Isolating circuit breaker and circuit protection arrangement

A circuit protection arrangement for a multi-phase circuit of an electrical distribution network, said arrangement comprising:

• (a) a plurality of isolating circuit breakers for connection in respective phase lines of the multi-phase circuit, wherein each isolating circuit breaker includes:
• (i) an isolating switch with a pivoting link, said isolating switch having respective terminals for electrical coupling to load and supply conductors of a phase line;
• (ii) a circuit interrupter disposed in series with the isolating switch, intermediate said load and supply conductors;
• (iii) an actuator arranged for selectively opening and closing the circuit interrupter,
• (iv) a sensor arrangement producing signals in response to electrical conditions in a respective phase line;
• (v) a communications transceiver for transmitting said signals to others of the plurality of isolating circuit breakers and for receiving respective phase line condition signals transmitted by other isolating circuit breakers of said plurality;
• (vi) an electronic controller receiving signals from both the sensor arrangement and from the other isolating circuit breakers via the communications transceiver;
• and
• (vii) said isolating switch, circuit interrupter, actuator and electronic controller arranged together on a mounting structure adapted for pole mounting;
• (b) whereby the electronic controllers process the line condition signals from each phase in substantially real time to control operation of individual actuators of respective circuit interrupters.

A circuit protection arrangement for a multi-phase circuit of an electrical distribution network, said arrangement including:

• (a) a plurality of isolating circuit breakers for connection in respective phase lines of the multi-phase circuit, wherein each isolating circuit breaker comprises:
• (i) an isolating switch with a pivoting link, said isolating switch having respective terminals for electrical coupling to load and supply conductors of a phase line;
• (ii) a circuit interrupter disposed in series with the isolating switch, intermediate said load and supply conductors;
• (iii) a sensor arrangement producing signals in response to electrical conditions in a respective phase line;
• (iv) an electronic controller receiving signals from the sensor arrangement;
• (v) an actuator arranged for selectively opening and closing the circuit interrupter in response control signals from the electronic controller;
• and
• (vi) said isolating switch, circuit interrupter, actuator and electronic controller arranged together on a mounting structure adapted for pole mounting;
• (b) the actuators of respective isolating circuit breakers being mechanically coupled such that all circuit interrupters of the plurality may be opened substantially simultaneously in response to a predetermined fault condition in at least one of said phase lines.

A method for protecting a multi-phase circuit of an electrical distribution network, said network comprising:

• (a) a plurality of isolating circuit breakers for connection in respective phase lines of the multi-phase circuit, wherein each isolating circuit breaker includes:
• (i) an isolating switch with a pivoting link, said isolating switch having respective terminals for electrical coupling to load and supply conductors of a phase line
• (ii) a circuit interrupter disposed in series with the isolating switch intermediate said load and supply conductors;
• (iii) a sensor arrangement producing signals in response to electrical conditions in the phase line;
• (iv) a communications transceiver associated with the sensor arrangement;
• and
• (v) the isolating switch, circuit interrupter and sensor arrangement carried by a mounting structure adapted for pole mounting;
• (b) wherein the method includes the steps of:
• (i) sensing the instantaneous values of an electrical parameter of a phase line at a respective isolating circuit breaker;
• (ii) transmitting the instantaneous value signals produced by the sensor arrangement to others of the plurality of isolating circuit breakers and receiving respective instantaneous value signals transmitted by the other circuit breakers;
• (iii) summing the instantaneous value signals from the sensors in each circuit breaker in substantially real time;
• and
• (iv) controlling operation of individual actuators of respective circuit interrupters in accordance with the sum of said instantaneous value signals.