ABSTRACT
Rapid development of electric technologies applying high voltages (power lasers, industrial accelerators, high-frequency metal and dielectric heating, etc.), use of powerful electronic equipment operating under high voltages (radar, TV, and radio transmitters) and also the need for systems for testing insulation of electrical devices of different voltage levels, were the causes that bought about the spread of high-voltage (HV) relays, operating under voltages from 5 to 300 kV and higher. Such relays can be divided into two groups: relays with HV insulation for all current-carrying elements switching high voltages, and relays with low-voltage (LV) contacts and high voltage insulation between the input elements (control coil) and the output ones (contacts). The second group marks a new direction in construction of relays, founded by the author in the 1970-80’s. In fact, the founding of new directions in engineering is quite a rare phenomenon. Tens of patents and articles in technical-scientific journals published in the Ukraine and Russia and translated in the U.S.A. provide additional evidence of the author’s precedence in founding this new direction in relay construction. His latest research in this field is published in his book, Protection Devices and Systems for High-Voltage Applications (Gurevich, V. 2003). The relays of the first group are applied in equipment similar to the relays described above (only under higher voltages), while relays of the second group have a more specific field of application: these are insulating interfaces designed for transmission of control instructions, alarm signaling and protection (over-current) of components of equipment operating under high potential differences. Relays switching high voltages can be divided into contact, solid-state (semiconductor),
and cathode-ray ones. Contact HV relays may be open or sealed (gas-filled or vacuum), and also reed ones.
