Method for operating a power distributing apparatus, and power distributing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11101642-B2
Application number	US-201816495926-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2018
Priority date	Mar 23, 2017
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

A power distributing apparatus connecting several loads to a DC voltage supply includes a number of cascaded hierarchy stages connected between the DC voltage supply and the loads. The hierarchy stages define a radial-network-type current path which branches into a number of parallel sub-paths with each additional hierarchy stage. The number of sub-paths connecting the loads corresponds to the number of connected loads. Each sub-path conducts an electric current which can be switched by a respective circuit breaker disposed in each sub-path. The value of a trigger current for each circuit breaker in each hierarchy stage increases successively from the load side toward the DC voltage supply side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operating a power distribution apparatus, comprising:
connecting a plurality of loads to a DC voltage supply by way of serially connected cascaded hierarchy stages connected between the DC voltage supply and the plurality of loads and forming a current path, with the current path formed by the hierarchy stages as a radial network that branches with each additional hierarchy stage into a number of parallel sub-paths such that the number of parallel sub-paths of each hierarchy stage closest to a load side corresponds to a number of connected loads;
switching an electrical current conducted in each sub-path with a respective circuit breaker in the sub-path, with each circuit breaker having an actuation voltage set based on an actual current conducted by the circuit breaker and the hierarchy stage; and
successively increasing a value of a tripping current of the circuit breakers in each hierarchy stage from the load side toward a supply side, wherein the value of the tripping current is set by a voltage value of the actuation voltage.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising dimensioning a tripping time of each circuit breaker based on the respective actuation voltage of the respective circuit breaker.

3. A method for operating a power distribution apparatus, comprising:
connecting a plurality of loads to a DC voltage supple by way of serially connected cascaded hierarchy stages connected between the DC voltage supply and the plurality of loads and forming a current path, with the current path formed by the hierarchy stages as a radial network that branches with each additional hierarchy stage into a number of parallel sub-paths such that the number of parallel sub-paths of each hierarchy stage closest to the load side corresponds to a number of connected loads;
switching an electrical current conducted in each sub-path with a respective circuit breaker in the sub-path, with each circuit breaker having an actuation voltage set based on a setpoint value for a forward voltage the circuit breaker;
successively increasing a value of a tripping current of the circuit breakers in each hierarchy from the load side toward a supply side, wherein the value of the tripping current is set by a voltage value of the actuation voltage; and
comparing the forward voltage to a stored threshold value.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising reducing the actuation voltage based on a stored characteristic curve when the forward voltage reaches or exceeds the stored threshold value.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising varying a course of the stored characteristic curve for different hierarchy stages.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein each hierarchy stage has a different stored threshold value, with the respective different stored threshold value increasing toward the plurality of loads with each subsequent hierarchy stage.

7. The method of claim 3 , further comprising dimensioning a tripping time of each circuit breaker based on the respective actuation voltage of the respective circuit breaker.

8. A method for operating a power distribution apparatus, comprising:
connecting a plurality of loads to a DC voltage supply by way of serially connected cascaded hierarchy stages connected between the DC voltage supply and the plurality of loads and forming a current path, with the current path formed by the hierarchy stages as a radial network that branches with each additional hierarchy stage into a number of parallel sub-paths such that the number of parallel sub-paths of each hierarchy stage closest to the load side corresponds to a number of connected loads;
switching an electrical current conducted in each sub-path with a respective circuit breaker in the sub-path, with each circuit breaker having an actuation voltage set based on a setpoint value for a forward voltage the circuit breaker;
successively increasing a value of a tripping current of the circuit breakers in each hierarchy stage from the load side toward a supply side, wherein the value of the tripping current is set by a voltage value of the actuation voltage;
limiting the actuation voltage to a minimum value, when the forward voltage falls below the setpoint value; and
limiting the actuation voltage to a maximum value, when the forward voltage reaches or exceeds the setpoint value.

9. A power distribution apparatus comprising:
a DC voltage supply,
a plurality of loads connected to the DC voltage supply by way of serially connected cascaded hierarchy stages connected between the DC voltage supply and the plurality of loads and forming a current path, wherein the current path formed by the hierarchy stages is configured as a radial network that branches with each additional hierarchy stage into a number of parallel sub-paths such that the number of parallel sub-paths of each hierarchy stage closest to a load side corresponds to a number of connected loads,
a circuit breaker connected in each sub-path with a respective load and constructed to switch an electrical current conducted in each sub-path, with each circuit breaker having an actuation voltage set based on an actual current conducted by the circuit breaker and the hierarchy stage, and
a controller connected to the circuit breakers and configured to successively increase a value of a tripping current of the circuit breakers in each hierarchy stage from the load side toward a supply side, wherein the value of the tripping current is set by a voltage value of the actuation voltage.

10. A power distribution apparatus comprising:
a DC voltage supply,
a plurality of loads connected to the DC voltage supply by way of serially connected cascaded hierarchy stages connected between the DC voltage supply and the plurality of loads and forming a current path, wherein the current path formed by the hierarchy stages is configured as a radial network that branches with each additional hierarchy stage into a number of parallel sub-paths such that the number of parallel sub-paths of each hierarchy stage closest to a load side corresponds to a number of connected loads,
a circuit breaker connected in each sub-path with a respective load and constructed to switch an electrical current conducted in each sub-path, with each circuit breaker having an actuation voltage set based on setpoint value for a forward voltage the circuit breaker and the hierarchy stage, and
a controller connected to the circuit breakers and configured to successively increase a value of a tripping current of the circuit breakers in each hierarchy stage from the load side toward a supply side, wherein the value of the tripping current is set by a voltage value of the actuation voltage.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Schierling Hubert
• Weis Benno

Classifications

• H02H7/30

  Staggered disconnection · CPC title

• H02J1/00

  Circuit arrangements for DC mains or DC distribution networks · CPC title

• H02H7/26 Primary

  Sectionalised protection of cable or line systems, e.g. for disconnecting a section on which a short-circuit, earth fault, or arc discharge has occured (locating faults in cables G01R31/08) · CPC title

• H02H3/087 Primary

  for DC applications · CPC title

• H02J1/08

  Three-wire DC power distribution systems; Systems having more than three wires · CPC title