Confidential

Technology of Toshiba Vacuum Interrupters

Vacuum Interrupters for Various Switchgear;

Circuit Breakers, Distribution Switches and Contactors July, 2004

Copyright 2004 Toshiba Corporation. All rights reserved.

CONSTRUCTION OF VACUUM INTERRUPTER

INSULATING ENVELOPE
ARC SHIELD

MOVABLE ROD

FLANGE
FIXED ROD
ELECTRODE BELLOWS
2 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004
CONSTRUCTION OF VACUUM INTERRUPTER
INSULATING ENVELOPE

is a high density alumina ceramics

which has excellent insulating and
airtight characteristics

3 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004

CONSTRUCTION OF VACUUM INTERRUPTER
ELECTRODE

are designed to increase the

current interrupting ability

4 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004

CONSTRUCTION OF VACUUM INTERRUPTER

BELLOWS
is made of stainless steel, which
has good mechanical properties
and corrosion resistance

5 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004

CONSTRUCTION OF VACUUM INTERRUPTER

ARC SHIELD providing condensing surface for

evaporated contact metal vapor
resulting from arc interruption

6 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004

CONSTRUCTION OF VACUUM INTERRUPTER

FIXED ROD are made of high purity

MOVABLE ROD
and gas-free copper

7 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004

CONSTRUCTION OF VACUUM INTERRUPTER

INSULATING ENVELOPE
ARC SHIELD

MOVABLE ROD

FLANGE
FIXED ROD
ELECTRODE BELLOWS
8 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004
 CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRODE
HIGH CURRENT INTERRUPTION: CONTROL ARC
BY MAGNETIC FIELD
AXIAL MAGNETIC FIELD MAGNETIC DRIVEN
AXIAL MAGNETIC FIELD ELECTRODE SPIRAL
(DEVELOPED BY TOSHIBA) CONTRATE
SPREAD THE ARC OVER ROTATE THE CONCENTRATED
CONTACT SURFACE ARC BY MAGNETIC FIELD
LOW ARC VOLTAGE, STABLE ARC SIMPLE CONSTRUCTION
SMALL CONTACT WEAR HIGH ARC VOLTAGE
LONG LIFE CONTACT DAMAGE
TOSHIBA ADOPTS AXIAL MAGNETIC FIELD ELECTRODE
MINIATURIZE
HIGH CURRENT INTERRUPTION

9 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004

 MAJOR ELECTRODE IN THE WORLD

SPIRAL
CONTRATE

AXIAL MAGNETIC FIELD

10 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004
 Magnetic Driven Method
Current Flow

Current flow in Electrode

Force against Arc

Arc Arc

Current flow in Electrode

Driven force against Arc by current flow in electrode

Protect welding of contact by rotating arc on electrode

11 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004

 AXIAL MAGNETIC FIELD METHOD

CURRENT
CONTACT FLOW
ELECTRODE IN COIL
COIL

MAGNETIC FIELD

GENERATE AXIAL MAGNETIC FIELD BY CURRENT IN COIL

(PARALLEL FLUX TO ARC)

SPREAD ARC UNIFORMLY ON ELECTRODE

12 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004

VACUUM INTERRUPTERS/ANNUAL PRODUCTION

120,000
INTERRUPTER PRODUCTION
TOSHIBA - WORLD NO. 1
PRODUCTION QUANTITY

100,000

80,000

60,000

40,000

20,000

OTHERS
G

H
C

D
A

F
TOSHIBA

13 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004

 PROGRESS OF INTERRUPTING CAPACITY
IN
VACUUM INTERRUPTERS

20

15

10

0
'65 '70 '75 '80 '85 '90 SAMPLE INTERRUPTERS
IN SAME RATINGS
CAPACITY PER UNIT (VOLUME)

14 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004

 Interrupter Dimensions

First 2nd New

Generation Generation Generation

15 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004

 IMPROVEMENT OF INTERRUPTERS

7.2kV
600A
12.5kA

VACUUM ENVELOPE : GLASS CERAMICS

EXHAUST : PIPE SEAL IN VACUUM
: WELDED FLANGE BRAZE IN VACUUM
ELECTRODE : SPIRAL AXIAL MAGNETIC FIELD

16 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004

 HIGH VOLTAGE ENGINEERING
Break Down Voltage in Vacuum

VOLTAGE (kV)
BREAK DOWN
is higher than in Air
Factor to Break Down
1) Material, Shape, Surface etc.
2) Conditioning
3) Strength of Electrical Field
4) Envelope
PRESSURE (Pa)
Edge
of
Electrical Arc-shield
Field Electrode
Analysis Ceramics

Electrode

Electrical Field Distribution Potential Distribution

17 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004
 MEASUREMENT OF VACUUM
PRINCIPLE
MOVEMENT CATHODE
APPLY MAGNETIC FIELD OF ELECTRON

INCREASE PATH ANODE

DIRECTION OF
OF ELECTRON ELECTRICAL FIELD

DISSOCIATION BY MAGNETIC FIELD

ELECTRON FROM OUTSIDE
IN COLLISION
WITH PARTICLE

PROPORTIONAL
CURRENT TO
PARTICLE HIGH VOLTAGE DC
(VACUUM DEGREE)

SOURCE FOR
MAGNETIC FIELD

MICROAMMETER
18 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004
 QUALITY CONTROL FOR VACUUM LIFE
CONSISTENT QUALITY CONTROL
ON
MATERIAL, PARTS, AND ASSEMBLY

CRITICAL PRESSURE
VACUUM LIFE

SEVERE
VACUUM
DEFECT CONTROL

PASSED

MEASURE 20 YEARS AND LONGER

SERVICE PERIOD LIFE CONTROL

19 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004

 AXIAL MAGNETIC FIELD ELECTRODE
ELECTRONS AND IONS
ARE TRAPPED BY
MAGNETIC LINE

ARC IS CAPTURED
WITHIN SPACES
BETWEEN CONTACTS MAGNETIC FIELD

ARC ROOT
SPREAD UNIFORMLY
CATHODE
CONDITION OF ARC

ANODE
20 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004
 ASSEMBLY PROCESS
(BRAZING IN VACUUM)

PARTS

PROCESSING (CLEANING, PLATING)

SUBASSEMBLY (BRAZING)
(MOVABLE, FIXED AND SHIELD)

ASSEMBLY : BRAZING IN VACUUM

VACUUM TEST
ROUTINE TEST
(WITHSTAND VOLTAGE, CONTACT RESISTANCE, ETC.)

PACKAGING

21 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004

History of TOSHIBA Vacuum Interrupters
1962 First prototype vacuum interrupters
1965 First vacuum switches 7.2kV 100A 50MVA
1966 First vacuum circuit breakers 7.2kV 600A150MVA
1967 Start mass production of vacuum interrupters for pole mounted
vacuum switches 7.2kV 400A
1969 Develop low surge contact material and start commercial production
of 6.6kV vacuum contactors
1974 First vacuum circuit breakers for arc furnace application
(24kV, 750MVA)
1977 First DC vacuum circuit breakers for nuclear fusion research
1978 Commercial production of low-surge VCB series
1979 Develop 84kV vacuum circuit breaker
Develop
vacuum switch for bullet train system
1981 Employ new vacuum furnaces for Brazing in Vacuum
1982 Commercial production of largest VCB 13.8kV 3000A 100kA

1985 Compact Gas-Insulated-Switchgear (C-GIS) employing 84kV VCB
1994 Cumulative production exceeds 2,000,000 (Two Million)
2000 Cumulative production exceeds 2,600,000

22 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004

 Production Result (Vacuum Interrupters)
From FY1965 to FY2000 : 2,733,000 Pieces
3,000,000

2,500,000

VCB
2,000,000

1,500,000
VMC

1,000,000

VS
500,000

0
Y1965
Y1966
Y1967
Y1968
Y1969
Y1970
Y1971
Y1972
Y1973
Y1974
Y1975
Y1976
Y1977
Y1978
Y1979
Y1980
Y1981
Y1982
Y1983
Y1984
Y1985
Y1986
Y1987
Y1988
Y1989
Y1990
Y1991
Y1992
Y1993
Y1994
Y1995
Y1996
Y1997
Y1998
Y1999
Y2000
23 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004
 Various Types of Vacuum Interrupters

24 / Technology of Vacuum Interrupters. July, 2004