US 2021/0083469 A1 · POWER GENERATOR PROTECTION SYSTEM WITH ARC FLASH INCIDENT ENERGY REDUCTION

Abstract

One example includes a power generator protection system. The system includes a circuit breaker configured, when triggered, to provide an open circuit in a power line configured to conduct a current between a power grid point-of-interconnect (POI) and a power generator system. The system also includes a programmable controller configured to monitor the current and to generate a dynamic current threshold based on the current. The programmable controller can further be configured to compare the current with the dynamic current threshold and to trigger the circuit breaker based on a difference of the current relative to the dynamic current threshold to set an arc flash incident energy level of the power generator system at or below a predetermined safety level.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A power generator protection system comprising:

a circuit breaker configured, when triggered, to provide an open circuit in a power line configured to conduct a current between a power grid point-of-interconnect (POI) and a power generator system;
and
a programmable controller configured to monitor the current and to generate a dynamic current threshold based on the current, the programmable controller being further configured to compare the current with the dynamic current threshold and to trigger the circuit breaker based on a difference of the current relative to the dynamic current threshold to set an arc flash incident energy level of the power generator system at or below a predetermined safety level.

A method for protecting a power generator system:

monitoring a current propagating in a power line between a power grid point-of-interconnect (POI) and the power generator system via an analog input to a programmable controller;
sampling each cycle of the current to generate a plurality of current samples for each cycle of the current;
generating a cycle current value for each cycle of the current based on the plurality of current samples associated with the respective cycle of the current;
continuously storing a predetermined number of cycle current values in a time-wise manner;
substantially continuously averaging the predetermined number of cycle current values to generate a dynamic current threshold;
comparing the cycle current value associated with at least one of the plurality of cycles with the dynamic current threshold;
and
providing a digital output signal from the programmable controller to trigger a circuit breaker based on an amplitude difference of the cycle current relative to the dynamic current threshold.

5 more elements

A power generator protection system for a plurality of power generator systems, the power generator protection system comprising:

a local circuit breaker configured, when triggered, to provide an open circuit in a power line configured to conduct a current between a main power line and a respective one of the plurality of power generator systems, the main power line being configured to conduct a collective current associated with the plurality of power generator systems between the plurality of power generator systems and a power grid point-of-interconnect (POI);
and
a local programmable controller configured to monitor the current and to generate a dynamic current threshold based on the current, the programmable controller being further configured to compare the current with the dynamic current threshold and to trigger the local circuit breaker based on a difference of the current relative to the dynamic current threshold to set an arc flash incident energy level of the respective one of the plurality of power generator systems at or below a predetermined safety level.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Power generator protection system with arc flash incident energy reduction

Life of this patent

Power generator protection system with arc flash incident energy reduction

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22