Device and method for estimating electrical properties, thermal properties and expected life of a circuit protection element based on temperature measurements, and for estimating electrical characteristics of a system based on temperature measurements
AssigneeMERSEN USA EP Corp.
InventorsTing PAN, Roy BALL
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device and method for detecting an electrical parameter of a circuit protection element includes measuring a temperature of the circuit protection element and, based on the measured temperature, determining a temperature rise of the circuit protection element. The electrical parameter of the circuit protection element is determined based on the temperature rise.
Claims30
A surge protection device (SPD) couplable to a circuit, comprising:
- a voltage-clamping element configured to limit a voltage;
- and
- a processing device configured to receive temperature data corresponding to the voltage-clamping element, the processing device configured to determine, based on the temperature data, a temperature rise of the voltage-clamping element, and based on the temperature rise determine at least one of
- an electrical parameter of the voltage-clamping element,
- an electrical parameter of a circuit coupled to the SPD,
- an amount of life of the voltage-clamping element consumed by the electrical event, or
- a remaining life of the voltage-clamping element after the electrical event.
A method for detecting an electrical parameter of a voltage-clamping element, comprising:
- measuring a temperature of the voltage-clamping element;
- based on the measured temperature, determining a temperature rise of the voltage-clamping element;
- and
- calculating the electrical parameter of the voltage-clamping element based on the temperature rise.
A surge protection device (SPD), comprising:
- a housing including an interior space;
- and
- a voltage-clamping element disposed at least partially within the interior space, the voltage clamping element comprising a first electrode and a second electrode for electrically connecting the voltage-clamping element to a circuit to be protected, and a thermal terminal thermally connected to the voltage-clamping element, the first and second electrodes extending out of the housing.
A method for estimating an amount of life of a voltage-clamping element consumed due to an electrical event, the method comprising:
- obtaining a temperature rise of the voltage-clamping element due to the electrical event;
- based on the temperature rise of the voltage clamping element, determining a pulse energy absorbed by the voltage-clamping element due to the electrical event;
- and
- obtaining energy absorption characteristics of the voltage-clamping element;
- determining the amount of life of the voltage-clamping element consumed due to the electrical event based on the pulse energy absorbed by the voltage-clamping element and the energy absorption characteristics of the voltage-clamping element.
An electrical device couplable to a circuit, comprising:
- a circuit protection element;
- and
- a processing device configured to receive temperature data corresponding to the circuit protection element, the processing device configured to determine, based on the temperature data, a temperature rise of the circuit protection element, and based on the temperature rise determine at least one of
- an electrical parameter of the circuit protection element,
- an electrical parameter of a circuit coupled to the circuit protection element,
- an amount of life of the circuit protection element consumed by the electrical event, or
- a remaining life of the circuit protection element after the electrical event.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.