EP0905820B1 - Electrical installation for use in an environment presenting a risk of explosion - Google Patents
Electrical installation for use in an environment presenting a risk of explosion Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0905820B1 EP0905820B1 EP19980810789 EP98810789A EP0905820B1 EP 0905820 B1 EP0905820 B1 EP 0905820B1 EP 19980810789 EP19980810789 EP 19980810789 EP 98810789 A EP98810789 A EP 98810789A EP 0905820 B1 EP0905820 B1 EP 0905820B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- housing
- installation
- inert
- pluggable
- connection
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
- H01R13/46—Bases; Cases
- H01R13/53—Bases or cases for heavy duty; Bases or cases for high voltage with means for preventing corona or arcing
Definitions
- the present invention relates to an electrical installation intended to work in an environment presenting a risk of explosion caused by an electric arc, comprising at least one plug-in inert electrical or electronic element for its galvanic connection to the rest of the installation, this inert element presenting a cylindrical or prismatic body and being provided with pluggable connection members in the connection members of the installation.
- the present invention aims to allow the replacement of a pluggable inert component, such as a coil or a sensor, without it being necessary to interrupt the power supply of the installation.
- Said housing is formed, for example, in an insulating block provided with a seal providing a sealed communication between the interior of the installation and said housing.
- the insulating block carries the connection members remaining under tension.
- the housing communicating with the interior of the installation is filled with pressurized inert gas flowing through the IP clearance 40 between the wall of the housing and the body of the plug-in element. This body leaves the housing only after the disappearance of the electric arc that is formed between the connecting members.
- the sole figure of the drawing is a partial view in axial section through the connection means connecting a part of the installation to an inert pluggable element.
- the drawing shows the end of a housing 1 made of insulating material constituting, in the particular case, one of the components of a battery of solenoid valves, this element being provided with transverse passages connected to the passages of a neighboring component of sealed manner, the seal being provided by gaskets such 2.
- the casing 1 has an opening in which is fitted a block 3 made of insulating material provided with a seal 4 sealing the front joint plane between the block 3 and the casing 1. of the block 3 penetrating inside the housing 1 door connecting members 5, in the particular case of the clamp contacts, held by a contact holder 6 fixed to the block 3 by a screw 7.
- the connecting members 5 are connected to the components contained in the case 1.
- Block 3 has passages 8 and 9 for the lugs 10 and 11 of a plug-in inert component 12, for example a solenoid valve coil, having an external cylindrical shape over at least a portion of its height on the side of the lugs 10 and 11.
- the body 3 has, in the extension of the passages 8 and 9, a cylindrical housing 13 of section substantially equal to the section of the body of the plug-in element 12, so that the clearance e between the cylindrical wall of the housing 13 and the plug-in element 12 corresponds to the IP 40 standard, that is to say is less than 1 mm.
- the plug-in element 12 does not leave the housing 13 before the disappearance of the electric arc between the connecting members. Conversely, the plug-in element 12 is engaged in the housing 13 before an electric arc can produce.
- the body 3 is preferably molded plastic, for example PA 6.6 loaded with 30% glass fiber.
- the live electronics is inside the housing 1 and, for example, a bus, a microprocessor, and so on.
- the pressurized air contained in the installation escapes through the passages 8 and 9 whose section is small enough to create a significant pressure drop. This pressure drop could be increased by throttling.
Landscapes
- Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)
- Magnetically Actuated Valves (AREA)
Description
La présente invention concerne une installation électrique destinée à travailler dans un environnement présentant un risque d'explosion provoqué par un arc électrique, comprenant au moins un élément électrique ou électronique inerte enfichable pour sa liaison galvanique au reste de l'installation, cet élément inerte présentant un corps cylindrique ou prismatique et étant muni d'organes de connexion enfichables dans des organes de connexion de l'installation.The present invention relates to an electrical installation intended to work in an environment presenting a risk of explosion caused by an electric arc, comprising at least one plug-in inert electrical or electronic element for its galvanic connection to the rest of the installation, this inert element presenting a cylindrical or prismatic body and being provided with pluggable connection members in the connection members of the installation.
Une telle installation est connue du document US-3,659,250.Such an installation is known from US-3,659,250.
Dans l'industrie chimique, on utilise des installations électriques comportant essentiellement des électrovannes pour la commande de circuit de fluide et des capteurs pour la saisie de différents paramètres. Dans les installations modernes, les bobines des électrovannes sont enfichables de manière à pouvoir être changées rapidement en cas de claquage. Il en est de même des capteurs. Ces installations travaillent souvent dans un environnement présentant des risques élevés d'explosions provoquables par un arc électrique, aussi faible soit-il. De manière à isoler l'installation électrique de l'environnement gazeux explosif, l'installation est confinée dans une armoire remplie d'un gaz inerte, par exemple de l'air, maintenu à une pression supérieure à la pression atmosphérique de l'environnement. Lorsqu'il faut remplacer une bobine ou un capteur, il est nécessaire d'ouvrir l'armoire et de couper l'alimentation électrique de l'installation, ce qui a lieu généralement automatiquement par l'ouverture de l'armoire, pour pouvoir enlever l'élément à remplacer et en mettre un nouveau sans qu'il se forme d'arc électrique entre les organes de connexion, l'isolation de l'installation par rapport à l'environnement n'étant plus assurée. L'interruption de l'alimentation électrique signifie toutefois l'arrêt du processus chimique en cours. Or, un tel arrêt peut représenter, en termes de production, une perte de plusieurs dizaines de milliers de francs par minute.In the chemical industry, electrical installations comprising essentially solenoid valves for fluid circuit control and sensors for the input of various parameters are used. In modern installations, solenoid coils are pluggable so that they can be changed quickly in case of breakdown. The same is true of sensors. These installations often work in an environment with high risks of explosions caused by an electric arc, however weak it may be. In order to isolate the electrical installation from the explosive gaseous environment, the installation is confined in a cabinet filled with an inert gas, for example air, maintained at a pressure greater than the atmospheric pressure of the environment . When it is necessary to replace a coil or a sensor, it is necessary to open the cabinet and switch off the power supply of the installation, this usually takes place automatically by opening the cabinet, to be able to remove the element to be replaced and put a new one without arcing between the connecting members, the insulation of the installation with respect to the environment is no longer assured. The interruption of the power supply however means the cessation of the chemical process in progress. However, such a stop can represent, in terms of production, a loss of several tens of thousands of francs per minute.
La présente invention a pour but de permettre le remplacement d'un composant inerte enfichable, telle qu'une bobine ou un capteur, sans qu'il soit nécessaire d'interrompre l'alimentation électrique de l'installation.The present invention aims to allow the replacement of a pluggable inert component, such as a coil or a sensor, without it being necessary to interrupt the power supply of the installation.
A cet effet, l'installation électrique selon la revendication 1 est proposée.For this purpose, the electrical installation according to
Ledit logement est formé, par exemple, dans un bloc isolant muni d'une garniture d'étanchéité assurant une communication étanche entre l'intérieur de l'installation et ledit logement.Said housing is formed, for example, in an insulating block provided with a seal providing a sealed communication between the interior of the installation and said housing.
Dans une réalisation pratique, le bloc isolant porte les organes de connexion restant sous tension.In a practical embodiment, the insulating block carries the connection members remaining under tension.
Le logement communiquant avec l'intérieur de l'installation est rempli de gaz inerte pressurisé qui s'écoule par le jeu IP 40 entre la paroi du logement et le corps de l'élément enfichable. Ce corps ne quitte le logement qu'après disparition de l'arc électrique qui se forme entre les organes de connexion.The housing communicating with the interior of the installation is filled with pressurized inert gas flowing through the IP clearance 40 between the wall of the housing and the body of the plug-in element. This body leaves the housing only after the disappearance of the electric arc that is formed between the connecting members.
Le dessin annexé illustre, par un exemple, le principe de la connexion selon l'invention.The attached drawing illustrates, for example, the principle of the connection according to the invention.
L'unique figure du dessin est une vue partielle et en coupe axiale à travers les moyens de connexion reliant une partie de l'installation à un élément inerte enfichable.The sole figure of the drawing is a partial view in axial section through the connection means connecting a part of the installation to an inert pluggable element.
Le dessin montre l'extrémité d'un boîtier 1 en matière isolante constituant, dans le cas particulier, l'un des composants d'une batterie d'électrovalves, cet élément étant muni de passages transversaux reliés aux passages d'un composant voisin de manière étanche, l'étanchéité étant assurée par des garnitures d'étanchéité telles que la garniture 2. Le boîtier 1 présente une ouverture dans laquelle est emboîté un bloc 3 en matière isolante muni d'une garniture d'étanchéité 4 assurant l'étanchéité du plan de joint frontal entre le bloc 3 et le boîtier 1. La partie du bloc 3 pénétrant à l'intérieur du boîtier 1 porte des organes de connexion 5, dans le cas particulier des contacts à pinces, maintenus par un porte-contacts 6 fixé au bloc 3 par une vis 7. Les organes de connexion 5 sont reliés aux composants contenus dans le boîtier 1.The drawing shows the end of a
Le bloc 3 présente des passages 8 et 9 pour les cosses 10 et 11 d'un composant inerte enfichable 12, par exemple une bobine d'électrovalve, présentant une forme extérieure cylindrique sur au moins une partie de sa hauteur du côté des cosses 10 et 11. Le corps 3 présente, dans le prolongement des passages 8 et 9, un logement cylindrique 13 de section sensiblement égale à la section du corps de l'élément enfichable 12, de telle sorte que le jeu e entre la paroi cylindrique du logement 13 et l'élément enfichable 12 correspond à la norme IP 40, c'est-à-dire est inférieur à 1 mm.
Dans le dessin
- a =
- longueur maximale de l'arc électrique entre les organes de connexion
- d1 =
- pénétration des
cosses 10 et 11 dans lescontacts 5 - d2=
- profondeur du
logement 13 ou profondeur d'engagement de l'élément 12 dans le corps - b=
- longueur résiduelle de cet engagement après cessation de l'arc électrique.
- a =
- maximum length of the electric arc between the connection members
- d1 =
- penetration of
10 and 11 inpods contacts 5 - d2 =
- depth of
housing 13 or engagement depth ofelement 12 in the body - b =
- residual length of this engagement after cessation of the electric arc.
Les grandeurs ci-dessus satisfont les conditions suivantes :
Cela signifie que l'élément enfichable 12 ne sort pas du logement 13 avant la disparition de l'arc électrique entre les organes de connexion. Inversement, l'élément enfichable 12 est engagé dans le logement 13 avant qu'un arc électrique puisse de produire.This means that the plug-in
Le corps 3 est de préférence en plastique moulé, par exemple du PA 6.6 chargé de 30 % de fibre de verre.The
L'électronique sous tension se trouve à l'intérieur du boîtier 1 et, par exemple, un bus, un microprocesseur, etc.The live electronics is inside the
Dans le boîtier 1 est introduit en continu de l'air sous pression de telle sorte que la pression à l'intérieur du boîtier 1 est constamment supérieure à la pression environnante.In the
L'espace 13 communiquant avec l'intérieur du boîtier 1, il contient également de l'air pressurisé isolant les organes de connexion de l'extérieur. L'air s'échappe lentement par le jeu entre le logement et l'élément enfichable.The
Après l'enlèvement de l'élément enfichable 12, l'air sous pression contenu dans l'installation s'échappe par les passages 8 et 9 dont la section est suffisamment faible pour créer une perte de charge importante. Cette perte de charge pourrait être augmentée par un étranglement.After removal of the plug-in
Claims (3)
- Electrical installation for use in an environment presenting a danger of explosions provoked by an electric arc, comprising at least one inert electric or electronic element (12) to be plugged into the remainder of the installation for its galvanic connection, said inert element having a cylindrical or prismatic body and being equipped with connection means (10, 11) pluggable into connection parts (5) of the installation provided in a cylindrical (13) or prismatic housing in which the body of the inert pluggable element (12) is introduced, the section of said housing corresponding to the section of the body of the inert pluggable element with a play corresponding to standard IP 40, the depth (d2) of the housing being greater than the length (d1) of the mutual engagement of the connection parts increased by the maximal length of the electric arc (a) which will be formed between these elements on their separation, characterised in that the installation, the inert pluggable element excepted, is confined in a cabinet (1) filled with an inert gas that is maintained under a pressure over the environmental atmospheric pressure, that the connection parts under tension (5) are situated at the bottom of a cylindrical (13) or prismatic housing which communicated with the interior of said cabinet (1)
- Installation according to claim 1, characterised in that said housing (13) is formed in a block of insulating material (3) equipped with a tightness gasket (4) assuring a tight connection between the block and the cabinet (1).
- Installation according to claim 2, characterised in that said insulating block (3) supports the connection parts (5) under tension.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
CH2265/97 | 1997-09-25 | ||
CH02265/97A CH691645A5 (en) | 1997-09-25 | 1997-09-25 | electrical installation for work in environments with a risk of explosion. |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0905820A1 EP0905820A1 (en) | 1999-03-31 |
EP0905820B1 true EP0905820B1 (en) | 2006-03-22 |
Family
ID=4229732
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP19980810789 Expired - Lifetime EP0905820B1 (en) | 1997-09-25 | 1998-08-18 | Electrical installation for use in an environment presenting a risk of explosion |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0905820B1 (en) |
CH (1) | CH691645A5 (en) |
DE (1) | DE69833931T2 (en) |
DK (1) | DK0905820T3 (en) |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3659250A (en) * | 1970-10-14 | 1972-04-25 | Robert F Horton | Electrical connector |
US4192572A (en) * | 1973-10-15 | 1980-03-11 | Amerace Corporation | Electrical connector apparatus |
US4166664A (en) * | 1975-01-24 | 1979-09-04 | Amp Incorporated | High voltage quick disconnect electrical connector assembly |
US4628392A (en) * | 1983-12-20 | 1986-12-09 | Biw Cable Systems, Inc. | Explosion proof electrical connector system with quick power disconnect |
-
1997
- 1997-09-25 CH CH02265/97A patent/CH691645A5/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
1998
- 1998-08-18 DE DE69833931T patent/DE69833931T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1998-08-18 EP EP19980810789 patent/EP0905820B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1998-08-18 DK DK98810789T patent/DK0905820T3/en active
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DK0905820T3 (en) | 2006-07-31 |
DE69833931D1 (en) | 2006-05-11 |
EP0905820A1 (en) | 1999-03-31 |
CH691645A5 (en) | 2001-08-31 |
DE69833931T2 (en) | 2006-12-14 |
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