Energy Bus Short Circuit Rectification via Staggered Node Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for energy supply in industrial plants, such as rail traffic networks, face limitations in detecting and quickly rectifying short circuits in energy buses, leading to potential failures of decentralized functional units.
Innovation Solution
A system with a higher-level control system and network node units equipped with controllable switching modules and evaluation modules that detect short circuits and stagger the disconnection of power bus sections based on current direction and position, allowing for immediate restoration of power supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a short circuit occurs in the energy bus, then the system can detect the fault, but the entire system must be shut down to prevent damage, causing loss of power supply to functional units
Solution Approach 1:
The energy bus is divided into multiple segments by introducing switching modules at each network node unit. When a short circuit is detected, only the affected segment is isolated by opening specific switches, while other segments remain operational. This segmentation allows localized fault isolation without system-wide shutdown, maintaining power supply to unaffected functional units.
2Reliability
If the system shuts down the entire energy bus upon detecting a short circuit, then safety is ensured, but the reaction time to restore power is extended
Solution Approach 1:
Switching modules are pre-configured with disconnection timing information for each network node unit. When a short circuit is detected, the system immediately activates the pre-configured switching sequence, eliminating the need for complex real-time decision-making. The switches open in a predetermined staggered sequence, ensuring rapid isolation of the faulty segment and quick restoration of power to healthy sections.
3Measurement precision
If network node units communicate with each other to coordinate short circuit response, then fault isolation precision is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each network node unit is equipped with an evaluation module that independently monitors current flow and detects short circuits in its local segment. The switching modules use locally available current direction information and pre-configured disconnection timing to autonomously determine when to open switches. This self-service approach eliminates the need for inter-node communication while achieving precise fault isolation through distributed intelligence.
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
Enables rapid and targeted isolation of short circuits, ensuring continuous energy supply to decentralized functional units without the need for communication between network node units, allowing for efficient fault localization and potential automatic reconnection.
Implementation Method 1
an evaluation module which evaluates the measured voltage and/or current within a network node unit and/or between adjacent network node units and/or in at least one of the two supply points for a short circuit of the energy bus
Implementation Method 2
a time-staggered disconnection of at least some of the network node units from the energy bus by opening the first or the second switch
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
The invention relates to a system (Sys) and to a method for automatically eliminating a short circuit in an energy bus (EB), by means of which energy bus decentralized functional units (E) arranged in an industrial installation are supplied with electrical energy, wherein: a) a superordinate control system (STW) is provided, which exchanges information with the decentralized functional units (E) by means of data telegrams via a data bus (CB, NB1, NB2), b) network node units (SND, SND1 to SND7) are arranged sequentially between two feed points (PS1, PS2, Sp_L, Sp_R) of an energy bus (EB) having a ring-like structure, which network node units provide the decentralized functional units (E) with the access to the energy bus (EB) and optionally also to the data bus (CB), c) the network node units (SND) have a controllable switching module (S), which comprises a first switch (S1) and a second switch (S2), wherein each switch (S1, S2) can be used to switch access to one of the two feed points (PS1, PS2, Sp_L, Sp_R), d) an evaluating module (CPU) is provided, which evaluates the measured voltage and/or the measured current within a network node unit (SND) and/or among adjacent network node units (SDN) and/or in at least one of the two feed points, to check for a short circuit of the energy bus (EB), wherein, if a short circuit is detected, a time-staggered switch-off of at least some of the network node units (SND) from the energy bus (EB) can be performed by opening the first or the second switch; and e) a switch-off instant for each network node unit (SND) is provided in accordance with a current direction prevailing in the network node unit (SND) and the position of the network node unit (SND) in the energy bus (EB).