METHOD TO DETERMINE THE PRESSURE INSIDE OF A VACUUM INTERRUPTER AND VACUUM INTERRUPTER ITSELF

摘要

The invention relates to a method to determine the pressure inside of a vacuum interrupter for medium or high voltage use wherein at least one fixed contact piece and at least one movable contact piece are arranged inside the technical vacuum of a vacuum interrupter and wherein the contact pieces are electrically connected to external electrical fixation points according to the preamble of claim 1 and 5. In order to to implement a high accuracy pressure sensoring in the rough conditions inside a vacuum interrupter without additional means internally to the vacuum interrupter the external electrical fixation points are connected with an external electrical energy source and that in the disconnected or open position of the vacuum interrupter the effect of a cold cathode vacuum gauge will be used in that the leakage current between the open contacts generates an x ray induced ionization of the rest gas inside the vaccum interrupter and that the resulting current is measured with high resolution in order to determine by this current the restgas pressure inside the vacuum interrupter.