase-by-phase between the reactor and a part of the network, each of the switch poles having at least four series-connected switching chambers and five varistors including two series connected first varistors, two series-connected second varistors and a third varistor, the at least four series-connected switching chambers including two series-connected first switching chambers mounted on a first insulator column and two series-connected second switching chambers mounted on a second insulator column, and a series connection between said first and second switching chambers, said two first switching chambers being bridged by said two first varistors and said third varistor, said two second switching chambers being bridged by said two second varistors and said third varistor, the third varistor being connected at one end thereof to a current connection between the first and the second switching chambers and at another end thereof to a current connection between the first and the second varistors. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The reactor switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the varistors are supported on auxiliary insulators, which are mounted on the insulator columns. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The reactor switch as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first and second varistors are dimensioned in such a manner that, in the event of a restrike of the two first and of the two second switching chambers, the gradient of the restrike transients is constrained by limiting the recovery voltage to a value which is compatible with the electrical insulation of the reactor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The reactor switch as claimed in claim 2, wherein the two first varistors and the third varistor are arranged on the first insulator column, and the two second varistors are arranged on the second insulator column. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The reactor switch as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first and second varistors are dimensioned in such a manner that, in the event of a restrike of the two first and the two second switching chambers, the gradient of the restrike transients is constrained by limiting the recovery voltage to a value which is compatible with the electrical insulation of the reactor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The reactor switch as claimed in claim 4, wherein the third varistor is arranged symmetrically with respect to the first and second varistors and is connected between an electrical node common to one of the first varistors and one of the second varistors and the series connection between the first and second switching chambers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The reactor switch as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first and second varistors are dimensioned in such a manner that, in the event of a restrike of the two first and of the two second switching chambers, the gradient of the restrike transients is constrained by limiting the recovery voltage to a value which is compatible with the electrical insulation of the reactor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The reactor switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second varistors are dimensioned in such a manner that, in the event of a restrike of the two first and of the two second switching chambers, the gradient of the restrike transients is constrained by limiting the recovery voltage to a value which is compatible with the electrical insulation of the reactor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The reactor switch as claimed in claim 8, wherein the varistors are of identical construction. ### Claim 10 A reactor switch for switching a reactor on and off, wherein the reactor is arranged in a multi-phase electrical high-voltage network, the reactor switch including switch poles which are provided phase-by-phase between the reactor and a part of the network, each of the switch poles having at least two series-connected switching chambers and at least two series-connected varistors connected directly in parallel across the at least two series-connected switches chambers, the two series-connected switching chambers being mounted on an insulator column and the two series-connected switching chambers being directly bridged by the at least two series-connected varistors.