Three-source automatic redundant bypass-isolation switches and related power systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10389170-B2
Application number	US-201715632957-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2017
Priority date	Jan 28, 2014
Publication date	Aug 20, 2019
Grant date	Aug 20, 2019

Abstract

Power systems include a housing and an automatic transfer switch (ATS switch) held in the housing, a Bypass switch held in the housing and a control circuit in communication with the ATS switch and the Bypass switch to automatically direct the Bypass switch and the ATS switch to carry out the selective connections to thereby allow automated, redundant power transitions to the system load from three different power sources.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A power system for powering a system load, comprising:
a housing comprising a plurality of internal compartments and at least one front access door;
an automatic transfer switch (ATS switch) held in one of the internal compartments of the housing behind the front access door, wherein the ATS switch is a drawout switch, the ATS switch comprising a first power source contact, a second power source contact and a system load contact, wherein the ATS switch is configured to selectively (i) connect a system load to only a primary power source through a closed state of the first power source contact (ii) connect the system load to only a second power source through a closed state of the second power source contact, and (iii) disconnect the system load from the primary and second power sources with open states of the first and second power source contacts;
a Bypass switch held in a different one of the compartments in the housing above or below the ATS switch, wherein the Bypass switch is a drawout switch, the Bypass switch comprising a first power source contact, a second power source contact and a system load contact, wherein the Bypass switch is configured to selectively (i) connect the system load to only the primary power source through a closed state of the first power source contact, (ii) connect the system load to only a third power source through a closed state of the third power source contact, and (iii) disconnect the system load from the primary and third power sources with open states of the first and third power source contacts; and
a control circuit in communication with the ATS switch and the Bypass switch to automatically direct the Bypass switch and the ATS switch to carry out the selective connections with automated power transitions to the system load from the primary, second and third power sources,
wherein, with the at least one front access door closed, the control circuit identifies one of a locked-in, isolated or removed status of the ATS switch and the Bypass switch, and
wherein the second and third power sources are back-up power sources that power the system load through a corresponding one of the ATS switch or Bypass switch when the primary power source is unavailable or disconnected from the power system or during a test mode.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the Bypass switch and the ATS switch comprises circuit breakers, wherein electrical contact between any two power sources of the primary, and second and third back up power sources to the system load using two of the three contacts of the Bypass switch or the ATS switch is maintained for 100 ms or less when changing a power source between any of the primary, second and third power sources, and wherein the primary power source is a public and/or private power grid.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises at least one processor that identifies one of the locked-in, isolated or removed status of the ATS switch and the Bypass switch and status inputs, including inputs from the Bypass switch, the ATS switch, and the first, second and third power sources, and sends or directs another circuit component to send output control signals including control signals for changing switch selection between the ATS switch and the Bypass switch.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one front door of the housing comprises a lockable access door and sensors that provide input to the control circuit on whether the door is open or closed, and whether the ATS switch and Bypass switch are in the locked-in position.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit supports a plurality of defined power transitions protocols to transfer power between the system load and the first, second and third power sources to allow for different automatic transitions using the ATS switch and the Bypass switch to thereby provide redundancy in power switching and power back-up.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ATS switch and the Bypass switch are configured so that each can be removed from the housing as separate units when the at least one front door is open and when switch connections are in an appropriate disconnect status or position.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ATS switch, the Bypass switch and the control circuit define a three source ATS Bypass switch that can perform one or more of the following: Open transition, Closed transition, Time Delay Neutral, In-Phase transition, and Load Voltage Decay transition from any of the primary, second and third sources to the system load.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ATS switch, the Bypass switch and the control circuit define a three source ATS Bypass switch that can perform Closed/In-Phase Transition default to Time Delay Neutral mode and/or Closed/In-phase Transition default to Load Voltage Decay mode from any of the primary, second and third sources to the system load.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ATS switch, the Bypass switch and the control circuit define a three source ATS Bypass switch that can perform Closed Transition default to Time Delay Neutral mode and/or Closed Transition default to Load Voltage Decay mode from any of the primary, second and third sources to the system load.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ATS switch, the Bypass switch and the control circuit define a three source ATS Bypass switch that can perform In-Phase default to Time Delay Neutral mode and/or In-phase default to Load Voltage Decay mode from any of the primary, second and third sources to the system load.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to provide automatic operation of the ATS switch and the Bypass switch using input signals from and control signals to the ATS switch, the Bypass switch and the primary, second and third power sources, and wherein the automatic operation includes a plurality of the following:
a) starting one of the second and third power sources based on identified predefined conditions;
b) shutting down one of the second or third power sources after a defined time delay;
c) alternating the second and third power sources to act as a primary back up power source based on user input;
d) alternating the second and third power sources to act as a primary back up power source depending on operational time ran;
e) allowing a user settable load or no-load test;
f) identifying a failed or dysfunctional power source and starting another one of the power sources after a defined time; and
g) running a test with a defined test routine on one or more of the power sources and using one or both of the ATS switch and/or Bypass switch based on a programmable calendar to select a test.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ATS switch and Bypass switch are configured to allow manual operation based on a user input to connect the ATS switch and/or Bypass switch to a selectable one of the primary, second or third power source.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to provide all automatic operation of the Bypass switch and the ATS switch so that if the ATS switch has a detected fault based on digital and/or analog input signals of ATS switch status, the control circuit will disconnect the ATS switch and engage the Bypass switch.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to provide all automatic operation of the Bypass switch and the ATS switch so that if the Bypass switch has a detected fault based on digital and/or analog input signals of Bypass switch status the control circuit will disconnect the Bypass switch and engage the ATS switch, and wherein the Bypass switch

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Tomassi Mark Steven

Classifications

• H01H2300/018

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

• H01H9/26

  for interlocking two or more switches ({H01H13/568 takes precedence;} by a detachable member H01H9/28 {; for electromagnetic relays H01H50/323}) · CPC title

• H02J9/061 Primary

  for DC powered loads · CPC title

• Y10T307/62

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic