Circuit protection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11070052-B2
Application number	US-201615387135-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2016
Priority date	Dec 21, 2016
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

A circuit protection system includes a plurality of circuit protection devices and a central controller. Each circuit protection device includes a protection switch for connecting or disconnecting a corresponding protected circuit, and a sensing module for sensing electrical parameter data. The central controller is in communication with each of the circuit protection devices, and is constructed to receive the electrical parameter data; determine whether a fault condition has occurred based on the electrical parameter data; and send a signal to open the protection switch for each protected circuit experiencing a fault condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A circuit protection system, comprising:
a plurality of circuit protection devices for a plurality of protected circuits, each circuit protection device including a protection switch and a sensing module, the protection switch configured to connect or disconnect a corresponding protected circuit, the circuit protection device being configured to transmit electrical power through the corresponding protected circuit to an electrical machine that is particularly associated with the corresponding circuit protection device, the protection switch a solid state switch having a gate, the solid state switch being adapted to interrupt a fault current upon detection of a short-circuit fault current in the corresponding protected circuit, the sensing module connected in series with the protection switch and positioned between the protection switch and a load center, the sensing module adapted to sense electrical parameter data in the corresponding protected circuit; and
a central controller in communication with each of the circuit protection devices, wherein the central controller is electrically coupled to the sensing module of each circuit protection device and constructed to receive, via an analog electric signal, the electrical parameter data from the sensing module of each circuit protection device; determine, from the electrical parameter from the analog signal, whether a short-circuit fault current condition has occurred in the corresponding protected circuit based on the electrical parameter data; and send a digital signal to at least one protection switch of the plurality of circuit protection devices that, based on the determination of the short-circuit fault current condition occurring, opens the protection switch for each protected circuit experiencing a short-circuit fault current condition.

2. The circuit protection system of claim 1 , wherein the central controller is constructed to send a gate drive signal to the gate to open the switch upon the occurrence of a short-circuit fault current condition.

3. The circuit protection system of claim 2 , wherein the protection switch includes a galvanic isolator switch in series with the solid state switch; and wherein the central controller is constructed to send a signal to open the galvanic isolator switch upon the occurrence of the short-circuit fault current condition.

4. The circuit protection system of claim 1 , further comprising an analog communication link between the central controller and each circuit protection device, wherein the analog communication link is operative to transmit the electrical parameter data from each circuit protection device to the central controller, and wherein the protection switch includes a galvanic isolator switch in series with the solid state switch, wherein the central controller is constructed to send a signal that opens both the galvanic isolator switch and the protection switch upon the occurrence of the short-circuit fault current condition.

5. The circuit protection system of claim 1 , further comprising a digital communication link between the central controller and the protection switch of each circuit protection device, wherein the digital communication link is operative to transmit the signal to open the protection switch from the central controller to each protected circuit experiencing the short-circuit fault current condition.

6. The circuit protection system of claim 1 , wherein the central controller includes a backup controller in communication with each of the circuit protection devices, and wherein the backup controller is constructed to receive the electrical parameter data from the sensing module of each circuit protection device; determine whether a short-circuit fault current condition exists based on the circuit condition data; and send a signal to open the protection switch for each protected circuit experiencing a short-circuit fault current condition.

7. The circuit protection system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the circuit protection devices are remote from the central controller.

8. The circuit protection system of claim 1 , further comprising a system controller operative to interface with the central controller, wherein the system controller is operative to turn selected circuit protection devices on or off in response to user commands and/or in response to a utility control input.

9. The circuit protection system of claim 1 , further comprising a user input device coupled to the central controller, wherein the user input device is operative to receive user input for manually directing the opening and closing of the protection switches for at least some of the circuit protection devices, and wherein the central controller is further configured to operate protection switches based on load scheduling.

10. A circuit protection system, comprising:
a plurality of circuit protection devices for a corresponding plurality of protected circuits, each circuit protection device including a protection switch for connecting or disconnecting a corresponding protected circuit, the circuit protection device being configured to transmit electrical power through the corresponding protected circuit to an electrical machine that is particularly associated with the corresponding circuit protection device, the protection switch including a solid state switch having a gate, the solid state switch being adapted to interrupt a fault current upon detection of a short-circuit fault current in the corresponding protected circuit; and including a sensing module connected in series with the protection switch and positioned between the protection switch and a load center, the sensing module adapted to sense electrical parameter data in the corresponding protected circuit;
a central controller;
an analog link electrically coupling the central controller to the sensing module of each circuit protection device, the central controller including a central microcontroller having a protection module operative to determine, based on the sensed electrical parameter data communicated in an electric signal from the sensing module of at least one of the plurality of circuit protective devices to the central controller, whether a short-circuit fault current condition has occurred in the corresponding protected circuit; and
a digital link between the central controller and the protection switch of each circuit protection device to send a digital signal from the central controller to the protection switch for each protected circuit experiencing the short-circuit fault current condition that opens the protection switch, and to send a signal to close the protection switch after the short-circuit fault current condition is removed.

11. The circuit protection system of claim 10 , wherein the electrical parameter data includes voltage and/or current; and wherein the central controller further includes a preprocessing circuit in communication with the sensing module of each circuit protection device via the analog link, and in communication with the central microcontroller, wherein the preprocessing circuit is constructed to preprocess the voltage and/or current provided in an analog electrical signal via the analog link from the sensing module of each circuit protection device and provide preprocessed electrical parameter data to the central microcontroller.

12. The circuit protection system of claim 10 , the central controller further including a control and management module operative to perform smart energy management.

13. The circuit protection system of claim 10 , wherein the digital signal is a gate drive signal operative to open the switch.

14. The ci

Assignees

• Abb Spa

Inventors

• Qi Li
• Du Yu
• Cui Tao

Classifications

• H02H3/066

  Reconnection being a consequence of eliminating the fault which caused disconnection · CPC title

• H02H7/263 Primary

  involving transmissions of measured values (comparison of currents or voltages using pilot wires H02H3/30) · CPC title

• H02H1/0061

  concerning transmission of signals (transmission of measured quantities or switching orders; sectionalised protection involving signal transmission between at least two stations H02H7/261; comparison of the voltage or current values at two spaced portions of a single system H02H3/28; transferring the output of a sensing member to another variable G01D5/00; electrical measuring arrangements using modulation of electromagnetic waves, e.g. light beams G01R15/24, G01R15/26) · CPC title

• H02H3/00

  Emergency protective circuit arrangements for automatic disconnection directly responsive to an undesired change from normal electric working condition with or without subsequent reconnection (specially adapted for specific types of electric machines or apparatus or for sectionalised protection of cable or line systems H02H7/00; systems for change-over to standby supply H02J9/00 ){; integrated protection (for motors H02H7/0822)} · CPC title