Sensing structure for component wear in high voltage circuit interrupters

Abstract

A vaporizable material, for example, a silicone, that is buried beneath the surface of a Teflon nozzle for a sulfur hexafluoride power circuit breaker in an area of the nozzle which is exposed to abrasion and wear due to arc products. In a similar manner, aluminum or titanium or some other vaporizable material is buried beneath the surface of the contact of the circuit interrupter which is exposed to abrasion and wear. When the buried layers are exposed due to abrasion of their covering surfaces, these materials will be vaporized and their presence will be sensed by sensors within the circuit interrupter, thus revealing some predetermined degree of wear of the surfaces of the nozzle and contact and other surfaces within the circuit interrupter which may also be subject to abrasion by arcing or arc products. When aluminum is used as the vaporizable material for the contact, it also senses the presence of flashover to aluminum exterior housings.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.