Active arc fault circuit interrupters with solid-state components
AssigneeSiemens Industry, Inc.
InventorGuang Yang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A circuit breaker for active detection of an arc fault is provided. It comprises a set of power electronics configured to make an arc fault detection active, a current limiting resistor in series with the set of power electronics and a sensing and control circuitry coupled to the set of power electronics and stores in a memory for execution a detection algorithm code with a detection logic. The sensing and control circuitry monitors a load current of at least one device connected to the circuit breaker, the sensing and control circuitry detects an arc-like signal in the load current, and by monitoring a change of the arc-like signal during a short on/off period of power electronics, the detection algorithm code can determine if there is an arc in the circuit.
Claims20
A circuit breaker for active detection of an arc fault comprising:
- a set of power electronics configured to make an arc fault detection active;
- a current limiting resistor in series with the set of power electronics;
- and
- a sensing and control circuitry coupled to the set of power electronics and stores in a memory for execution a detection algorithm code with a detection logic, and
- wherein the sensing and control circuitry monitoring a load current of at least one device connected to the circuit breaker, the sensing and control circuitry detecting an arc-like signal in the load current, and by monitoring a change of the arc-like signal during a short on/off period of power electronics, the detection algorithm code can determine if there is an arc in the circuit.
A method for active detection of an arc fault in a circuit breaker, the method comprising:
- providing a set of power electronics configured to make an arc fault detection active;
- providing a current limiting resistor in series with the set of power electronics;
- and
- providing a sensing and control circuitry coupled to the set of power electronics and stores in a memory for execution a detection algorithm code with a detection logic, and
- wherein the sensing and control circuitry monitoring a load current of at least one device connected to the circuit breaker, the sensing and control circuitry detecting an arc-like signal in the load current, and by monitoring a change of the arc-like signal during a short on/off period of power electronics, the detection algorithm code can determine if there is an arc in the circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.