Solid-state circuit breaker trips an air gap actuator and solid-state switching components at the same time or the solid-state switching components with a delay

A method of air gap driving in a solid-state circuit breaker, the method comprising:

• providing a breaker housing;
• providing line-in and line-out terminals;
• providing one or more solid state switching components configured between the line-in and line-out terminals;
• providing an air gap disposed between the line-in and line-out terminals and coupled in series with the one or more solid state switching components to complete a current conducting path when closed, the air gap including a pair of opposing contacts and an air gap driving mechanism;
• providing an air gap actuator to interact with the air gap driving mechanism;
• and
• providing a controller that controls the air gap actuator and is configured to:
• (a). send a tripping signal to the air gap actuator and the one or more solid state switching components at the same time
• or
• (b). send a tripping signal to the air gap actuator earlier than sending the tripping signal to the one or more solid state switching components,
• wherein the air gap can open in a first reaction time after the one or more solid-state switching components are off such that there is a different operating sequence of the one or more solid-state switching components and the air gap to open the air gap relatively faster by reducing a time from the one or more solid-state switching components turning off and forming of the air gap as the one or more solid-state switching components still turn off first and arcing does not happen when the air gap opens, and
• wherein a solid-state switching component of the one or more solid-state switching components has a reaction time such that it can switch off in a second reaction time after receiving the trigger signal from the controller, wherein the second reaction time is substantially smaller than the first reaction time.