Redundant relay systems and related methods for use with switchgear
AssigneeG & W Electric Company
InventorsRobert J. Westphal, Blair S. Kerr, Jason M. Knott
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A switchgear system includes a switch, a switchgear relay circuit, a coil circuit operatively coupled to the switch and the switchgear relay circuit, and a back-up trip circuit including a changeover device. The electronic processor is configured to monitor for a loss of power to the switchgear relay circuit or for a switchgear relay failure, and in response to detecting either of the loss of power or the switchgear relay failure, operate the switch by actuating the changeover device to disconnect the coil circuit from the switchgear relay circuit and connect the coil circuit to the back-up trip circuit.
Claims20
A switchgear system comprising:
- a switch;
- a switchgear relay circuit;
- a coil circuit operatively coupled to the switch and the switchgear relay circuit;
- and
- a back-up trip circuit including a changeover device, and an electronic processor configured to:
- monitor for a loss of power to the switchgear relay circuit or for a switchgear relay failure, and
- in response to detecting either of the loss of power or the switchgear relay failure, operate the switch by actuating the changeover device to disconnect the coil circuit from the switchgear relay circuit and connect the coil circuit to the back-up trip circuit.
A back-up trip circuit for a switchgear relay circuit of a switchgear system, the back-up trip circuit comprising:
- a changeover device;
- and
- an electronic processor configured to:
- monitor for a loss of power to the switchgear relay circuit or for a switchgear relay failure, and
- in response to detecting either of the loss of power or the switchgear relay failure, operate a switch by actuating the changeover device to disconnect a coil circuit operatively coupled to the switch from the switchgear relay circuit and connect the coil circuit to the back-up trip circuit.
A method for operating a back-up trip circuit for a switchgear relay circuit of a switchgear system, the method comprising:
- monitoring for a loss of power to the switchgear relay circuit or for a switchgear relay failure, and
- in response to detecting either of the loss of power or the switchgear relay failure, operating a switch by actuating a changeover device to disconnect a coil circuit operatively coupled to the switch from the switchgear relay circuit and connect the coil circuit to the back-up trip circuit.
A non-transitory, computer-readable medium, comprising commands which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to control a back-up trip circuit for a switchgear relay circuit of a switchgear system, by:
- monitoring for a loss of power to the switchgear relay circuit or for a switchgear relay failure, and
- in response to detecting either of the loss of power or the switchgear relay failure, operating a switch by actuating a changeover device to disconnect a coil circuit operatively coupled to the switch from the switchgear relay circuit and connect the coil circuit to the back-up trip circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.