Acoustic Trip Intensity Estimation for Circuit Breaker Tripping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Measuring tripping intensity in circuit breakers is costly and intrusive, requiring an intensity sensor inside the breaker, which needs to withstand high tripping intensities.
Innovation Solution
An acoustic device comprising an enclosure, a plate, a bracket, a microphone, an attenuator, and an electronic control unit, which estimates tripping intensity by measuring noise emitted by the circuit breaker, using an attenuator to reduce noise levels and a mechanical damper to dampen vibrations, without the need for an intrusive sensor inside the circuit breaker.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an intensity sensor is integrated inside the circuit breaker to measure tripping current, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an acoustic intermediary system consisting of a microphone, attenuator, and electronic control unit that converts electrical tripping current measurements into acoustic signals. This intermediary approach allows indirect measurement of tripping intensity through sound wave analysis, eliminating the need for direct electrical sensor integration within the circuit breaker while maintaining measurement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the electrical measurement system (intensity sensor) with an acoustic measurement system (microphone-based). By substituting the mechanical/electrical sensing approach with an acoustic sensing approach, the system achieves tripping intensity measurement without requiring intrusive electrical sensors inside the circuit breaker
2Measurement precision
If an intensity sensor is integrated inside the circuit breaker, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The acoustic intermediary system allows the measurement function to be added externally without modifying the circuit breaker's internal structure. The microphone captures acoustic emissions from the circuit breaker during tripping events, and the electronic control unit processes these signals to determine tripping intensity, simplifying the manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of directly measuring electrical parameters inside the circuit breaker, the system creates an acoustic copy or representation of the tripping event. The microphone captures the acoustic signature of the tripping current, and electronic processing generates a measurement that replicates the information obtainable from direct electrical sensing, but through a simpler manufacturing process
3Reliability
If noise attenuation is applied to protect the microphone, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attenuator is positioned in the acoustic path before the microphone to pre-attenuate strong acoustic signals that could damage the microphone. This beforehand cushioning approach protects the microphone from potential damage by high-intensity acoustic waves during circuit breaker tripping events, while using a simple attenuator structure rather than complex protection mechanisms
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Estimates tripping intensity in a simple, non-intrusive, and cost-effective manner, providing accurate results by reducing noise and vibrations to prevent microphone saturation and distortion.
Implementation Method 1
the attenuator being configured to attenuate noise generated by the circuit breaker, the noise being representative of the tripping intensity
Implementation Method 2
the microphone being configured to measure the noise attenuated by the attenuator, and to emit an output signal representative of the attenuated noise
Implementation Method 3
The fact that the support is connected to the plate only via the tab helps to dampen the mechanical vibrations generated by the circuit breaker and transmitted to the device
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to an acoustic device for estimating the tripping intensity of a tripping current flowing in a circuit breaker, the device comprising: - an enclosure (22); - a plate (32); - a support (40), a tab (42) connecting the support and the plate; - a microphone (70); - an attenuator (44), the support extending between the microphone and the attenuator, the attenuator comprising a housing (46) including a housing orifice (48) and an attenuating membrane (50), and - an electronic control unit (38), connected to the microphone, the attenuator being configured to attenuate a noise generated by the circuit breaker, the noise being representative of the tripping intensity, the microphone being configured to measure the noise attenuated by the attenuator, and to emit an output signal and the electronic control unit being configured to receive the output signal and to estimate the tripping intensity.