High Voltage Relay Designs by GIGAVAC - Today’s expert in high voltage relays

<body> <h2><br> HIGH VOLTAGE RELAY DESIGNS</h2> <p class="regularblack12">Below is a discussion of typical high voltage relay designs used by GIGAVAC for high voltage switching applications. Click <strong><a href="../physics/middle.htm" target="_parent">physics of vacuum and gas filled relays</a></strong> to learn more about high voltage relays. GIGAVAC’s HV relays are sealed, providing rugged, small, and efficient high voltage designs for most demanding applications.</p> <h1>Internal Armature Style</h1> <p class="regularblack12">Figure 1 is a typical GIGAVAC design used for much high voltage, high current relay applications. The armature is inside the vacuum or gas filled sealed ceramic envelope, and the coil below is outside the sealed switching chamber. This is a double throw relay using tungsten / molybdenum contacts such as used those used in the GIGAVAC G8, G50, and G61 relays. Copper contacts can also be used as in the GIGAVAC G2 and G52 relays. When power is applied to the coil, the magnetic filed is transferred through a pole inside the coil to the armature that is inside the sealed switching chamber, which moves the common contact to the normally open contacts. A spring inside the sealed chamber returns the moving contact to the normally closed contact when coil voltage is removed...</p> <p align="center" class="regularblack12"><img src="../../../images/apps/figure-a-1.gif" alt="Internal Armature Style" width="120" height="220"><br> <span class="bluebold11">Fig. 1</span><span class="gray11">, GIGAVAC Internal Armature style,<br> Double Throw relay design</span></p> <h1> <br> Diaphragm Style</h1> <p class="regularblack12">Figure 2 & 3 show the GIGAVAC diaphragm style relays. The contacts are sealed in a chamber at the top of the relay. The chamber is sealed with a braze joint at the top, and with a diaphragm below. The external high voltage connections are integral to the braze seal. The relay armature is below the sealed chamber and is not shown. When power is applied to the coil, the armature moves, and a ceramic insulating rod that is attached to the diaphragm moves the common contact to the normally open contact (a small rod) inside the sealed chamber. Figure 2 is a single throw, normally open configuration. The top contact (A3) is open and the moving contact (A2) is below.</p> <p class="regularblack12">Figure 3 is a double throw relay. The normally open contact is at the top, the normally closed contact is in the center, and the moving contact is at the bottom. For this relay, the sealed chamber extends from the top of the relay down to the diaphragm that is the moving contact. Both the normally open and normally closed contacts are in the same sealed chamber.</p> <table width="540" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td align="left" valign="bottom"><p align="center" class="regularblack12"><img src="../../../images/apps/figure-a-2.gif" alt="Single Throw relay design" width="70" height="272"><br> <span class="bluebold11">Fig. 2</span><span class="gray11">, GIGAVAC Diaphragm Style,<br> Single Throw relay design</span></p></td> <td align="right" valign="bottom"><p align="center" class="regularblack12"><img src="../../../images/apps/figure-a-3.gif" alt="Double Throw relay design" width="70" height="322"><br> <span class="bluebold11">Fig. 3</span><span class="gray11">, GIGAVAC Diaphragm Style,<br> Double Throw relay design</span></p></td> </tr> </table> <h1> <br> G81 Package Design</h1> <p class="regularblack12">Figure 4 is the GIGAVAC G81 style relay. For this relay, the GIGAVAC G41 relay (Fig. 2 or 3) is packaged inside a cup that provides more mounting and high voltage terminal options. Because contacts of the GIGAVAC G41 are in a vacuum, the contacts can withstand more high voltage than the distance between the external terminals. By potting the GIGAVAC G41 relay inside the GIGAVAC G81 cup, the high voltage capabilities are greatly improved. GIGAVAC packages many relays for this same reason, such as the GIGAVAC G60 relay (figure 1 style) to make the G61 relay.</p> <p align="center" class="regularblack12"><img src="../../../images/apps/figure-a-4.gif" alt="G81 package" width="270" height="131"><br> <span class="bluebold11">Fig. 4</span><span class="gray11">, GIGAVAC G81 package,<br> using GIGAVAC Diaphragm Style, Double Throw relay design.</span></p> </body>