Modular gas insulated circuit breaker system

Claim 2

In a modular substation; a plurality of gas insulated circuit breaker units arranged in axial parallelism wherein each circuit breaker unit includes; an enclosure containing an insulating gas At a first pressure; a pair of series connected contacts; a separate tank carried by said enclosure exteriorly thereof and containing an insulating gas at a relatively higher second pressure; blast valve means carried by said enclosure and operatively arranged to interconnect said high pressure gas tank to the interior of said enclosure; contact and blast valve actuating means carried by said enclosure and operably connected to be operated simultaneously to effect substantially simultaneous opening of said contacts and said blast valve means; port means operatively interconnecting said enclosures of said circuit breaker units in communicating relationship to provide an electrical passageway between adjacent enclosures; sealing means within said interconnecting means to isolate one circuit breaker unit from another to maintain the gas tight integrity of each enclosure; means extending between said circuit breaker units within said enclosures through said port means and said sealing means to establish an electrical series relationship between the contacts of said circuit breaker units; and, a single mechanical operating means external of said circuit breaker unit enclosures and operably connected to effect the simultaneous operation of each of said circuit breaker contact and blast valve actuating means.

Claim 3

A modular substation according to claim 1 wherein said enclosure of each circuit breaker unit is an elongated tubular member having removable sealing axial end doors.

Claim 4

A modular substation according to claim 2 wherein said enclosures of said circuit breaker units are disposed adjacent each other in axial parallelism and said port means operate to provide a close coupled enclosed passageway between adjacent enclosures; and, the enclosures most remote from each other are each provided with a single terminal bushing, said terminal bushings being arranged to provide electrical isolation therebetween, said terminal bushings being electrically connected in series internally through all of said enclosures.

Claim 5

A modular substation according to claim 3 wherein said enclosure of each circuit breaker unit is disposed at an angle relative to a plane that includes lines which are transverse to the axis of each of said enclosures and that pass through the axis of the enclosure substantially midway of the ends of the enclosures.

Claim 6

A modular substation according to claim 1 wherein the end of one of said enclosure furthest removed from an associated enclosure is provided with an external housing adapted to provide a sealed entry for the high voltage entrance means into said enclosure; and, said another of said enclosures at its end furthest removed from the end of the said one enclosure having the external housing being provided with an external housing adapted to provide a sealed housing for the high voltage exit means out of said enclosure.

Claim 7

In a modular substation; a plurality of gas insulated circuit breaker units wherein each circuit breaker unit includes; an enclosure containing an insulating gas at a first pressure and having a centrally located upwardly extending housing; a pair of series connected contacts; a separate tank carried by said enclosure and containing an insulating gas at a relatively higher second pressure; blast valve means carried by said enclosure and operatively arranged to interconnect said high pressure gas tank to the interior of said enclosure; contact and blast valve actuating means carried by said enclosure and operably connected to effect substantially simultaneous opening of said pair of series connected contacts and associated blast valves, said contact and blast valve actuating means extending upwardly from its operative connection with said contacts and associated blast valves into said upwardly extending housing; drive means operatively connected to said actuating means within said upwardly extending housing and extending outwardly in sEaled engagement through the wall of said housing; a single operating means external of said enclosure and operably connected to the external portion of said drive means that extends outwardly of said housing through the wall thereof; a control cabinet at one end of said plurality of gas insulated circuit breaker units; power means within said cabinet; connecting drive means operatively connected to said power means within said cabinet and extending outwardly from said cabinet to operably connect with said single operating means; port means provided on each of said enclosures and disposed in adjacent relationship to provide enclosed passageways between adjacent enclosures; sealing means in said passageways channels to isolate said adjacent enclosures in a manner that each enclosure is a separate gas sealed unit so that gas loss in any one enclosure will not effect any other enclosure; and, means extending between said circuit breaker units within said enclosures and through said communicating channels and said sealing means to establish an electrical series relationship between the contacts of said circuit breaker units.

Claim 8

In a modular substation; a plurality of gas insulated circuit breaker units wherein each circuit breaker unit includes; an enclosure containing an insulating gas at a first pressure and having a centrally located upwardly extending housing; a pair of series connected contacts; a separate tank carried by said enclosure and containing an insulating gas at a relatively higher second pressure; blast valve means carried by said enclosure and operatively arranged to interconnect said high pressure gas tank to the interior of said enclosure; contact and blast valve actuating means carried by said enclosure and operably connected to effect substantially simultaneous opening of said pair of series connected contacts and associated blast valves, said contact and blast valve actuating means extending upwardly from its operative connection with said contacts and associated blast valves into said upwardly extending housing; drive means operatively connected to said actuating means within said upwardly extending housing and extending outwardly in sEaled engagement through the wall of said housing; a single operating means external of said enclosure and operably connected to the external portion of said drive means that extends outwardly of said housing through the wall thereof; a control cabinet at one end of said plurality of gas insulated circuit breaker units; power means within said cabinet; connecting drive means operatively connected to said power means within said cabinet and extending outwardly from said cabinet to operably connect with said single operating means; port means provided on each of said enclosures and disposed in adjacent relationship to provide enclosed passageways between adjacent enclosures; sealing means in said passageways channels to isolate said adjacent enclosures in a manner that each enclosure is a separate gas sealed unit so that gas loss in any one enclosure will not effect any other enclosure; and, means extending between said circuit breaker units within said enclosures and through said communicating channels and said sealing means to establish an electrical series relationship between the contacts of said circuit breaker units.