Hybrid miniature circuit breaker

A method of energy monitoring in a power distribution system, comprising:

• providing a hybrid circuit breaker that comprises (i) a primary trip/isolation relay component and a primary trip/isolation relay component driver structured to cause the primary trip/isolation relay component to open and interrupt current from flowing to the load in an event of fault, (ii) a sensing mechanism structured to sense at least current, voltage, and power flowing to the load, (iii) a metrology component coupled to the sensing mechanism and structured to monitor and measure at least the current, voltage and power, (iv) a controller coupled to the primary trip/isolation relay component driver, the sensing mechanism, and the metrology component, and structured to detect the event of fault based on data received from the sensing mechanism and the metrology component and communicate with a user device about at least the detected event of fault or the data;
• and (v) a hybrid secondary switching device coupled to the controller and the primary trip/isolation relay component, the hybrid secondary switching device including secondary contacts, a hybrid relay circuit driver, and a hybrid relay circuit including a miniaturized electromechanical relay and a power electronics circuit connected in parallel with the miniaturized electromechanical relay;
• performing circuit protection;
• providing load control;
• and
• providing energy management,
• wherein the miniaturized electromechanical relay is a micro-electromechanical device,
• wherein the performing the circuit protection comprises:
• determining whether the event of fault is detected within the hybrid circuit breaker;
• and
• in response to a determination that the event of fault is not detected, performing normal operation by the hybrid circuit breaker, and
• wherein the performing normal operation comprises:
• causing, by the hybrid relay circuit driver, the miniaturized electromechanical relay to be turned ON and allowing the power to flow to the load via the miniaturized electromechanical relay.

A method of energy monitoring using a hybrid circuit breaker including secondary contacts and a miniaturized electromechanical relay in parallel to a power electronics circuit, both the miniaturized electromechanical relay and the power electronics circuit being coupled to the secondary contacts, current flowing to a load via the miniaturized electromechanical relay during normal operation, comprising:

• detecting an event of fault within the hybrid circuit breaker;
• turning ON the power electronics circuit;
• turning OFF the miniaturized electromechanical relay;
• deviating fault current from the miniaturized electromechanical relay to the power electronics circuit;
• and
• turning OFF the power electronics upon completion of the turning OFF of the miniaturized electromechanical relay,
• wherein the miniaturized electromechanical relay is a micro-electromechanical device.