Abstract: A circuit breaker includes a transient fault thermal management device including an enclosure having an inner cavity and a phase change material (PCM) disposed within the inner cavity, the transient fault thermal management device structured to provide a transient heat flow path via which heat is dissipated during a fault; a power electronic module connected between the power source and the load and structured to switch OFF to interrupt current flowing to the load during the fault; and a steady state thermal management device including a base, a body extending upward from the base, and a plurality of fins extending downward from the base, the body being attached to the power electronic module on one side and surrounded by the enclosure, the steady state thermal management device structured to provide a steady state heat flow path exclusive of the PCM and dissipate heat during a normal operation.

Abstract: A circuit interrupter includes separable contacts, a drive shaft coupled to the separable contacts and structured to move to open and close the separable contacts, a tapered drive shaft section coupled to the drive shaft and having tapered sides, and a friction assembly. The friction assembly includes a friction device structured to interact with the tapered sides of the tapered drive shaft, an armature coupled to the friction device, and a biasing member structured to bias the friction device and armature toward the tapered drive shaft section.

Abstract: A vacuum circuit interrupter integrates a solenoid core within the vacuum chamber for opening the separable contacts under non-fault conditions, using less space than if the solenoid were disposed in series with a high speed actuator. The interrupter includes an iron core, a steel seat with a trough, and a solenoid coil seated in the trough. The steel seat has a central opening through which the movable conductor passes. The iron core is fixed to a portion of the movable conductor so as to laterally surround the movable conductor within the vacuum chamber. The steel seat is structured such that, when the separable contacts are closed and a user provides an activating current to the solenoid coil, the magnetic field generated around the coil magnetizes the steel seat. When the steel seat is magnetized, it attracts the iron core, causing the movable conductor to separate from the stationary conductor.

Abstract: A rotary Thomson coil actuator for use in a multi-pole circuit interrupter is provided and includes: an insulating cylinder, a plurality of pole assemblies, and a number of Thomson coil arrangements. Each pole assembly includes two stationary conductors and one rotating conductive arm. Each stationary conductor includes a stationary contact. The rotating conductive arm is fixedly coupled to the insulating cylinder and includes two movable contacts, with each movable contact corresponding to one of the stationary contacts. Each Thomson coil arrangement includes a conductive plate, a first Thomson coil, and a second Thomson coil. The conductive plate is fixedly coupled to the insulating cylinder, and the two Thomson coils face opposing sides of the conductive plate. The opposing orientations of the two Thomson coils relative to the conductive plate results in the repulsion force exerted by each of the two coils on the conductive plate being additive.

Abstract: An assembly for manufacturing the insulation layer of a Thomson coil includes a base plate, a coil housing, and a cover plate. The base plate securely seats the coil housing, and the coil housing securely seats a Thomson coil and the cover plate. The cover plate has several ribs that hold multiple turns of a Thomson coil in place while epoxy is applied to the coil, thus ensuring that the epoxy is evenly distributed on the coil surface and that the coil windings remain level. The cover plate and coil housing are structured to either receive a high-pressure epoxy injection or to be used in an epoxy potting process, during which all exposed areas of the Thomson coil are coated by liquid epoxy. After the epoxy has solidified, the Thomson coil is coupled to the coil housing, and the housed and insulated Thomson coil is removed from the assembly.

Abstract: Multi-part assemblies for driving a movable conductor away from a stationary conductor of a circuit interrupter decrease separable contact opening time by reducing the number of components that must travel during an initial stage of an opening stroke to achieve an initial gap between the separable contacts. The components that must travel in order to open the separable contacts are included in only some portions of the movable assembly, rather than all portions. In one embodiment, a split switch shaft coupled to a movable conductor includes a head shaft coupled to a tail shaft using a sliding pin, enabling the head shaft to travel an initial distance while the tail shaft remains stationary, thus achieving an initial gap between the contacts. In another embodiment, the movable conductor assembly is coupled to hydraulics, enabling the assembly to travel an initial distance at high speeds before damping by the hydraulic fluid.

Abstract: A hydraulic multi-pole actuation system opens all poles of a circuit interrupter simultaneously. The system utilizes Thomson coil arrangements with a wide piston attached to the conductive member of each arrangement. A narrow piston is attached to the movable conductor of each pole assembly in the circuit interrupter. The wide and narrow pistons are contained within a hydraulic tank. Activating the Thomson coils causes the wide pistons to displace the hydraulic fluid, and the displaced fluid pushes against the narrow pistons to cause the movable conductors to open the line connections in their respective pole assemblies. The wide pistons have a greater collective surface area that interfaces with the hydraulic fluid than the narrow pistons do, enabling fewer Thomson coils arrangements to be used than there are poles in the circuit interrupter, and enabling movement of the wide pistons to be amplified during translation into movement of the narrow pistons.

Abstract: A dual conductor Thomson coil actuator for use in opening the separable contacts of a circuit interrupter comprises two nested conductors wound to form a single coil, rather than the traditional design comprising one single conductor wound to form a coil of the same size. Each of the two conductors can be excited by half the capacitance that would be used to excite the traditional single conductor coil, using the same voltage as the single conductor coil. When the same total capacitor-stored energy that would be used to excite the single conductor coil is instead used to excite the dual conductor coil, the initial pulse of aggregate current through the dual conductor coil is greater than the initial pulse of current through the single conductor coil, resulting in a faster initial opening distance of the separable contacts during an opening stroke.

Abstract: A thermal management device for a circuit breaker includes: a heat pipe having an evaporator section, an adiabatic section and a condenser section; a busbar having a first portion including at least a portion of the adiabatic section of the heat pipe; a conducting busbar having a first end, a second end opposite the first end and a groove disposed on a top surface of the conducting busbar, the first end disposed adjacent to primary contacts, the second end integrated in the first portion of the busbar, the groove extending from the first end to the second end and including the evaporator section and the at least a portion of the adiabatic section of the heat pipe embedded therein; and an array of fins integrated to the second portion of the busbar, the condenser section of the heat pipe extending through the array of fins.

Abstract: An actuator for opening the separable contacts of a circuit interrupter integrates a Thomson coil arrangement into the movable and stationary conductor assemblies. A movable separable contact is coupled to one end of the movable conductor, and a stationary separable contact is coupled to one end of the stationary conductor. The movable and stationary conductors are each formed with a collar positioned near the respective movable and stationary separable contacts. The actuator further includes a coil seated within a coil housing, and the coil housing is coupled to the stationary conductor collar. A conductive member shaped as a cup and structured to be actuated by the coil is coupled to the movable conductor collar, such that the rim of the cup faces the coil. A housing is positioned around the conductive member cup body with bellows and coupled to the coil housing, forming a vacuum chamber around the separable contacts.

Abstract: A hydraulic multi-pole actuation system opens all poles of a circuit interrupter simultaneously. The system utilizes Thomson coil arrangements with a wide piston attached to the conductive member of each arrangement. A narrow piston is attached to the movable conductor of each pole assembly in the circuit interrupter. The wide and narrow pistons are contained within a hydraulic tank. Activating the Thomson coils causes the wide pistons to displace the hydraulic fluid, and the displaced fluid pushes against the narrow pistons to cause the movable conductors to open the line connections in their respective pole assemblies. The wide pistons have a greater collective surface area that interfaces with the hydraulic fluid than the narrow pistons do, enabling fewer Thomson coils arrangements to be used than there are poles in the circuit interrupter, and enabling movement of the wide pistons to be amplified during translation into movement of the narrow pistons.

Abstract: A circuit interrupter includes separable contacts, a drive shaft coupled to the separable contacts and structured to move to open and close the separable contacts, a tapered drive shaft section coupled to the drive shaft and having tapered sides, and a friction assembly. The friction assembly includes a friction device structured to interact with the tapered sides of the tapered drive shaft, an armature coupled to the friction device, and a biasing member structured to bias the friction device and armature toward the tapered drive shaft section.

Abstract: A vacuum circuit interrupter integrates a solenoid core within the vacuum chamber for opening the separable contacts under non-fault conditions, using less space than if the solenoid were disposed in series with a high speed actuator. The interrupter includes an iron core, a steel seat with a trough, and a solenoid coil seated in the trough. The steel seat has a central opening through which the movable conductor passes. The iron core is fixed to a portion of the movable conductor so as to laterally surround the movable conductor within the vacuum chamber. The steel seat is structured such that, when the separable contacts are closed and a user provides an activating current to the solenoid coil, the magnetic field generated around the coil magnetizes the steel seat. When the steel seat is magnetized, it attracts the iron core, causing the movable conductor to separate from the stationary conductor.

Abstract: An actuator for opening the separable contacts of a circuit interrupter integrates a Thomson coil arrangement into the movable and stationary conductor assemblies. A movable separable contact is coupled to one end of the movable conductor, and a stationary separable contact is coupled to one end of the stationary conductor. The movable and stationary conductors are each formed with a collar positioned near the respective movable and stationary separable contacts. The actuator further includes a coil seated within a coil housing, and the coil housing is coupled to the stationary conductor collar. A conductive member shaped as a cup and structured to be actuated by the coil is coupled to the movable conductor collar, such that the rim of the cup faces the coil. A housing is positioned around the conductive member cup body with bellows and coupled to the coil housing, forming a vacuum chamber around the separable contacts.

Abstract: Multi-part assemblies for driving a movable conductor away from a stationary conductor of a circuit interrupter decrease separable contact opening time by reducing the number of components that must travel during an initial stage of an opening stroke to achieve an initial gap between the separable contacts. The components that must travel in order to open the separable contacts are included in only some portions of the movable assembly, rather than all portions. In one embodiment, a split switch shaft coupled to a movable conductor includes a head shaft coupled to a tail shaft using a sliding pin, enabling the head shaft to travel an initial distance while the tail shaft remains stationary, thus achieving an initial gap between the contacts. In another embodiment, the movable conductor assembly is coupled to hydraulics, enabling the assembly to travel an initial distance at high speeds before damping by the hydraulic fluid.

Abstract: A thermal management device for a circuit breaker includes: a heat pipe having an evaporator section, an adiabatic section and a condenser section; a busbar having a first portion including at least a portion of the adiabatic section of the heat pipe; a conducting busbar having a first end, a second end opposite the first end and a groove disposed on a top surface of the conducting busbar, the first end disposed adjacent to primary contacts, the second end integrated in the first portion of the busbar, the groove extending from the first end to the second end and including the evaporator section and the at least a portion of the adiabatic section of the heat pipe embedded therein; and an array of fins integrated to the second portion of the busbar, the condenser section of the heat pipe extending through the array of fins.

Abstract: A dual conductor Thomson coil actuator for use in opening the separable contacts of a circuit interrupter comprises two nested conductors wound to form a single coil, rather than the traditional design comprising one single conductor wound to form a coil of the same size. Each of the two conductors can be excited by half the capacitance that would be used to excite the traditional single conductor coil, using the same voltage as the single conductor coil. When the same total capacitor-stored energy that would be used to excite the single conductor coil is instead used to excite the dual conductor coil, the initial pulse of aggregate current through the dual conductor coil is greater than the initial pulse of current through the single conductor coil, resulting in a faster initial opening distance of the separable contacts during an opening stroke.

Abstract: An assembly for manufacturing the insulation layer of a Thomson coil includes a base plate, a coil housing, and a cover plate. The base plate securely seats the coil housing, and the coil housing securely seats a Thomson coil and the cover plate. The cover plate has several ribs that hold multiple turns of a Thomson coil in place while epoxy is applied to the coil, thus ensuring that the epoxy is evenly distributed on the coil surface and that the coil windings remain level. The cover plate and coil housing are structured to either receive a high-pressure epoxy injection or to be used in an epoxy potting process, during which all exposed areas of the Thomson coil are coated by liquid epoxy. After the epoxy has solidified, the Thomson coil is coupled to the coil housing, and the housed and insulated Thomson coil is removed from the assembly.

Abstract: An actuator, which is a part of a combination that includes a pair of circuit interrupters, advantageously employs a plurality of Thomson coils that are electrically connected in parallel and that interact with a corresponding set of Thomson plates of a rotatable armature in order to perform useful work in a rapid fashion. In one embodiment, the useful work is to commutate current from one circuit interrupter to the other.

Abstract: A circuit interrupter includes a frame, a set of separable contacts that can be generally stated as including a stationary contact and a movable contact, the stationary contact being affixed to the frame, a shaft movably situated on the frame, the movable contact being situated on the shaft, a drive system situated on the frame and operable to move the shaft with respect to the frame between a first position and a second position, the set of separable contact being a CLOSED state in the first position of the shaft and being in an OPEN state in the second position of the shaft, and a brake that can be generally stated as including a mass movably situated on the frame, the shaft being structured to engage the mass and to cause the mass to be in motion when moving from the first position toward the second position.