A high-power oilless circuit interrupter using water

The oil circuit breaker has been for many years the standard type of circuit interrupter for heavy-duty powerhouse service. Since the introduction of modern arc-rupturing devices into these circuit breakers, the occurrence of serious trouble attributable directly to oil switch-gear failure has been rare. However, the appearance on the market of various types of oilless circuit breakers of considerable interrupting capacity has encouraged the idea that the complete elimination of oil in power house switchgear may be both desirable and practicable. Further experimental investigation and development activity on the part of switchgear manufacturers seems to indicate that currents of 60,000 amperes or more at 13,200 volts can be interrupted satisfactorily in circuit breakers using either air or water as the arc-quenching medium. This paper describes the construction and operating characteristics of a high-power water circuit breaker.