Novel Deformable Beam Load Break Switch for Sustainable SF ₆ -free Switchgear

The transition to SF<inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">6</inf>-free switchgear creates an urgent demand for energy-efficient actuation systems capable of high-speed, reliable, and precise switching. The ban on SF<inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">6</inf> necessitates alternative arc extinguishing techniques, each requiring distinct energy and speed profiles-challenges that conventional single spring-based actuators cannot meet. This paper presents a novel deformable beam-based actuation system customized for each switching mode with separate energy storage sources. The proposed design enables optimized energy delivery and switching speed. System performance was validated with a physical demonstrator, achieving target speeds with less than 1% error with multibody dynamics (MBD) simulation. The results highlight the deformable beam actuator as a lightweight, scalable, and sustainable solution for next-generation SF<inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">6</inf>-free switchgear.