UPS Load Control Prevents Circuit Breaker Tripping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Circuit breakers effectively prevent excessive current but interrupting power can render electrical components inoperable when unavailable, causing inconvenience and inefficiency due to load drops.
Innovation Solution
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system that determines if the current through a circuit breaker meets over-current criteria, reducing mains power draw and using backup power to avoid tripping the circuit breaker, thereby maintaining power to connected loads without exceeding the current rating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the circuit breaker is used to prevent excessive current, then the circuit breaker protects against over-current conditions, but the circuit breaker interrupts power when the current exceeds the rating, causing load drops and inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
The UPS system performs preliminary action by detecting when the circuit breaker current approaches its rating threshold and proactively switches to backup power mode before the circuit breaker trips. This anticipatory measure prevents the harmful effect of power interruption while maintaining continuous power supply to the load.
Solution Approach 2:
The UPS system acts as an intermediary between the circuit breaker and the load. When the circuit breaker current nears its rating, the UPS intervenes by providing backup power, thereby preventing the circuit breaker from tripping and ensuring continuous load operation without direct conflict between protection and continuity requirements.
2Power
If the UPS draws power from the circuit breaker, then the UPS provides power to the load, but drawing excessive current causes the circuit breaker to trip, reducing power availability
Solution Approach 1:
The UPS system employs feedback by continuously monitoring the current through the circuit breaker and comparing it to the breaker's rating. When the current approaches the threshold, the UPS adjusts its power draw accordingly, switching to backup power mode to maintain the circuit breaker current within safe limits while ensuring continuous load power supply.
Solution Approach 2:
The UPS system dynamically adjusts its operating mode based on real-time circuit breaker current conditions. It transitions between mains power mode and backup power mode, and between different power draw levels, to optimize the balance between providing sufficient power to the load and maintaining circuit breaker availability.
3Reliability
If the UPS limits the input current to prevent circuit breaker tripping, then the circuit breaker remains available, but the power supplied to the load may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The UPS system merges two power sources (mains power through the circuit breaker and backup power from the energy storage device) to supply the load. By combining these sources, the system can limit the current drawn from the circuit breaker to prevent tripping while compensating with backup power to maintain sufficient total power supply to the load.
Solution Approach 2:
The power supply system uses a composite approach by integrating both mains power and backup power sources. This composite power architecture allows the system to draw from both sources simultaneously or alternatively, enabling current limitation on the circuit breaker side while maintaining adequate power delivery to the load through the combined power capacity.
Data Source
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AI summary
According to aspects of the disclosure, an uninterruptible power supply is provided comprising an input configured to be coupled to, and receive input power from, a circuit breaker, an output configured to be coupled to, and provide output power to, at least one load, an energy-storage-device interface configured to be coupled to, and receive back-up power from, an energy-storage device, and at least one controller configured to determine whether a current through the circuit breaker meets at least one over-current criterion, and control, responsive to determining that the current through the circuit breaker meets the at least one over-current criterion, the uninterruptible power supply to provide the output power to the load, the output power being derived from the input power and the back-up power.