Switchboard Load Control via Temperature-Based Capacity Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing switchboard monitoring and load control systems often result in unexpected power cutoffs, which can cause data loss or damage to connected devices, particularly in systems requiring continuous power supply, due to the sudden interruption of electrical lines by circuit breakers.

Innovation Solution

A switchboard-monitoring and load-controlling system that includes a gateway to acquire temperature and current information from circuit breakers, detect capacity variations, and transmit load adjustment requests to a load control device, which prioritizes the stopping of non-essential apparatuses to maintain continuous power to critical systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the circuit breaker cuts off the electrical line when current exceeds capacity, then the switchboard and loads are protected from damage, but the power supply to apparatuses is suddenly interrupted causing data loss or equipment damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection of switchboard and loadsVSAvoidsudden power cutoff to apparatuses
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The gateway acquires temperature information of circuit breakers and current amount information before the circuit breaker trips, detecting the risk of overload in advance. This allows the load control device to proactively adjust loads by stopping non-critical apparatuses before the sudden cutoff occurs, thus protecting apparatuses while maintaining circuit breaker protection function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors temperature and current information of circuit breakers, creating a feedback loop. When the gateway detects that current approaches circuit breaker capacity based on temperature-based capacity information, it triggers the load control device to adjust loads, preventing sudden cutoffs while maintaining protection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If the load control device stops operation of apparatuses to adjust load, then the current amount is reduced to prevent circuit breaker cutoff, but critical apparatuses may be unnecessarily stopped

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload adjustment to prevent cutoffVSAvoidcontinuous operation of critical apparatuses
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The load control device differentiates between critical and non-critical apparatuses by acquiring priority information for each apparatus. When load adjustment is needed, it selectively stops only non-critical apparatuses while maintaining operation of critical apparatuses, thus achieving load reduction without compromising essential functions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The gateway acquires temperature information and converts it to capacity information of the circuit breaker, changing the parameter from raw temperature to meaningful capacity metric. This enables intelligent comparison with current amount to determine when load adjustment is necessary, allowing precise control decisions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The system effectively minimizes unexpected power cutoffs by adjusting loads based on circuit breaker capacity and prioritizing the operation of critical devices, ensuring continuous operation and reducing the risk of data loss or equipment damage.

Implementation Method 1

a temperature sensor to acquire data for acquisition of temperature information of each of the circuit breakers

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal radiation detection: Thermal Radiation

Implementation Method 2

acquire temperature information of each of the circuit breakers based on the received data

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP3751686B1Monitoring and load controlling system for switchboard
Publication Date: 2022.07.06 LS ELECTRIC CO LTD
  • EP3751686B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3751686B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3751686B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A monitoring and load controlling system for a switchboard, according to one embodiment of the present specification, comprises: a gateway which acquires respective temperature information of circuit breakers included in a switchboard, and respective current amount information of lines corresponding to the circuit breakers, acquires respective capacity information of the circuit breakers on the basis of the acquired temperature information, and, on the basis of the acquired capacity information and current amount information, detects a circuit breaker corresponding to a line in need of load regulation; and a load controlling device which regulates the load of said line by stopping the operation of at least one device among devices connected to the detected circuit breaker.