Isolating gas-insulated bus arrangements for switchgear

Abstract

A switchgear assembly includes a plurality of switches arranged in a row and a plurality of gas insulated bus assemblies arranged in a row parallel to the row of switches. The bus assemblies have gas containment enclosures with respective bus sections therein electrically connected to one another by first connectors outside of the gas containment enclosures and electrically connected to respective ones of the switches by second connectors outside of the gas containment enclosures.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A switchgear assembly comprising:
 first and second parallel rows of switches;   first and second rows of gas containment enclosures arranged parallel to respective ones of the first and second rows of switches; and   respective conductive bus sections disposed in respective ones of the gas containment enclosures, wherein the conductive bus sections in the first row of gas containment enclosures are connected to the first row of switches and wherein the conductive bus sections in the second row of gas containment enclosures are connected to the second row of switches.   
     
     
         2 . The switchgear assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive bus sections in the first row of gas containment enclosures are interconnected by external first connectors on the gas containment enclosures of the first row of gas containment enclosures and wherein the conductive bus sections in the second row of gas containment enclosures are interconnected by external second connectors on the gas containment enclosures of the second row of gas containment enclosures. 
     
     
         3 . The switchgear assembly of  claim 2 , wherein respective ones of the conductive bus sections in the first row of gas containment enclosures are connected to respective switches of the first row of switches by external third connectors on the gas containment enclosures of the first row of gas containment enclosures, and wherein respective ones of the conductive bus sections in the second row of gas containment enclosures are connected to respective switches of the second row of switches by external fourth connectors on the gas containment enclosures of the second row of gas containment enclosures. 
     
     
         4 . The switchgear assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the gas containment enclosures comprise respective tubular enclosures that contain the bus sections and are arranged end to end, and wherein the first and second connectors are positioned at end faces of the tubular enclosures. 
     
     
         5 . The switchgear assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the gas containment enclosures each have first and second end faces perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tubular enclosures, wherein the bus sections extend parallel to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the first and second connectors are disposed at the end faces. 
     
     
         6 . The switchgear assembly of  claim 2 , wherein gas containment enclosures each contain a single bus section. 
     
     
         7 . The switchgear assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the bus sections in the respective first and second rows of gas containment enclosures provide respective different phases. 
     
     
         8 . The switchgear assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the switches are gas insulated. 
     
     
         9 . The switchgear assembly of  claim 1 , wherein gas containment enclosures each contain a single bus section. 
     
     
         10 . The switchgear assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bus sections in the respective first and second rows of gas containment enclosures provide respective different phases. 
     
     
         11 . The switchgear assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the switches are gas insulated. 
     
     
         12 . A switchgear assembly comprising:
 first and second parallel rows of gas containment enclosures; and   respective conductive bus sections disposed in respective ones of the gas containment enclosures, wherein the conductive bus sections in the first row of gas containment enclosures are interconnected by external first connectors on the gas containment enclosures of the first row of gas containment enclosures and wherein the conductive bus sections in the second row of gas containment enclosures are interconnected by external second connectors on the gas containment enclosures of the second row of gas containment enclosures.   
     
     
         13 . The switchgear assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising first and second rows of switches arranged parallel to respective ones of the first and second rows of gas containment enclosures, wherein the conductive bus sections in the first row of gas containment enclosures are connected to the first row of switches and wherein the conductive bus sections in the second row of gas containment enclosures are connected to the second row of switches. 
     
     
         14 . The switchgear assembly of  claim 13 , wherein respective ones of the conductive bus sections in the first row of gas containment enclosures are connected to respective switches of the first row of switches by external third connectors on the gas containment enclosures of the first row of gas containment enclosures, and wherein respective ones of the conductive bus sections in the second row of gas containment enclosures are connected to respective switches of the second row of switches by external fourth connectors on the gas containment enclosures of the second row of gas containment enclosures. 
     
     
         15 . The switchgear assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the switches are gas insulated. 
     
     
         16 . The switchgear assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the gas containment enclosures comprise respective tubular enclosures that contain the bus sections and are arranged end to end, and wherein the first and second connectors are positioned at end faces of the tubular enclosures. 
     
     
         17 . The switchgear assembly of  claim 12 , wherein gas containment enclosures each contain a single bus section. 
     
     
         18 . The switchgear assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the bus sections in the respective first and second rows of gas containment enclosures provide respective different phases.