Scalable Voltage Bus Protection Isolation Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bus protection devices lack scalability to accommodate varying bus supply voltages and currents, limiting their application space and failing to effectively manage partial or catastrophic failures.
Innovation Solution
A scalable voltage bus protection and isolation device with a fault latch circuit that automatically disconnects or reconnects the bus supply based on voltage and current monitoring, including over/under voltage and overload conditions, ensuring safe operation across a range of voltages and currents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing bus protection devices are used, then basic protection function is provided, but scalability to higher voltages and currents is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The bus protection device is designed with universal monitoring circuits that can detect both overvoltage and overload conditions using the same basic circuit architecture. The voltage monitoring circuit and current squared time monitoring circuit serve multiple protection functions, allowing the device to scale to different voltage and current levels without requiring completely separate protection systems for each parameter.
Solution Approach 2:
The device enables scalability by changing operational parameters rather than redesigning the entire circuit. The monitoring circuits can be configured to detect different voltage thresholds and current levels, allowing the same hardware to protect bus systems across a range of voltages and currents. This parameter-based configuration approach maintains circuit simplicity while achieving adaptability to higher voltages and currents.
2Reliability
If continuous monitoring of voltage and current is implemented, then protection reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage monitoring circuit and current squared time monitoring circuit are integrated into a unified protection system with a common fault detection and bus disconnect mechanism. By merging the monitoring functions and sharing the fault response infrastructure, the device achieves continuous monitoring of both voltage and current parameters without proportionally increasing overall circuit complexity. The combined approach provides comprehensive protection while maintaining circuit efficiency.
3Loss of time
If automatic fault detection and disconnect is implemented, then response time to faults is reduced, but control circuit complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protection device operates autonomously by self-monitoring its own voltage and current parameters through the integrated monitoring circuits. When faults are detected, the system automatically triggers the bus disconnect function without requiring external control signals. This self-service capability reduces fault response time while keeping the control circuit relatively simple, as the system uses its own operational data for fault detection and response rather than requiring complex external control logic.
Data Source
AI summary
A voltage bus protection/isolation device includes voltage input and output terminals, a disconnect circuit connected between the voltage input and output terminals, a voltage monitoring circuit connected to the voltage input terminal, a resistive circuit connected between a first and second return terminals, a current squared time monitoring circuit connected to the resistive circuit, a control circuit connected, and a fault latch circuit connected to the monitoring circuits, the disconnect circuit and the control circuit. The fault latch circuit: turns the disconnect circuit “OFF” thereby isolating the voltage input terminal from the voltage output terminal whenever the monitoring circuits detect an over voltage condition, an under voltage condition or an overload condition, or an “OFF” signal is received from the control circuit; and turns the disconnect circuit “ON” thereby connecting the voltage input terminal to the voltage output terminal whenever an “ON” signal is received from the control circuit.