Hydraulic operating mechanisms for high voltage circuit breakers: Progress evolution and future trends

High voltage circuit breakers are the most important protection and control apparatus in power system. As a core part of circuit breakers, the operating mechanisms have a trend to be hydraulic-style in high voltage power grid. Compared with other hydranlic systems, the hydraulic operating mechanisms have the characteristics of high hydraulic pressure, high speed, high power and long-term waiting etc., and it is because of the characteristics that the hydraulic operating mechanisms become dif- ficult to be developed and have been arousing significant study interest from more and more researchers as well as their promising applications. Therefore, it is significant to summarize the hydraulic operating mechanisms on their development, characteristics, and key technologies etc. In this review, the evolution process and recent studies of hydraulic operating mechanisms at home and abroad are viewed. The review then focuses on the characteristics and key technologies of hydraulic operating mechanisms, especially on time and velocity characteristics, high-speed cylinder cushioning, fast response and great flow rate control valve, temperature compensation, system monitoring and fault diagnosis, intelligent operation, energy storage module, etc. In the end, the future trends of this field are presented.