METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CURRENT SWITCHING Russian patent published in 2000 - IPC

FIELD: current and voltage limiters, switches, short-circuit protective gear, etc. SUBSTANCE: for electric current switching, electrodes are placed so that spark gap is arranged either fully or partially inside working material such as aerosol capable of evaporating. In case of discharge its energy is accumulated in part of working material in non-heat form which is, essentially, excited metastable state; this energy is then used to disconnect current during phase transition of excited material from conducting to non-conducting state. EFFECT: improved reliability, enlarged range of means for switching electric (mainly heavy-current and high-voltage) circuits. 7 cl, 5 dwg