Current Circuit Breaker Bypass Reduces Semiconductor Count

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing current circuit breakers require multiple power semiconductors, resulting in high costs, large volume, and heat generation, due to their design for blocking currents.

Innovation Solution

A current circuit breaker design utilizing fast switches, a bypass circuit, and a surge arrester to block fault currents, reducing the number of power semiconductors, volume, and heat generation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple power semiconductors are used to block current, then current blocking capability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecurrent blocking capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the current blocking function from multiple power semiconductors and implements it using a bypass circuit with switches and a surge arrester. This removes the need for expensive power semiconductors while maintaining the essential current blocking capability through an alternative technical approach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces expensive power semiconductors with cheaper components including switches and a surge arrester. These components are more cost-effective and can be replaced if needed, achieving the same functional outcome at lower manufacturing cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Reliability

If multiple power semiconductors are used to block current, then current blocking capability is improved, but device volume increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecurrent blocking capabilityVSAvoiddevice volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the bulky power semiconductors from the device and replaces them with a more compact bypass circuit implementation using switches and a surge arrester, thereby reducing overall device volume while preserving current blocking functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple functions (current blocking, switching, and surge protection) into an integrated bypass circuit architecture, eliminating the need for separate power semiconductor components and reducing total device volume through functional consolidation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If multiple power semiconductors are used to block current, then current blocking capability is improved, but heat generation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecurrent blocking capabilityVSAvoidheat generation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the heat-generating power semiconductors from the system and replaces them with a bypass circuit that uses switches and a surge arrester, which generate significantly less heat during operation, thereby eliminating the harmful thermal effects while maintaining current blocking capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Ease of manufacture

If a bypass circuit is used to block current, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the current blocking function into distinct operational phases: normal operation with switches closed, fault condition detection, switch opening sequence, and surge arrester activation. This temporal and functional segmentation simplifies the control logic and makes the bypass circuit easier to implement and manage despite the multiple components involved.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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

The proposed design effectively protects semiconductor modules, reduces manufacturing costs, minimizes volume, and suppresses heat generation by using a bypass circuit to manage fault currents.

Implementation Method 1

a surge arrester connected across the capacitor and configured to change its resistance according to a voltage across the capacitor to block the fault current

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVoltage-dependent resistance change: Electrical Resistance

Implementation Method 2

a capacitor having a terminal connected to the second switch and the other terminal connected to the semiconductor module

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitance: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentUS10447024B2Current circuit breaker

Publication Date: 2019.10.15 LSIS CO LTD

AI summary

Disclosed herein is a current circuit breaker that protects a semiconductor module by using fast switches to block a current. The current circuit breaker includes: a first switch configured to be opened upon a fault current being generated; a second switch connected to the first switch and configured to be opened after a predetermined period of time elapses since the first switch has been opened; a semiconductor module having an end connected to the first switch and another end connected to the second switch; a capacitor having a terminal connected to the second switch and the other terminal connected to the semiconductor module; and a surge arrester connected across the capacitor and configured to change its resistance according to a voltage across the capacitor to block the fault current.