Optimal Design and Dynamic Analysis of a Spring-Actuated Cam-Linkage Mechanism in a Vacuum Circuit Breaker

Abstract

This study attempted to establish an optimal design and perform dynamic analysis for a spring-actuated cam-linkage composite mechanism in a rated 12 kV, 25 kA vacuum circuit breaker (VCB). The optimal design of the VCB mechanism involves two steps: the first step involves the optimal design of the stiffness of closing springs and the cam profile, based on three-order polynomial motion curve of the follower; the second step involves the optimal design of a four-bar linkage. To minimize the surplus work in the VCB operating mechanism, the overall difference between the general output force and general resistant force of the VCB operating mechanism during the closing operation was adopted as the objective function to be minimized. Furthermore, the differential evolution algorithm with the golden ratio (DE-gr), an efficient and accuracy metaheuristic algorithm, was employed as the optimization method. The dynamic analysis of the optimal operating mechanism was conducted using a MATLAB-coded program and verified by the multibody dynamic software MSC-ADAMS. The dynamic analysis revealed that the optimal design of the VCB mechanism can considerably decrease the average closing velocity of the movable contact and the Hertz stress between the contact surface of the cam and the roller follower.