High speed actuating device and circuit breaker

A high speed actuator and high speed switch apparatus comprising:

• a capillary tube having a capillary housing, a capillary insulating liner within the capillary housing, a capillary volume within the capillary liner, a closed end and an open opposite end of the capillary tube, an energy storage capacitor, a high voltage switch connected to the energy storage capacitor, a first electrode connected to the high voltage switch and mounted within the capillary volume, an anode connected to the electrode, a second electrode near the open end of the capillary tube opposite the first electrode,
• a drive housing enclosing the open cathode end of the capillary tube,
• a drive cylinder within the drive housing,
• a working gas within the drive cylinder and the capillary tube,
• a drive piston within the drive cylinder,
• a damper cylinder connected to the drive housing,
• a damper piston within the damper cylinder,
• hydraulic fluid within the damper cylinder,
• a shaft connecting the drive piston to the damper piston,
• a drive cylinder pressure port connected to the drive housing for introducing working gas into the drive cylinder,
• a pressure equalization passage through the drive piston,
• a high speed switch connected to the shaft for operating the high speed switch when the drive piston drives the shaft away from the capillary tube, and
• a reset connection to the shaft for driving the shaft toward the capillary tube.

A method of high speed actuating comprising:

• providing a capillary tube with a capillary housing, a capillary liner within the capillary housing, a capillary volume within the capillary liner, a closed end and an open end of the capillary tube opposite the electrode closed end,
• providing an energy storage device,
• providing a high voltage switch connecting the high voltage switch to the energy storage device,
• providing a first electrode in the closed end of the capillary tube and connecting a conductor to the high voltage switch and connecting the first electrode to the conductor,
• providing a second electrode at the open end of the capillary tube,
• providing a housing enclosing the open cathode end of the capillary tube,
• providing a drive cylinder within the housing,
• providing a damper cylinder connected to the housing,
• providing a damper piston within the damper cylinder,
• providing a shaft connecting the drive piston to the damper piston,
• filling the drive cylinder within the housing and the capillary volume with a working gas,
• filling the damper cylinder with hydraulic fluid,
• operating the high voltage switch,
• heating and expanding the working gas in the capillary volume by discharging electrical energy from the energy storage device between the first and second electrodes,
• accelerating the drive piston from an initial position with the expanding working gas,
• flowing the expanding working gas around the drive piston,
• decelerating the drive piston with hydraulic force on the damper piston, and
• returning the drive piston to the initial position by applying a reset force to the shaft.