Semiconductor Circuit Breaker With Auto Reclosing for Overcurrent Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing circuit breakers in energy distribution networks, particularly in Power Busses, struggle to efficiently limit current peaks caused by short circuits, leading to electrical and thermal stress on semiconductor elements. Additionally, these breakers often require manual reset, causing undesirable interruptions in load operations, which is unacceptable for railway signaling elements.
Innovation Solution
A method and circuit breaker design utilizing a semiconductor-based switching element for temporary electrical isolation between input and output interfaces. The system monitors current and voltage, automatically switching off the switching element during overcurrent events and attempting to reconnect when the event ends. If unsuccessful after a specified number of attempts, the interfaces remain isolated, ensuring continued network operation and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual reset circuit breakers are used to protect against overcurrent, then semiconductor elements are protected from damage, but load operations experience undesirable interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical reset operations with an automated electronic control system. The evaluation-and-control unit automatically detects overcurrent conditions, triggers the semiconductor switching element to isolate the fault, and subsequently attempts automatic reconnection by switching the element back on, thereby eliminating the need for manual intervention and maintaining load operation continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit breaker performs self-reset functionality through the automated evaluation-and-control unit that monitors system conditions and automatically reactivates the switching element after an overcurrent event subsides. This self-service mechanism restores power to loads without requiring external manual resetting, thus maintaining productivity while protecting semiconductors.
2Reliability
If standard relay switches are used for circuit isolation, then electrical isolation is achieved, but switching speed is insufficient for rapid overcurrent protection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes traditional mechanical relay switches with a semiconductor-based switching element (such as a transistor or MOSFET). Semiconductor switches can transition between on and off states in microseconds, providing the rapid switching speed necessary to protect semiconductor elements from overcurrent damage, while the evaluation-and-control unit manages the switching operations.
3Productivity
If automatic reconnection attempts are implemented after overcurrent events, then network operation continuity is maintained, but repeated switching may cause additional stress on components
Solution Approach 1:
The evaluation-and-control unit continuously monitors current conditions and uses this feedback to determine when to attempt reconnection of the switching element. By checking whether the overcurrent event has subsided before initiating reconnection attempts, the system avoids unnecessary switching operations that would stress components, while still maintaining network operation continuity when safe to do so.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for operating an energy distribution network (13) with a circuit breaker (11), the circuit breaker (11) having a two interfaces (12, 14), wherein one of the interfaces (12, 14) is used as output interface (14) and the other is used as input interface (12), an evaluation-and-control unit (6) and a first switching element (3) for temporary electrical isolation of input interface (12) and output interface (14), the method comprising: a. monitoring of current and/or voltage at the output interface (14) of the circuit breaker (11), b. checking whether an overcurrent event is present, wherein step a and step b are performed repeatedly, c. when an overcurrent event is detected: electrical isolation of the input interface (12) from the output interface (14) by switching off the first switching element (3), is characterized in that as first switching element (3) a switching element based on semiconductor is used, and that after switching off the first switching element (3) a switch-on attempt is performed, the switching-on attempt comprising: performing a further check according to step b, and in which, if the further check indicates that the overcurrent event has ended, the input interface (12) and the output interface (14) are electrically reconnected by switching on the first switching element (3), wherein after a specified number of unsuccessful switch-on attempts, the input interface (12) and the output interface (14) remain electrically isolated.