Parallel Power Supply Segmentation for Fault Isolation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing uninterruptible power supply systems face challenges in maintaining uninterrupted power supply during electrical faults, particularly with high short-circuit currents, which affect voltage quality and require costly N+N redundancy configurations, making maintenance and fault isolation complex.
Innovation Solution
The system employs parallel-connected self-generating systems with segmented protection areas and short-circuit current-limiting coils, allowing for rapid decoupling of faulty segments within 10 ms, maintaining voltage stability through instantaneous tripping and independent control of circuit breakers, and enabling maintenance without interrupting power supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If N+N redundancy configuration is used to ensure uninterrupted power supply during faults, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the parallel-connected self-generating systems into segmented protection areas, where each area is equipped with its own short-circuit current-limiting coils and circuit breakers. This segmentation allows faults to be isolated to specific segments rather than affecting the entire system, maintaining reliability while reducing the complexity of managing full N+N redundancy across all systems.
2Reliability
If short-circuit current-limiting coils are installed in each protection area, then voltage quality is maintained during faults, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each protection area is equipped with locally-installed short-circuit current-limiting coils that are specifically tailored to the requirements of that segment. This local quality approach ensures that voltage quality is maintained in each protected area independently, while the modular nature of local installations reduces overall system complexity compared to a centralized approach.
3Reliability
If rapid decoupling within 10 ms is implemented, then fault isolation effectiveness is improved, but switching element complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit breakers and switching elements are pre-configured and pre-charged within each protection area, ready to operate immediately upon fault detection. This preliminary preparation enables the system to achieve rapid decoupling within 10 ms without requiring complex real-time decision-making or control mechanisms, thereby improving fault isolation effectiveness while keeping switching element complexity manageable.
4Productivity
If maintenance can be performed without power interruption, then productivity is improved, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The segmentation of the system into independent protection areas with isolated circuit breakers enables maintenance to be performed on one segment without affecting others. Each segment can be independently switched off for maintenance while remaining segments continue to supply power, improving productivity without requiring overly complex control systems.
5Device complexity
If N+1 redundancy is used instead of N+N, then cost is reduced, but reliability during multiple simultaneous faults decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the system into protected areas with local fault isolation capabilities, the patent enables the use of more economical N+1 redundancy configurations. The segmentation ensures that even with fewer redundant systems, multiple simultaneous faults in different segments can be isolated independently, maintaining system reliability while reducing costs compared to full N+N redundancy.
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
This configuration ensures uninterrupted power supply by isolating faults quickly, maintaining voltage within acceptable ranges, and allowing for maintenance without disrupting service, thus improving system reliability and reducing costs compared to traditional designs.
Implementation Method 1
short-circuit current-limiting coils for limiting a short-circuit current in a common electrical ring connection
Implementation Method 2
first switching element with a switching time of less than 10 ms for electrical decoupling of the consumer networks from one another
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
The device has two independent electric generation plants (EA, EB) connected electrically in parallel, where each electric generation plant includes an electrical load terminal coupled with an electrical load bus (S2). Electrical protection zones (SB-A, SB-B) are provided for insulation of electrical errors, where each electrical protection zone includes a transistor (Q10) with a switching time of less than 10 ms for electrically decoupling the electrical load bus from an adjacent electrical load bus. An independent claim is also included for a method for operating the device for uninterrupted power supply of electrical loads.