Electric control center having integral air-ventilation system

Claim 1

Metal clad switchgear, comprising: a generally elongated vertical housing; horizontal barrier means dividing the generally vertical housing into a plurality of tandem compartments that are arranged in stacked relationship with one another; upstanding partition means within said housing adjacent a wall thereof and defining a vertically-extending compartment that is separated from the tandem compartments by said partition means and traverses substantially the entire length of the housing; stationary bus bars mounted in the housing and extending along substantially the full vertical length thereof; an electrical circuit interrupter apparatus mounted in each of the respective tandem stacked compartments and individually electrically connected to the stationary bus bars; and a generally vertically-extending ventilation duct assembly disposed in the vertically-extending compartment within said housing and having at least one air intake opening located at the bottom of the housing, one air exhaust opening located at the top of the housing, and a plurality of transverse branch ducts that communicate with the plurality of tandem compartments and is thereby adapted to effect heat transfer from the housing and air-cool the enclosed interrupter apparatus and bus bars.