Solid-State Circuit Breaker Sequencing to Prevent Contact Arcing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Circuit breakers experience erosion and damage due to electrical arcing when current is interrupted, leading to a need for a solution to reduce or eliminate arcing across main contacts.
Innovation Solution
A solid-state circuit breaker with a secondary switching system that actuates before the primary main contacts open, turning off power to the electronics using semiconductors and software algorithms, thereby reducing arcing across the primary main contacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If main contacts are opened to interrupt current, then current interruption function is achieved, but electrical arcing occurs causing contact erosion
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary switch is actuated before the primary main contacts open, turning off the electronics and reducing current flow in advance. This preliminary action prevents full arcing from occurring when the main contacts separate, thereby eliminating contact erosion while maintaining current interruption capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary switch acts as an intermediary element between the control mechanism and the primary main contacts. By introducing this intermediate switching stage, the system can reduce current flow before the main contacts open, serving as a mediator that protects the primary contacts from direct arcing exposure.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If secondary switch is added to turn off electronics before main contacts open, then arcing is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The switching function is segmented into two distinct stages: a secondary switch for electronics control and primary main contacts for power interruption. This segmentation allows the secondary switch to handle the delicate task of reducing current flow to protect electronics, while the robust primary contacts handle the main power interruption, dividing the protective function into manageable parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces part of the mechanical arcing-prone contact system with a solid-state secondary switching mechanism. By substituting the secondary switch (which can be solid-state or electronically controlled) for a portion of the traditional mechanical contact system, arcing is reduced while the overall structure remains relatively simple.
Data Source
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AI summary
A solid-state circuit breaker configured to turn off electronics before a pair of opposing primary main contacts are opened. The solid-state circuit breaker includes a main mechanism including a pair of opposing primary main contacts. The solid-state circuit breaker further includes electronics including semiconductors and software algorithms that control the power and can interrupt currents. The solid-state circuit breaker further includes a switching system including a secondary switch that is configured to be actuated prior to opening of the primary main contacts. The secondary switch is configured to turn off the power to the electronics of the solid-state circuit breaker before the primary main contacts are opened to eliminate or reduce electrical arcing across the primary main contacts.