Circuit breaker unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12597765-B2
Application number	US-202418426654-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2024
Priority date	Aug 4, 2021
Publication date	Apr 7, 2026
Grant date	Apr 7, 2026

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a circuit breaker unit having a circuit breaker for connection of at least two electrical networks. The circuit breaker unit has a control unit for monitoring voltages of the networks and/or at least one current through the circuit breaker. In the event of one of the fault scenarios, overvoltage or undervoltage in one of the networks or overcurrent across the circuit breaker, the controller separates the two networks from one another. The circuit breaker includes at least one controllable first resistor, a controllable second resistor, and a controllable third resistor. The control unit is configured, in the event of a fault scenario in one of the networks, to adjust the values of the resistors so that the networks are separated from one another and so that the voltage in the fault-free network remains within predefined limits.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A circuit breaker unit comprising:
a circuit breaker for connecting at least two electrical systems, the at least two electrical systems include a first electrical system and a second electrical system, the circuit breaker includes:
at least one variable first resistance,
at least one variable second resistance,
at least one variable third resistance, and
a common node, all three resistances are in each case directly or indirectly connected at the common node, the first resistance is directly or indirectly connected to the first electrical system and the second resistance is directly or indirectly connected to the second electrical system, the third resistance is connected to a reference potential; and
a control unit configured to monitor voltages of the electrical systems and/or at least one current through the circuit breaker and to disconnect the two electrical systems from one another by way of the circuit breaker when a fault case of overvoltage or undervoltage in one of the electrical systems or overcurrent occurs, wherein when a fault case occurs in one of the electrical systems, the control unit adjusts values of the resistances such that the electrical systems are disconnected from one another and that the voltage in a fault-free electrical system remains within predetermined limits, and wherein when the control unit adjusts the values of the resistances such that the electrical systems are disconnected from one another and the voltage in the fault-free electrical system remains within predetermined limits, it actuates at least occasionally at least one of the resistances depending on values, which were detected or provided in predetermined time steps, for the voltage of the fault-free electrical system and/or for the voltage of the faulty electrical system and/or for the at least one current, such that the at least one resistance functions as a continuous linear controller.

2 . The circuit breaker unit of claim 1 , wherein an inductance is arranged in series to the first resistance of the circuit breaker and/or an inductance is arranged in series to the second resistance of the circuit breaker.

3 . The circuit breaker unit of claim 1 , wherein in fault-free case, the control unit sets the first resistance and the second resistance to low resistance and sets the third resistance to high resistance.

4 . The circuit breaker unit of claim 2 , wherein when the fault case of undervoltage occurs in one of the electrical systems, the control unit sets the first or second resistance connected to the fault-free electrical system to high resistance and shortly after the control unit sets the third resistance to low resistance.

5 . The circuit breaker unit of claim 1 , wherein when the fault case of overcurrent occurs in one of the electrical systems, the control unit increases the first or second resistance connected to the fault-free electrical system and sets the third resistance to low resistance.

6 . The circuit breaker unit of claim 1 ,
wherein when the fault case of overvoltage occurs in one of the electrical systems, the control unit adjusts the resistance which is connected to the faulty electrical system such that an undervoltage caused by a line inductance in the fault-free electrical system on a side of the fault-free electrical system does not fall below the predetermined limits for the voltage, and wherein the third resistance remains at or is set to high resistance and the resistance connected to the fault-free electrical system is likewise set to high resistance after a dissipation of a current in the line inductance.

7 . The circuit breaker unit of claim 1 , wherein the resistances are formed as semiconductor components.

8 . The circuit breaker unit of claim 7 , wherein the semiconductor components are transistors including MOSFETs, bipolar transistors, IGBTs, GaN HEMTs and/or SiC semiconductors.

9 . The circuit breaker unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least two connected electrical systems supply the circuit breaker unit with power redundantly.

10 . The circuit breaker unit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the resistances is designed redundantly.

11 . A method for operating a circuit breaker connecting a group of electrical systems, the group of electrical systems includes at least one first electrical system and one second electrical system, the method comprising:
providing one variable first resistance, one variable second resistance, and one variable third resistance, the first resistance is directly or indirectly connected to the first electrical system and the second resistance is directly or indirectly connected to the second electrical system, the third resistance is connected to a reference potential; providing a common node, all three resistances are in each case directly or indirectly connected at the common node; monitoring, at a control unit, voltages of the electrical systems and/or at least one current through the circuit breaker; and when a fault case of overvoltage or undervoltage in one of the electrical systems or overcurrent occurs, adjusting values of the resistances by way of the circuit breaker such that the electrical systems are disconnected from one another and that the voltage in a fault-free electrical system remains within predetermined limits, and wherein the adjustment of the values of the resistances such that the electrical systems are disconnected from one another and that the voltage in the fault-free electrical system remains within predetermined limits includes at least one of the resistances being actuated at least occasionally depending on values, which were detected or provided in predetermined time steps, for the voltage of the fault-free electrical system and/or for the voltage of the faulty electrical system and/or for the at least one current, such that the at least one resistance functions as a continuous linear controller.

12 . A control unit for operating a circuit breaker that connects a group of electrical system, the group of electrical systems includes at least one first electrical system and one second electrical system, the control unit executing a method comprising:
monitoring voltages of the electrical systems and/or at least one current through the circuit breaker, wherein a first variable resistance is directly or indirectly connected to the first electrical system and a second variable resistance is directly or indirectly connected to the second electrical system, a third variable resistance is connected to a reference potential, and all three resistances are in each case directly or indirectly connected at a common node; and when a fault case of overvoltage or undervoltage in one of the electrical systems or overcurrent occurs, adjusting values of the resistances by way of the circuit breaker such that the electrical systems are disconnected from one another and that the voltage in a fault-free electrical system remains within predetermined limits, and wherein the adjustment of the values of the resistances such that the electrical systems are disconnected from one another and that the voltage in the fault-free electrical system remains within predetermined limits includes at least one of the resistances being actuated at least occasionally depending on values, which were detected or provided in predetermined time steps, for the voltage of the fault-free electrical system and/or for the voltage of a faulty electrical system and/or for the at least one current, such that the at least one resistance functions as a continuous linear controller.

Assignees

• Vitesco Tech Gmbh

Inventors

• Gietl Rainer
• Götzenberger Martin

Classifications

• H02H7/268

  for DC systems · CPC title

• H02H3/087 Primary

  for DC applications · CPC title