High-current vacuum switching devices for power energy storages

The series of new vacuum switching devices for the commutation of power energy storage has been developed. To provide reliable and fast commutation of capacitor type energy storages a new type of triggered vacuum switch (TVS) of sealed off design has been developed-the RVU-43. This switch provides commutation of current pulses with peak value up to 250 kA at working voltage up to 25 kV, with transferred charge in a pulse up to 120 C. Wide range of operating voltage and low switching voltage level permit to use RVU-43 in the crowbar operation mode to apply mono-polar pulses in the inductance load. Small straggling of triggering delay time provides synchronous parallel switching of TVS on a load, and also series connection of TVSs. Results of TVS tests are presented. The opportunity to increase its limit parameters is discussed. Several types of DC vacuum circuit-breakers were developed to provide commutation of power inductive energy storages with switched currents up to 50 kA with voltage 30-100 kV. Possibility of series and parallel connections of DC circuit-breakers were investigated.