Abstract: A composite material tubular insulative jacket contains a dielectric gas under pressure and electrical switchgear and includes a metallic collar fixed to one end at least and provided with a member for fixing the collar to a support member. A seal is disposed between the support member and the jacket. A metallic insert is attached to this end of the jacket by an interference fit and by gluing, the seal being disposed between the insert and the support member.

Abstract: In the method, pairs of pressure and temperature values are recorded using a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor fixed to a case from the outside and communicating with a dielectric gas, thereby enabling a density value to be calculated for the dielectric gas corresponding to each recorded pair of values. Simultaneously with making the pressure and temperature records, an electric current flowing through an electrical apparatus located inside the case and a climate parameter relating to the medium in which the case is located are also recorded for the purpose of giving each density value an index, thereby enabling a leakage rate to be determined with improved accuracy on the basis of indexed leakage rates, each of which is obtained from density values all having the same index.

Abstract: A density sensor for monitoring a rate of leakage from the case of electrical switchgear filled with dielectric gas under pressure, the sensor comprising a fixing support mounted from the outside in the thickness of the case and communicating with the dielectric gas. A radiator is placed around the fixing support of the density sensor, thereby enabling a measurement artifact that is due to the exposure of the case and of the sensor to solar radiation to be transformed in such a manner that any risk of untimely crossing of a low density threshold is eliminated.

Abstract: The switchgear comprises a circuit breaker connected between a generator and a transformer, together with a disconnector connected between the circuit breaker and the transformer, the disconnector having a fixed pole common to three positions: a first position and a second position respectively for connecting together or isolating the transformer and the circuit breaker when the circuit breaker is respectively closed or open; and a third position for grounding the fixed pole when the circuit breaker is open. The fixed pole of the disconnector is electrically connected to the transformer, thereby making it possible to interconnect or to isolate or to ground the tranformer while using only one disconnector included in the switchgear.

Abstract: The switchgear comprises a circuit breaker having an open position for isolating a generator from the network, and a closed position for connecting the generator to the network, together with a disconnector having a fixed pole connected to the generator and a contact connected to the fixed pole and movable relative thereto to occupy, when the circuit breaker is open, a first position connecting the generator to a starter circuit and a second position connecting the generator to ground. The moving contact of the disconnector also possesses a third position in which it forms an equipotential appendix for the fixed pole when the circuit breaker is closed. The moving contact does not carry the steady electric current of the generator, thus making it possible advantageously to reduce its dimensions so that they are capable merely of withstanding transient electrical conditions when in the first and third positions.

Abstract: The gas-insulated line comprises a conductor (1A) disposed inside a case (3A) filled with a dielectric gas under pressure. A power capacitor (5) is electrically connected to the conductor while being disposed inside a compartment (3P) secured to the case (3A) and filled with a dielectric gas under pressure. The dielectric gas present in the compartment (3P) provides electrical insulation for the compartment relative to the power capacitor (5). In this way, electrical insulation of the gas-insulated line between the conductor (1A) and the case (3A) is maintained inside the compartment (3P) in which the power capacitor (5) and the conductor (1A) are electrically interconnected. This results in the gas-insulated line of the invention retaining small bulk and the ability to be used on the ground or buried.

Abstract: An end fitting having a bore that forms a sleeve for the shank of an electrical insulator of composite structure. The bore has a substantially frustoconical wall that flares away from the bore opening towards the end wall of the bore and has an annular swelling directed towards the inside of the bore. This complex shape for the wall of the bore contributes to reinforcing the strength of the fixing between the end fitting and the shank by interference due to heat shrinking.

Abstract: A controller for electrical equipment, in particular for a high-voltage circuit-breaker, the equipment being housed in a casing filled with a dielectric gas under pressure. An interrupting chamber within the casing extinguishes arcs produced by the main circuit-breaker contacts. The equipment employs a contact connecting rod designed to be moved in translation by said controller. The controller employs an operating piston mounted to slide in a cylindrical element fixed to the casing and connected to a communication duct for communicating with the inside of the casing via an actuating valve in the engagement position. The controller further includes a suction enclosure connected to said cylindrical element and communicating with the inside thereof via a communication duct when the actuating valve is in the disengagement position. A suction piston is mounted to slide in the enclosure. In addition, a reciprocating drive mechanism drives the suction piston in a reciprocating motion.

Abstract: During opening or closing of the apparatus, in particular a circuit breaker while it is electrically isolated, the method consists in:i) recording a signal representative of the variation over time of the pressure inside the interrupter chamber by means of a sensor disposed outside the interrupter chamber and mounted to be in communication with the gas under pressure inside said chamber;ii) recording a signal representative of the variation over time of the position of the moving contact by means of a sensor disposed outside the interrupter chamber and mounted to detect movement of a drive rod; andiii) comparing the above signals with corresponding signals representative of reference operation of the high voltage electrical apparatus for the purpose of monitoring proper operation thereof or of detecting faulty operation of the electrical apparatus, particularly in the event of a valve in the interrupter chamber of the circuit breaker becoming jammed.

Abstract: A circuit-breaker of the puffer type, comprising two arcing contacts, at least one of the arcing contacts being part of a moving contact assembly made up of a first tube co-operating with a second tube to define a blast chamber, and a compression chamber closed by a semi-moving piston, the circuit-breaker being provided with first means for holding the piston stationary during a first portion of the displacement stroke of the moving contact assembly between the closed position and the open position, and with second means for displacing the piston axially with the moving contact assembly during a second portion of the same displacement stroke. The first means for holding the piston stationary comprise a stationary retaining member for locking an abutment arrangement associated with the piston, and the second means for axially displacing the piston comprise an unlocking member for unlocking said abutment arrangement, which member is associated with the moving contact assembly.

Abstract: A compressed gas interrupter having a first contact piece having a hollow wear contact into which, during closure, there is inserted a rod-shaped wear contact provided on a second contact piece, an insulating nozzle on the same axis as the two contact pieces and fixed to the first contact piece with the throat of the nozzle having the wear contact of the second contact piece passing therethrough on closure, the nozzle connecting a gas compression chamber to an exhaust chamber, the wear contact of the second contact piece being movable along an axis and being displaced in the opposite direction to the wear contact of the first contact piece by a rack mechanism organized to transmit movement in opposite directions from the first contact piece to the second contact piece. The rack mechanism is disposed upstream from the throat of the nozzle so as to be situated off the path of the hot gases leaving the nozzle on interruption.

Abstract: A substation of the "one-and-one-half breaker" type has three identical gastight cubicles in the form of a rectangular parallelepipeds (11, 11', 11") each containing one circuit breaker and two disconnects, and each having electricity lead-ins for connecting the disconnectors with external busbars and/or cables. The lead-ins are disposed in oblique rows through the top face of each cubicle in a front row of lead-ins (27, 27A, 27B) and in a parallel rear row of lead-ins (27', 27'A, 27'B). The two outermost cubicles (11, 11") have lead-ins, front lead-ins in one case and rear lead-ins in the other, fitted for connection to a respective incoming feeder. The middle cubicle (11') has the lead-ins of the one row individually connected by interconnections busbars (35) to the lead-ins constituting a row of the one of the adjacent cubicles that is not fitted for connection to an incoming feeder.

Abstract: A circuit breaker comprising a first permanent current contact and a first arcing contact that are fixed, a second permanent current contact and a second arcing contact that are movable in a longitudinal direction to be connected with or separated from the fixed contacts, and a mechanism for displacing the moving contacts in the longitudinal direction in such a manner so as to separate the permanent current contacts before separating the arcing contacts. The mechanism includes a shaft movable in the longitudinal direction and secured to the moving permanent current contact, and a crank piece having two limbs forming an L-shape and rotatable about an axis that is fixed relative to the longitudinal direction and that extends perpendicularly to the direction, one limb of the crank piece being connected to the moving arcing contact, and its other limb being connected to the shaft.

Abstract: A switching system having a plurality of positions for separating or interconnecting a generator, a network transformer, and a starter device, the system including a circuit breaker for the generator and a busbar disconnector for separating or interconnecting the generator and the network transformer, and a starter disconnector for separating or interconnecting the generator and the starter device. The busbar disconnector includes a first fixed contact and a first moving contact that co-operates by sliding with the first fixed contact, the first fixed contact and the first moving contact being integrated with the circuit breaker of the generator. The starter disconnector includes a second fixed contact and a second moving contact that co-operates with the second fixed contact by rotation. This organization remains economical to implement even for applications in which the generator is an alternator in a combined cycle or a gas turbine power station.

Abstract: A molecular sieve moisture absorption device for electrical apparatus containing a dielectric gas includes a box in which the molecular sieve is placed. The box is closed by a plate provided with a valve through which the inside of the box is evacuated. The plate is held in place on a shoulder of the box by the action of pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the box after the inside of the box has been evacuated. A gasket is placed between the plate and the shoulder to ensure that the inside volume of the box is leakproof. The device can be stored independently of the apparatus. When the device is mounted on the apparatus, evacuating the case of the apparatus causes the plate to separate from the box, thereby putting the molecular sieve into contact with the inside volume to be treated of the case.

Abstract: A low voltage link for converting on/off orders between a relay building and remote high or medium voltage electrical disconnection apparatus, the link being mainly constituted by a bundle of electrical lines extending from the building to the remote apparatus, each line serving to convey an on/off order in the form of a voltage step. The voltage step transmitted on each line is converted, at the end of the line close to the electrical apparatus, into a two-state optical signal by an electro-optical conversion unit associated with said line, said optical signal then being delivered to an opto-electronic conversion unit associated with the electro-optical conversion unit in order to deliver a two-state electrical control signal to the apparatus.

Abstract: A polymer high voltage current limiter comprising, per phase, a fast circuit-breaker pole, a semi-fast protection circuit-breaker pole, and a set of polymer-based elements having very low resistivity, filled with carbon black, and connected in series and in parallel, wherein each element comprises a carbon-filled polymer matrix of elongate shape and including in its interior two parallel metal conductors.

Abstract: Operating mechanism for actuating an operating rod (13) of a circuit-breaker including at least one interrupter chamber filled with a pressurized dielectric gas, said operating mechanism using a tripping spring (21) held charged when the circuit-breaker is closed by a selectively operable tripping abutment (23). The operating mechanism has a resetting member formed by a member (34) moving through a wall of a sealed and closed enclosure (32) communicating with the pressurized interrupter chamber.

Abstract: A circuit breaker which includes first arcing and permanent contacts that are mounted stationary inside an enclosure, second arcing and permanent contacts that are mounted to move inside the enclosure along a longitudinal direction and designed to co-operate with the first contacts, and a system for inserting a closure resistance, the second contacts forming a portion of equipment carrying a blast nozzle. The resistance insertion system comprises a semi-moving block which is disposed to be displaced in the longitudinal direction by the blast nozzle during a closure operation. The block carries a first switching contact designed to co-operate with a stationary second switching contact connected to the first stationary permanent contact.

Abstract: The generator circuit breaker includes synchronization means for separating its main contacts before its arcing contacts are separated. It has a lever which is hinged at one of its ends to a fixed contact piece and which is constrained to move firstly with the moving main contact and secondly with the moving arcing contact by means of a spring, and with a ramp having two horizontal levels interconnected by a sloping intermediate portion, the ramp serving as a sliding support for a trigger member which prevents or authorizes movement of the moving arcing contact. This organization makes it possible for the moving contacts to be synchronized mechanically in simple and single manner.