Methods and systems for autonomous redundant control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10148072-B2
Application number	US-201615046142-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2016
Priority date	Feb 17, 2016
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

An automatic autonomous redundant switch configured for providing energy from either a first power source or a second power source to a load is provided. The automatic switch includes a first automatic transfer switch (ATS) and a second ATS. The automatic switch further includes an interconnecting bus configured to connect the first ATS and the second ATS, and at least one controller configured to control the operation of the first ATS and the second ATS. Still further, the first ATS and the second ATS each include a respective transfer-switch mechanism, a respective bus attachment configured to connect to the interconnecting bus, and a respective motorized rack-out mechanism having a powered actuator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic switch configured to provide energy from either a first power source or a second power source to a load, the automatic switch comprising:
a first automatic transfer switch (ATS);
a second ATS;
an interconnecting bus configured to connect the first ATS and the second ATS; and
at least one controller configured to control the operation of the first ATS and the second ATS,
wherein the first ATS and the second ATS each include:
a respective transfer-switch mechanism;
a respective bus attachment configured to connect to the interconnecting bus; and
a respective motorized rack-out mechanism having a powered actuator, wherein the respective motorized rack-out mechanism is configured to move the respective transfer-switch mechanism between (i) a connected position in which the respective bus attachment is connected to the respective transfer-switch mechanism and (ii) an isolated position in which the respective bus attachment is isolated from the respective transfer-switch mechanism,

wherein the first ATS is connected to the first power source or the second power source, and wherein the controller is further configured to:
detect a failure condition in the first ATS; and
in response to detecting the failure condition, automatically complete a failover sequence to move the transfer-switch mechanism of the first ATS to the isolated position and connect the second ATS to the first power source or the second power source.

2. The automatic switch of claim 1 , wherein the respective motorized rack-out mechanism is further configured to move the respective transfer-switch mechanism to a test position between the connected position and the isolated position.

3. The automatic switch of claim 2 , wherein the respective transfer-switch mechanism comprises a respective first main switch configured to connect the first power source to the load upon closing of the respective first main switch and (ii) a respective second main switch configured to connect the second power source to the load upon closing of the respective second main switch, and
wherein the respective transfer-switch mechanism is configured to operate (i) in a first mode in which the respective first main switch is closed, (ii) in a second mode in which the respective second main switch is closed, and (iii) in a third mode in which both the respective first main switch and the respective second main switch are open.

4. The automatic switch of claim 1 , wherein the respective transfer-switch mechanism comprises a plurality of isolation connectors, and wherein the respective bus attachment comprises a corresponding plurality of bus stab structures.

5. The automatic switch of claim 1 , wherein the respective powered actuator is selected from the group consisting of a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator, an electric actuator, and a stored-energy actuator.

6. The automatic switch of claim 1 , wherein the first ATS and the second ATS each include a respective manual actuator.

7. The automatic switch of claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to:
receive an input to isolate a selected ATS of the first ATS and the second ATS; and
in response to receiving the input to isolate the selected ATS, (i) determine respective positions of the first ATS and the second ATS, (ii) cause the respective transfer-switch mechanisms of the first ATS and the second ATS to each operate in an appropriate mode for isolating the selected ATS, and (iii) cause the motorized rack-out mechanism of the selected ATS to move the transfer-switch mechanism of the selected ATS to the isolated position.

8. The automatic switch of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
detect a failure condition in the second ATS; and
in response to detecting the failure condition, automatically complete a failover sequence to move the transfer-switch mechanism of the second ATS to the isolated position and connect the first ATS to the first power source or the second power source.

9. The automatic switch of claim 1 , wherein controlling the operation of the first ATS and the second ATS comprises:
for each ATS, controlling an operation mode of the respective transfer-switch mechanism and controlling a position of the respective motorized rack-out mechanism.

10. The automatic switch of claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller configured to control the operation of the first ATS and the second ATS comprises:
a first controller for the first ATS; and
a second controller for the second ATS.

11. The automatic switch of claim 10 , wherein the first and second controllers each comprise a respective control panel, wherein the respective control panel comprises (i) at least one respective user input for automatically controlling an operation mode of the respective transfer-switch mechanism and (ii) at least one respective user input for automatically controlling a position of the respective rack-out mechanism.

12. The automatic switch of claim 11 , wherein the at least one respective user input for automatically controlling an operation mode of the respective transfer-switch mechanism comprises an input for closing respective first main switch contacts, an input for closing respective second main switch contacts, and an input for opening the respective first main switch contacts and the respective second main switch contacts.

13. The automatic switch of claim 11 , wherein the at least one respective user input for automatically controlling a position of the respective rack-out mechanism comprises an input to move the respective transfer-switch mechanism to a connected position, an input to move the respective transfer-switch mechanism to a test position, and an input to move the respective transfer-switch mechanism to an isolated position.

14. A method for automatic failover and redundant switching, the method comprising:
an automatic switch detecting a malfunction of a first automatic transfer switch (ATS), wherein the automatic switch comprises the first ATS, a second ATS, a motorized rack-out mechanism, and an interconnecting bus configured to connect the first ATS and the second ATS;
in response to detecting the malfunction of the first ATS, the automatic switch automatically releasing racking interlocks of the first ATS and the motorized rack-out mechanism of the automatic switch automatically moving the first ATS to an isolated position in which a bus attachment of the first ATS configured to connect to the interconnecting bus is isolated from a transfer-switch mechanism of the first ATS; and
the automatic switch resuming operation by operating the second ATS in place of the first ATS.

Assignees

• Asco Power Technologies Lp
• Asco Power Technologies Lp

Inventors

• Dolinski Walter
• Blackman Donald K
• Bonachea Victor E

Classifications

• H01H3/22

  Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism · CPC title

• H02B11/12 Primary

  with isolation by horizontal withdrawal · CPC title

• H02J9/06

  with automatic change-over {, e.g. UPS systems} · CPC title

• H02B11/127

  Withdrawal mechanism · CPC title

• H01H2300/018

  Application transfer; between utility and emergency power supply · CPC title