Method, system, and apparatus for detecting an arc event using breaker status
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorGeorge William Roscoe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power equipment protection system includes a first circuit monitoring device configured to monitor a first circuit, a second circuit monitoring device configured to monitor a second circuit that is electrically coupled to the first circuit, and a processor communicatively coupled to the first circuit monitoring device and the second circuit monitoring device. The processor is configured to receive a signal indicative of a fault from at least one of the first circuit monitoring device and the second circuit monitoring device, determine whether the fault occurred in the first circuit or in the second circuit, and if the fault occurred in the second circuit, determine whether the fault is an arc event.
Claims20
A power equipment protection system comprising:
- a first circuit monitoring device configured to monitor a first circuit;
- a second circuit monitoring device configured to monitor a second circuit that is electrically coupled to the first circuit;
- and
- a processor communicatively coupled to said first circuit monitoring device and said second circuit monitoring device, wherein said processor is configured to:
- receive a signal from at least one of said first circuit monitoring device and said second circuit monitoring device, the signal indicative of a fault;
- determine whether the fault occurred in the first circuit or in the second circuit;
- and
- if the fault occurred in the second circuit, determine whether the fault is an arc event based at least in part on a measured voltage level in the second circuit.
A controller for use with a power equipment protection system, said controller configured to:
- be communicatively coupled to a first circuit monitoring device configured to monitor a first circuit;
- be communicatively coupled to a second circuit monitoring device configured to monitor a second circuit electrically coupled to the first circuit;
- receive a signal from at least one of the first circuit monitoring device and the second circuit monitoring device, the signal indicative of a fault;
- determine whether the fault occurred in the first circuit or in the second circuit;
- and
- if the fault occurred in the second circuit, determine whether the fault is an arc event based at least in part on a measured voltage level in the second circuit.
A method for protecting power equipment having a second circuit and at least one first circuit, said method comprising:
- receiving, by a processor from at least one circuit monitoring device, a signal indicative of a fault;
- determining whether the fault occurred in the at least one first circuit or in the second circuit;
- if the fault occurred in the second circuit, determining whether the fault is an arc event based on a voltage level measured across a plurality of conductors of the second circuit;
- and
- if the fault is an arc event, generating a signal to activate a circuit protection device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.