Monitoring device for switching systems

1. A monitoring device for switching systems comprising a contact assembly having at least a movable contact and a kinematic chain for actuating said movable contact and opening/closing said contact assembly comprising:

an accelerometer adapted to be positioned on a moving part of said switching system and capable of determining acceleration data of said moving part;

a control unit comprising:

a first processing unit adapted to receive acceleration data measured by said accelerometer and calculate timing instants of predetermined events and motion parameters related to said switching system;

a second processing unit adapted to receive said timing instants of predetermined events and said motion parameters and to use at least one timing instant and at least one motion parameter to calculate electro-mechanical parameters of said switching system indicative of a status of components of said switching system.

2. The monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein said timing instants of predetermined events is calculated by detecting one or more of the following: abrupt change in the acceleration value, appearance or disappearance of a specific frequency content in the acceleration pattern, increasing above or decreasing below a specific acceleration threshold value, abrupt change in the acceleration direction and/or subsequent change in velocity and/or travel directions.

3. The monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein said predetermined event is selected among one or more of the following: opening of the contact assembly, closing of the contact assembly, start of the movement of said moving part, finish of the movement of said moving part, impact with a damper of said switching system, energization of an actuating coil of said switching system.

4. The monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein said motion parameter is selected among one or more of the following: acceleration, velocity or position of a moving part of said switching system.

5. The monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein said electro/mechanical parameter of said switching system is a contact erosion status and in the said at least one timing instant is contact opening/closing instant and said at least one motion parameter is the movable contact absolute position at said opening/closing instant.

6. The monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein said electro/mechanical parameter of said switching system is a spring travel status of an actuating spring of said switching system, said spring travel status being determined by calculating the difference in the position at the start/end timing instants with the position at the contact opening/closing instants.

7. The monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein said electro/mechanical parameter of said switching system is the movable contact speed at predetermined timing instants.

8. The monitoring device according to claim 7 , wherein said electro/mechanical parameter of said switching system is the movable contact speed at closing/opening.

9. The monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein said electro/mechanical parameter of said switching system is the movable contact over-travel on opening/closing, said over-travel being determined as positions/instants at the timing instant where the velocity change signs.

10. The monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein said electro/mechanical parameter of said switching system is a status of a damping element of said switching system, said status of the damping element being determined as the difference of the position, velocity or timings at the timing instant of hitting the damper and the position, velocity or timings at the timing instant of the next over-travel.

11. A monitoring device for switching systems comprising a contact assembly having at least a movable contact and a kinematic chain for actuating said movable contact and opening/closing said contact assembly comprising:

an accelerometer adapted to be positioned on a moving part of said switching system and capable of determining acceleration data of said moving part;

a control unit comprising:

a first processing unit adapted to receive acceleration data measured by said accelerometer and calculate timing instants of predetermined events and motion parameters related to said switching system;

a second processing unit adapted to receive said timing instants of predetermined events and said motion parameters and to use at least one timing instant and at least one motion parameter to calculate electro-mechanical parameters of said switching system,

further comprising, for each phase, an accelerometer adapted to be positioned on a moving part of each phase of said switching system and capable of determining acceleration data of said moving part, said control unit comprising a third processing unit adapted to determine a difference of a commonality in behavior between the phases.

12. A monitoring device for switching systems comprising a contact assembly having at least a movable contact and a kinematic chain for actuating said movable contact and opening/closing said contact assembly comprising:

a plurality of accelerometers adapted to be positioned at different locations of said kinematic chain of said switching system adapted to be positioned on a moving part of said switching system and capable of determining acceleration data of said moving part;

a control unit comprising:

a first processing unit adapted to receive acceleration data measured by said accelerometers and calculate timing instants of predetermined events and/or motion parameters related to said switching system;

a further accelerometer adapted to be connected to a frame of said switching system and capable of determining acceleration data deriving from full-body movements of said switching system;

a second processing unit adapted to receive said timing instants of predetermined events and/or said motion parameters and to use at least one timing instant and at least one motion parameter and/or at least two timing instants and/or at least two motion parameters to calculate electro/mechanical parameters of said switching system indicative of a status of components of said switching system;

a third processing unit adapted to use acceleration data from the plurality of accelerators to determine a relative motion at a location of said kinematic chain and, using the relative motion, determine a change in a property of said kinematic chain; and

a fourth processing unit adapted to use said acceleration data deriving from full-body movements of said switching system to correct acceleration data of said moving part of said switching system.

13. The monitoring device according to claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of accelerometers adapted to be positioned at different locations of said kinematic chain positions that are connected by a fixed connection.

14. The monitoring device according to claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of accelerometers adapted to be positioned on a single mechanical part on said kinematic chain at positions that are connected by a fixed connection.

15. A monitoring device for switching systems comprising a contact assembly having at least a movable contact and a kinematic chain for actuating said movable contact and opening/closing said contact assembly comprising:

an accelerometer adapted to be positioned on a moving part of said switching system and capable of determining acceleration data of said moving part;

a control unit comprising:

a first processing unit adapted to receive acceleration data measured by said accelerometer and calculate timing instants of predetermined events and motion parameters related to said switching system;

a second processing unit adapted to receive said timing instants of predetermined events and said motion parameters and to use at least one timing instant and at least one motion parameter to calculate electro-mechanical parameters of said switching system,

which further comprises a further accelerometer adapted to be connected to a frame of said switching system and capable of determining acceleration data deriving from full-body movements of said switching system, said control unit comprising a third processing unit adapted to use said acceleration data deriving from full-body movements to correct acceleration data of said moving part of said switching system.

16. A switching system comprising a monitoring device according to claim 1 .

17. A medium voltage switchgear comprising a monitoring device according to claim 1 .

18. A method for monitoring a switching system comprising a contact assembly having at least a movable contact and a kinematic chain for actuating said movable contact and opening/closing said contact assembly comprising:

positioning a first accelerometer on a moving part of said switching system;

positioning a second accelerometer to a frame of said switching system;

determining acceleration data of said moving part;

determining acceleration data deriving from full-body movements of said switching system;

correcting, using acceleration data derived from full-body movements of said switching system, acceleration data of said moving part;

calculating, using said acceleration data, timing instants of predetermined events;

calculating, using said acceleration data, motion parameters related to said switching system;

calculating, using at least one of said timing instants and at least one of said motion parameters, electro/mechanical parameters of said switching system.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein said electro/mechanical parameter of said switching system is a contact erosion status and in that said at least one timing instant is the contact opening/closing instant and said at least one motion parameter is the movable contact absolute position at said opening/closing instant.

20. The method according to claim 18 , wherein said electro/mechanical parameter of said switching system is the movable contact speed at predetermined timing instants and in that said at least one timing instant is the contact closing/opening instant and said at least one motion parameter is the movable contact speed at closing/opening.