Robust solid-state circuit protection apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016254658-A1
Application number	US-201514632356-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 26, 2015
Priority date	Feb 26, 2015
Publication date	Sep 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A solid-state zero current switching circuit breaker is configured to interrupt current flow between a voltage input and a load. The solid-state zero current switching circuit breaker includes at least one resonant capacitor cell having an input configured to receive a source voltage and an output configured to deliver drive current to the load. The resonant capacitor cell is configured to selectively limit the drive current to the output based on a variable voltage. The solid-state zero current switching circuit breaker further includes at least one voltage clamping switch configured to detect a short-circuit fault or an overload condition. The voltage clamping switch adjusts the variable voltage in response to detecting the short-circuit fault condition or the overload condition such that the resonant capacitor cell limits the drive current.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A solid-state zero current switching circuit breaker configured to interrupt current flow between a voltage input and a load, the solid-state zero current switching circuit breaker comprising:
at least one resonant capacitor cell including an input configured to receive a source voltage and an output configured to deliver drive current to the load, the at least one resonant capacitor cell configured to selectively limit the drive current to the output based on a variable voltage; and at least one voltage clamping switch configured to detect a short-circuit fault or an overload condition and to adjust the variable voltage in response to detecting the short-circuit fault condition such that the at least one resonant capacitor cell limits the drive current.

2 . The solid-state zero current switching circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the at least one resonant capacitor cell includes at least one semiconductor device configured to deliver the drive current to the output when voltage across the at least one semiconductor switch exceeds a voltage threshold and to limit the drive current when voltage across the at least one semiconductor switch is below the voltage threshold.

3 . The solid-state zero current switching circuit breaker of claim 2 , wherein the at least one voltage clamping switch is a current-direction controllable semiconductor device configured to selectively operate in one of an activated mode or a deactivated mode based on the short-circuit fault condition.

4 . The solid-state zero current switching circuit breaker of claim 3 , wherein the activated mode maintains the voltage across the at least one semiconductor device below the voltage threshold such that the drive current is limited.

5 . The solid-state zero current switching circuit breaker of claim 4 , wherein the at least one voltage clamping switch determines the short-circuit condition exists when a voltage differential across the at least one voltage clamping switch exceeds a fault voltage threshold, and determines the short-circuit condition does not exist when the voltage differential is at or below the fault voltage threshold.

6 . The solid-state zero current switching circuit breaker of claim 5 , wherein the at least one semiconductor device includes a plurality of thyristors arranged as a bridge rectifier circuit, each of the thyristors including a gate terminal and at least one of the thyristors configured to inhibit the drive current in response to terminating a gate signal to the gate terminal.

7 . The solid-state zero current switching circuit breaker of claim 6 , wherein the bridge rectifier circuit comprises:
a first positive-side thyristor having an anode connected to the input and a cathode connected to a first terminal of a resonance capacitor; a second positive-side thyristor having an anode connected to the input and a cathode connected to an opposite terminal of the resonance capacitor; a third positive-side thyristor having an anode connected to the first terminal of the resonance capacitor and a cathode connected to the output; and a fourth positive-side thyristor having an anode connected to the opposite terminal of the resonance capacitor and a cathode connected to the output.

8 . The solid-state zero current switching circuit breaker of claim 7 , wherein the bridge rectifier circuit further includes controllable inductor connected between the resonance capacitor and the second positive-side thyristor, the controllable inductor selectively operable in a passive mode and a full inductance mode to limit a level of current through the second positive-side thyristor based on capacitor current level flowing through the resonant capacitor.

9 . The solid-state zero current switching circuit breaker of claim 8 , wherein the controllable inductor initiates the passive mode and the full inductance mode in response to an electronic control signal, the passive mode generating a first inductance and the full inductance mode generating a second inductance that is greater than the first inductance.

10 . A solid-state circuit protection system, comprising:
a first resonant capacitor cell having a positive-side input connected to a positive voltage source and a positive-side output connected to a positive-side output terminal, the first resonant capacitor cell including plurality of positive-side semiconductor devices configured to deliver a first drive current to the positive-side output, and at least one positive-side controllable inductor configured to selectively limit a level of the first drive current flowing through at least one of the positive-side semiconductor devices; a second resonant capacitor cell having an negative-side input connected to a negative voltage source and a negative-side output connected to a negative-side output terminal, the second resonant capacitor cell including plurality of negative-side semiconductor devices configured to deliver a second drive current to the negative-side output, and at least one negative-side controllable inductor configured to selectively limit a level of the second drive current flowing through at least one of the negative-side semiconductor devices; and an electronic circuit breaker control module in signal communication with the positive-side resonant capacitor cell and the negative-side resonant capacitor cell, the circuit breaker control module configured to monitor a current level of at least one of the first and second drive currents, and to initiate at least one of the positive-side and negative-side controllable inductors from the passive mode into the full inductance mode in response to a current level of the first and second drive current, respectively, exceeding a current level threshold.

11 . The solid-state circuit protection system of claim 10 , wherein the first resonant capacitor cell and the second resonant capacitor cell are each configured to selectively limit the drive current to the first and second outputs, respectively, based on first and second variable voltages, respectively.

12 . The solid-state circuit protection system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a first voltage clamping switch that is activated in response to a short-circuit fault or an overload condition and is configured to vary the first variable voltage applied to the first resonant capacitor cell when activated such that the first resonant capacitor cell limits the drive current to the positive-side output; and a second voltage clamping switch that is activated in response to the short-circuit fault or an overload condition and is configured to vary the second variable voltage applied to the second resonant capacitor cell when activated such that the second resonant capacitor cell limits the drive current to the negative-side output.

13 . The solid-state circuit protection system of claim 12 , wherein the circuit breaker control module generates a control signal that continuously switches on and off at least one positive-side semiconductor device to limit the positive-side drive current in response to varying the first variable voltage via the activated first voltage clamping switch, and wherein at least one negative-side semiconductor device is continuously switched on and off to limit the drive current to the negative-side output in response to varying the second variable voltage via the activated second voltage clamping switch.

14 . The solid-state circuit protection system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of first semiconductor devices and the plurality of second semiconductor devices comprise of thyristors having a gate terminal, at least one thyristor configured

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Jacobson Boris S

Classifications

• H02H9/00

  Emergency protective circuit arrangements for limiting excess current or voltage without disconnection · CPC title

• H02H3/00 Primary

  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

• H02H3/025

  Disconnection after limiting, e.g. when limiting is not sufficient or for facilitating disconnection · CPC title

• H02H7/008

  for protective arrangements according to this subclass (H02H9/042, H02H9/043 take precedence; protection of spark-gaps H02H7/24) · CPC title

• H02H3/08 Primary

  responsive to excess current (responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04) · CPC title