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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10985603-B2
Application number	US-201916454527-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2019
Priority date	Jan 28, 2014
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

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 system for powering a load, comprising:
a housing;
an automatic transfer switch withdrawably held in or by the housing configured to selectively (i) connect the load to only a first power source (ii) connect the load to only a second power source, and (iii) disconnect the load from the first and second power sources;
a bypass switch withdrawably held in or by the housing configured to selectively (i) connect the load to only the first power source, (ii) connect the load to only a third power source, and (iii) disconnect the load from the first and third power sources; and
a control circuit in communication with the automatic transfer switch and the bypass switch to automatically direct the bypass switch and the automatic transfer switch to carry out the selective connections with power transitions to the load from the first, second and third power sources,
wherein the automatic transfer switch cannot connect to the third power source and the bypass switch cannot connect to the second power source, and wherein, after a respective power transition, only one of the first power source, the second power source or the third power source powers the load, and
wherein the first power source is a public and/or private power grid, wherein the second and third power sources are back-up power sources, and wherein, after a respective power transition, the second or third power sources are only connected to the load when the first power source is unavailable or during a test mode.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bypass switch and the automatic transfer switch each comprise electrical switching apparatus, wherein a closed transition connection between any two power sources of the first, second and third power sources to the load using the bypass switch or the automatic transfer switch is maintained for 100 ms or less during a respective power transition when changing a power source to the load to be a single one power source selected between any of the first, second and third power sources.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bypass switch and the automatic transfer switch comprise at least one circuit breaker or at least one contactor.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises at least one processor that receives a plurality of defined inputs, including inputs from the bypass switch, the automatic transfer switch, and the first, second and third power sources, and sends output control signals and/or directs another circuit component to send output control signals for changing an operative status of the automatic transfer switch and/or the bypass switch.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the automatic transfer switch and the bypass switch each have three defined positions relative to the housing including a locked-in position, an isolation position in the housing and a removed position, wherein the housing comprises at least one lockable access door and a plurality of sensors that provide input to the control circuit on whether the at least one lockable access door is open or closed, whether the automatic transfer switch is in the locked-in position, or whether the bypass switch is in the locked-in position.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the automatic transfer switch and the bypass switch reside adjacent each other in different compartments of the housing and are configured so that each can be independently and separately removed from the housing as separate units.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the automatic transfer switch, the bypass switch and the control circuit performs one or more of the following for a respective power transition: open transition, closed transition, time delay neutral, in-phase transition, and load voltage decay transition from any of the first, second or third power sources to power the load.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the automatic transfer switch, the bypass switch and the control circuit performs respective power transitions using a 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 first, second or third power sources to power the load.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the automatic switch, the bypass switch and the control circuit perform closed transition default to time delay neutral mode and/or closed transition default to load voltage decay mode as a respective power transition from any of the first, second or third power sources to power the load.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the automatic transfer switch, the bypass switch and the control circuit perform in-phase default to time delay neutral mode and/or in-phase default to load voltage decay mode as a respective power transition from any of the first, second or third power sources to power the load.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to provide automatic operation of the automatic transfer switch and the bypass switch using input signals from and control signals to the automatic transfer switch, the bypass switch and the first, second and third power sources, and wherein the control circuit is configured to carry out a plurality of the following:
a) starting one or two 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 load or no-load test with a defined test routine on one or more of the power sources and using one or both of the automatic transfer switch or bypass switch based on a programmable calendar to select a test.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to provide all automatic operation of the bypass switch and the automatic transfer switch so that if the automatic transfer switch has a detected fault based on digital and/or analog input signals of switch status, the control circuit disconnects the automatic transfer switch and engages the bypass switch.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to provide all automatic operation of the bypass switch and the automatic transfer 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 disconnects the bypass switch and engages the automatic transfer switch, and wherein the bypass switch is configured to handle a 100% power connection to the load with an operational time of 30% or greater, on average.

14. An assembly comprising:
a housing;
an automated transfer switch (ATS) held in or by the housing and configured to connect a load to a first power source or a second power source;
a bypass switch held in or by the housing and configured to connect the load to the first power source or a third power source; and
a control circuit in communication with the ATS and the bypass switch, wherein the control circuit is configured to selectively connect a single one of the first, second, or third power sources to the load such that, after a power transition, only the connected single one of the first, second or third power sources powers the load using one of the ATS or bypass switch, wherein the control circuit is further c

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