Apparatus including a circuit breaker adapted to selectively provide arc flash protection in connection with a wind turbine

An apparatus comprising:

• a wind turbine comprising a wind turbine generator configured to generate an alternating current (AC) power output;
• a transformer having a high-voltage side coupled to a load;
• and
• a circuit breaker adapted to selectively reduce arc flash energy available to the wind turbine, the circuit breaker arranged to provide circuit interruption between the wind turbine generator and a low-voltage side of the transformer upon detection of a fault condition, the circuit breaker having an arc flash protection mode and a normal protection mode, wherein, in response to a sensed condition, a respective one of the modes is automatically set so that the circuit breaker can perform the circuit interruption in accordance with a protection functionality of the set mode,
• wherein the load comprises a collector system fed by the wind turbine and further wind turbines.

An apparatus comprising:

• a transformer having a high-voltage side coupled to a load;
• a circuit breaker arranged to provide circuit interruption between a wind turbine generator of a wind turbine and a low-voltage side of the transformer upon detection of a fault condition, the circuit breaker comprising an arc flash protection mode and a normal protection mode, wherein, in response to a sensed condition, a respective one of the modes is automatically set so that the circuit breaker can perform the circuit interruption in accordance with a protection functionality of the set mode;
• and
• at least one sensor coupled to a mode selector of the circuit breaker for automatically setting in response to the sensed condition the arc flash protection mode or the normal protection mode.

An apparatus comprising:

• a transformer associated with a respective one of a plurality of wind turbines, the transformer having a high-voltage side coupled to a collector system fed by the plurality of wind turbines;
• a circuit breaker adapted to selectively reduce arc flash energy available to the respective one wind turbine, the circuit breaker arranged to provide circuit interruption between a wind turbine generator of the respective one wind turbine and a low-voltage side of the transformer upon detection of a fault condition, the circuit breaker comprising an arc flash protection mode and a normal protection mode, wherein, in response to a sensed condition, a respective one of the modes is automatically set so that the circuit breaker can perform the circuit interruption in accordance with a protection functionality of the set mode;
• and
• at least one sensor coupled to an automated mode selector of the circuit breaker for automatically setting in response to the sensed condition the arc flash protection mode or the normal protection mode,
• wherein further ones of the plurality of wind turbines that feed the collector system comprise respective circuit breakers adapted to selectively and individually reduce arc flash energy available to the further ones of the plurality of wind turbines.