Intelligent Switch Cabinet Control for Heat Engine Safety Interlocks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current factory power operation systems in thermal power factories lack integration of heat engine device states, leading to potential violations of electrical safety measures, such as incorrect power intervals and load breaker operations, which can result in device damage and casualties.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for controlling an intelligent switch cabinet that obtains actual information about the switch cabinet and corresponding heat engine devices, performs matching analyses, and determines operation authorities to ensure safe power-off and power-on operations, thereby reducing the risk of device damage and casualties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If electricians manually perform power-off and power-on operations based on work ticket measures, then operational flexibility is maintained, but the risk of violating electrical safety measures increases due to insufficient knowledge of heat engine device states and poor communication

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation safetyVSAvoidsystem integration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the electrical operation management system with the heat engine device monitoring system into an integrated intelligent switch cabinet control system. This combination allows real-time sharing of device states between electricians and heat engine personnel, eliminating communication gaps and ensuring that power operations are based on accurate, up-to-date device information, thereby reducing safety violations while maintaining operational flexibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The intelligent switch cabinet acts as an intermediary between electricians and heat engine devices. It automatically获取s device state information from the heat engine unit and uses this information to guide power operations. The system mediates the decision-making process by providing real-time device status to electricians, enabling them to make informed operational decisions without needing deep expertise in heat engine states

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If the electrical operation system operates independently without heat engine device state integration, then system simplicity is maintained, but the accuracy of power operation decisions deteriorates due to lack of real-time device state information

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice state information accuracyVSAvoidsystem architecture complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The intelligent switch cabinet is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as an electrical operation control point and as a heat engine device monitoring interface. It can simultaneously manage power operations and display real-time device states, eliminating the need for separate monitoring systems and reducing overall system complexity while improving information accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements real-time feedback mechanisms where the intelligent switch cabinet continuously receives device state information from the heat engine unit and immediately updates the operational interface. This feedback loop ensures that electricians always have access to current device states, enabling accurate power operation decisions without requiring complex predictive models or historical data analysis

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12237667B2Method and system for controlling intelligent switch cabinet
Publication Date: 2025.02.25 SHANTOU POWER PLANT OF HUANENG (GUANGDONG) ENERGY DEVELOPMENT CO LTD
  • US12237667B2 patent drawing
  • US12237667B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A method and system for controlling an intelligent switch cabinet are provided. The method includes: obtaining running states of a heat engine unit, and performing a matching analysis with a safety measure content of a corresponding heat engine and a DCS marking state, determining first heat engine devices and second heat engine devices; determining a first allowable operation item and a second allowable operation item, determining required operation items in combination with a current actual situation; setting a first work task to an electrical five-prevention system and setting a second work task to an electrical work ticket system, and setting an operation authority to the elements to be operated of the intelligent switch cabinet after the setting is completed; performing the power-off operation on the first heat engine devices of being associated and performing the power-on operation on the second heat engine devices of being associated.