Method and apparatus for controlling a current for solid-state circuit breakers
OwnerFei Wang, Zhou Donginventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Solid-state circuit breakers (SSB) have a fault current limiting function that limit the fault current in power applications. It allows sustained overcurrent for a certain period while preventing the fast fault current increase in dc systems. For the conventional method of using switches alone to limit the current, the high loss results in a short withstand time and low current limiting capability of the SSCBs. Disclosed are various embodiments for a control strategy to use one or more energy absorption components to handle the major part of the energy during a current limiting stage to increase the current limiting capability for series-connected SSCB switching cells.
Claims22
A system, comprising:
- a first solid state circuit breaker (SSCB) switching cell that comprises a first energy absorption component and a first switch;
- a second SSCB switch cell that is electrically coupled in series with the first SSCB, the second SSCB comprising a second energy absorption component and a second switch;
- a control circuit that is configured to operate in a first operating mode and a second operating mode for the first SSCB and the second SSCB;
- and
- the control circuit is configured to:
- detect a rising current of an overcurrent or short circuit event exceeds a current threshold at an input;
- activate the first operating mode by setting the first switch to an off state and setting the second switch to saturation mode by adjusting a second gate voltage of the second switch;
- determine a temperature of the second switch meets a temperature threshold;
- and
- activate the second operating mode by setting the second switch to an off state and setting first switch to saturation mode by adjusting a first gate voltage of the first switch based at least in part on the temperature of the second switch meeting the temperature threshold.
A method of operating a current limiting function for solid-state circuit breakers, comprising:
- providing a system that comprises a first solid state circuit breaker (SSCB) in series with a second SSCB, the first SSCB having a first energy absorption component and a first switch, the second SSCB having a second energy absorption component and a second switch;
- detecting, by the system, a rising current of an overcurrent or short circuit event exceeds a current threshold at an input of the system;
- activating, by the system, the first operating mode by setting the first switch to an off state and setting the second switch to saturation mode by adjusting a second gate voltage of the second switch;
- determining, by the system, a temperature of the second switch meets a temperature threshold;
- and
- activating, by the system, the second operating mode by setting the second switch to an off state and setting first switch to saturation mode by adjusting a first gate voltage of the first switch based at least in part on the temperature of the second switch meeting the temperature threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.