Gas remover apparatus and method
AssigneeWaukesha Electric Systems, Inc.
InventorsThomas M. Golner, Peter C. Michel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas remover apparatus suitable for electrical substation high-voltage transformer load tap changers and similar oil-filled equipment removes potentially hazardous and destructive gases from the air-filled volume above the insulating oil bath in which the load tap changer electrical contacts are immersed. The apparatus applies a continuous supply of nitrogen to the load tap changer, and has an orifice to maintain a slight overpressure over an extreme range of climatic conditions. The substantially continuous venting of nitrogen entrains and expels contaminants such as oxygen, water, and potentially explosive breakdown products from the oil, all of which can degrade the performance of the load tap changer.
Claims24
A gas remover to control an environment in a load tap changer, the gas remover comprising:
- a source of substantially nonreactive gas at a pressure greater than ambient atmospheric pressure;
- a feed line configured to introduce the nonreactive gas into an ullage in the load tap changer;
- a sight glass on the load tap changer to permit examination of the inside of the load tap changer, wherein the load tap changer contains mineral oil;
- and
- an orifice configured to establish a substantially continuous outflow rate of nonreactive gas to expel entrained vapor phase contaminants from the ullage in the load tap changer to the atmosphere.
A gas remover to control an environment in a load tap changer, comprising:
- means for extracting nitrogen gas from the atmosphere;
- means for urging said extracted nitrogen gas into an ullage in the load tap changer;
- means for monitoring the condition inside the load tap changer, wherein the load tap changer contains mineral oil;
- and
- means for expelling vapor phase contaminants from the ullage in the load tap changer by establishing a substantially continuous outflow of nitrogen.
A process for controlling an environment in a load tap changer, comprising the steps of:
- extracting nitrogen gas from the atmosphere;
- urging the extracted nitrogen gas into an ullage in the load tap changer;
- monitoring the condition inside the load tap changer, wherein the load tap changer contains mineral oil;
- and
- expelling vapor phase contaminants from the ullage in the load tap changer by establishing a substantially continuous outflow of nitrogen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.