Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a preventive battery discharge system for a battery system. The battery discharge system comprises an interface for receiving a thermal runaway indication signal for a first battery cell assembly and an energy sink device, wherein the energy sink device is connectable with a plurality of battery cell assemblies by a switching unit, wherein the energy sink device is configured to receive electrical energy discharged from at least one second battery cell assembly. The battery discharge system further comprises a control module configured to identify the at least one second battery cell assembly to be discharged based upon the thermal runaway indication signal and is configured to control the switching unit to discharge the at least one second battery cell assembly and to transport energy from the at least one second battery cell assembly to the energy sink device after receiving a thermal runaway indication signal.

Abstract: A switch pole for a low voltage switching device including an insulating casing defining an internal space with a contact area and an arc extinguishing area of said switch pole, a fixed contact assembly and a movable contact assembly positioned in said contact area and including, respectively, one or more fixed contacts and one or more movable contacts, which can be mutually coupled or uncoupled, and an arc chamber positioned in said arc extinguishing area and including a plurality of parallel arc-breaking plates and a terminal arc-breaking element, which includes a plate portion arranged in parallel to said arc-breaking plates and having one or more through openings and an elongated portion protruding from said plate portion and extending across said arc-extinguishing area, from said plate portion towards said fixed contact assembly.

Abstract: A switching apparatus includes first and second electric terminals, and first and second electric branches comprising one or more switching devices. The second electric branch is electrically connected in parallel with said first electric branch between said first and second electric terminals. The switching apparatus comprises a current blocking circuit adapted to block a current along said second branch. The current blocking circuit includes a first switching device of solid-state type and a first electronic circuit electrically connected in parallel to said first switching device of solid-state type. The switching apparatus further comprises a current limiting circuit adapted to limit a current flowing along said second electric branch.

Abstract: A switch pole for a low voltage switching device including an insulating casing defining an internal space with a contact area and an arc extinguishing area of said switch pole, a fixed contact assembly and a movable contact assembly positioned in said contact area and including, respectively, one or more fixed contacts and one or more movable contacts, which can be mutually coupled or uncoupled, and an arc chamber positioned in said arc extinguishing area and including a plurality of parallel arc-breaking plates and a terminal arc-breaking element, which includes a plate portion arranged in parallel to said arc-breaking plates and having one or more through openings and an elongated portion protruding from said plate portion and extending across said arc-extinguishing area, from said plate portion towards said fixed contact assembly.

Abstract: A switching device for low-voltage or medium-voltage applications including: one or more electric poles; for each electric pole, at least a fixed contact and at least a movable contact, each movable contact being reversibly movable between a coupled position, at which the movable contact is coupled with a corresponding fixed contact, and an uncoupled position, at which the movable contact is separated from the fixed contact, wherein a separation gap is present between the movable contact and the fixed contact, when the movable contact is in the uncoupled position. The switching device includes, for each electric pole, at least an arc-diverting element made of electrically insulating material.

Abstract: A switching apparatus for an electric grid includes first and second electric terminals, each having first and second electric branches having a plurality of switching devices. The first electric branch includes a first switching device switchable between open and closed states, which is driven by a current flowing along said first switching device and without receiving an external control signal or an external power supply, said first switching device switching from said closed state to said open state, when the current flowing along said switching apparatus exceeds a corresponding predefined threshold value or when the changing rate of the current flowing along said switching apparatus exceeds a corresponding predefined threshold value or upon a combination of these two conditions. A second switching device is connected in series with the first switching device and is switchable between closed and open states upon receiving a corresponding input control signal.

Abstract: A switching apparatus for an electric grid includes first and second electric terminals, each having first and second electric branches having a plurality of switching devices. The first electric branch includes a first switching device switchable between open and closed states, which is driven by a current flowing along said first switching device and without receiving an external control signal or an external power supply, said first switching device switching from said closed state to said open state, when the current flowing along said switching apparatus exceeds a corresponding predefined threshold value or when the changing rate of the current flowing along said switching apparatus exceeds a corresponding predefined threshold value or upon a combination of these two conditions. A second switching device is connected in series with the first switching device and is switchable between closed and open states upon receiving a corresponding input control signal.

Abstract: A switching apparatus includes first and second electric terminals, and first and second electric branches comprising one or more switching devices. The second electric branch is electrically connected in parallel with said first electric branch between said first and second electric terminals. The switching apparatus comprises a current blocking circuit adapted to block a current along said second branch. The current blocking circuit includes a first switching device of solid-state type and a first electronic circuit electrically connected in parallel to said first switching device of solid-state type. The switching apparatus further comprises a current limiting circuit adapted to limit a current flowing along said second electric branch.

Abstract: A switching device for low-voltage or medium-voltage applications including: one or more electric poles; for each electric pole, at least a fixed contact and at least a movable contact, each movable contact being reversibly movable between a coupled position, at which the movable contact is coupled with a corresponding fixed contact, and an uncoupled position, at which the movable contact is separated from the fixed contact, wherein a separation gap is present between the movable contact and the fixed contact, when the movable contact is in the uncoupled position. The switching device includes, for each electric pole, at least an arc-diverting element made of electrically insulating material.

Abstract: A DC circuit breaker including a pair of arcing contact members for holding an arc, an interaction element, adapted for interacting with the arc in dependence of whether the arc is in a first or second state such that the arc voltage drop in the first state is lower than the drop in the second state, a resonance branch coupled in parallel to the contact members thereby forming a resonance circuit adapted for letting a resonance branch current Ir oscillate thereby inducing oscillations of an arc current Ia, wherein the resonance branch includes a coupling element for coupling the resonance branch with the arc, such that the arc is brought to the first state when the current Ir in the resonance branch has a first direction, and that the arc is brought to the second state when the current Ir in the resonance branch has a second direction.

Abstract: A DC circuit breaker including a pair of arcing contact members for holding an arc, an interaction element, adapted for interacting with the arc in dependence of whether the arc is in a first or second state such that the arc voltage drop in the first state is lower than the drop in the second state, a resonance branch coupled in parallel to the contact members thereby forming a resonance circuit adapted for letting a resonance branch current Ir oscillate thereby inducing oscillations of an arc current Ia, wherein the resonance branch includes a coupling element for coupling the resonance branch with the arc, such that the arc is brought to the first state when the current Ir in the resonance branch has a first direction, and that the arc is brought to the second state when the current Ir in the resonance branch has a second direction.

Abstract: A circuit breaker for breaking an AC current, including a pair of breaker contact members with a first breaker contact member and a second breaker contact member, wherein the pair of breaker contact members is separable, whereby an arc carrying an arcing current develops between the breaker contact members; an arcing contact member configured for letting an arc root of the arc jump from the second breaker contact member to the arcing contact member, whereby the arcing current is commuted from the second breaker contact member to the arcing contact member, the commuted arcing current having a first direction; and a current-rectifying element electrically connected to the arcing contact member and configured for passing the commuted arcing current having the first direction, and for blocking a current having a second direction opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: A sensor unit for the measurement of a current in a conductor (1) comprising at least one magnetoresistive sensor (5, 6) located at a radial distance from the outer surface of the conductor (1) is disclosed, wherein the conductor (1) has a circular cross-section, and wherein it comprises at least one auxiliary coil (7) for the generation of a bias magnetic field (Hbias) to the magnetoresistive sensor (5, 6) strong enough for inducing magnetic saturation in the magnetoresistive sensor (5, 6) continuously during the whole current measurement process. Further the use of such a sensor and a method for measuring the current in the conductor using such a sensor unit are disclosed.

Abstract: A high voltage switching device includes a current interruption assembly having at least one vacuum chamber, a fixed contact assembly having a first fixed contact and a second fixed contact positioned inside the vacuum chamber, and first and second movable-contact assemblies including a first movable contact and a second movable contact, respectively. A single mechanism actuates the first and second movable-contact assemblies between a first position and second position. In the first position, the first and second movable contacts are electrically coupled with the first and second fixed contacts, respectively. And in the second position, the first and second moveable contacts are electrically separated the same. The first movable contact and the second movable contact move, along a reference axis, one towards the other or away from the other based on the actuating mechanism.

Abstract: To limit current rise in a high voltage DC system, the current can be led through a current rise limiter. An exemplary current rise limiter can have an inductance that increases with the current I through the current rise limiter and/or with a time-derivative dI/dt of the current I. In such a system, the current rise limiter can have minor influence on normal operation, but can limit the rise rate of the current in the event of a fault to, for example, provide more time to switch off the current.

Abstract: A high voltage switching device includes a current interruption assembly having at least one vacuum chamber, a fixed contact assembly having a first fixed contact and a second fixed contact positioned inside the vacuum chamber, and first and second movable-contact assemblies including a first movable contact and a second movable contact, respectively. A single mechanism actuates the first and second movable-contact assemblies between a first position and second position. In the first position, the first and second movable contacts are electrically coupled with the first and second fixed contacts, respectively. And in the second position, the first and second moveable contacts are electrically separated the same. The first movable contact and the second movable contact move, along a reference axis, one towards the other or away from the other based on the actuating mechanism.

Abstract: A sensor unit for the measurement of a current in a conductor (1) comprising at least one magnetoresistive sensor (5, 6) located at a radial distance from the outer surface of the conductor (1) is disclosed, wherein the conductor (1) has a circular cross-section, and wherein it comprises at least one auxiliary coil (7) for the generation of a bias magnetic field (Hbias) to the magnetoresistive sensor (5, 6) strong enough for inducing magnetic saturation in the magnetoresistive sensor (5, 6) continuously during the whole current measurement process. Further the use of such a sensor and a method for measuring the current in the conductor using such a sensor unit are disclosed.