Power system including a circuit providing smart zone selective interlocking communication

A circuit for controlling zone selective interlocking of a power system that includes (i) a plurality of main circuit interrupters, each of said main circuit interrupters including:

• a line input, a load output, and a zone selective interlocking input, (ii) a number of tie circuit interrupters, at least one of said tie circuit interrupters including:
• a first terminal electrically connected to the load output of a first one of said main circuit interrupters, a second terminal electrically connected to the load output of a different second one of said main circuit interrupters, separable contacts electrically connected between said first terminal and said second terminal, said separable contacts having an open state and a closed state, a zone selective interlocking input, and a zone selective interlocking output, and (iii) a plurality of feeder circuit interrupters, each of said feeder circuit interrupters including:
• a line input electrically connected to the load output of one of said main circuit interrupters, a load output, and a zone selective interlocking output, the circuit comprising:
• a first input structured to receive the zone selective interlocking output of said at least one of said tie circuit interrupters;
• a second input structured to receive the zone selective interlocking output of one of the feeder circuit interrupters having the line input electrically connected to the load output of said first one of said main circuit interrupters;
• a third input structured to receive the zone selective interlocking output of a different one of the feeder circuit interrupters having the line input electrically connected to the load output of said different second one of said main circuit interrupters;
• a first output structured to selectively communicate the zone selective interlocking output of the one of the feeder circuit interrupters having the line input electrically connected to the load output of said first one of said main circuit interrupters to the zone selective interlocking input of said different second one of said main circuit interrupters;
• and
• a second output structured to selectively communicate the zone selective interlocking output of the different one of the feeder circuit interrupters having the line input electrically connected to the load output of said different second one of said main circuit interrupters to the zone selective interlocking input of said first one of said main circuit interrupters;
• wherein the circuit is structured to block communication, at least when said at least one of said tie circuit interrupters is in its open state, of the zone selective interlocking output of the one of the feeder circuit interrupters having the line input electrically connected to the load output of said first one of said main circuit interrupters to the zone selective interlocking input of said different second one of said main circuit interrupters.

A method for controlling zone selective interlocking of a power system that includes (i) a plurality of main circuit interrupters, each of said main circuit interrupters including:

• a line input, a load output, and a zone selective interlocking input, (ii) a number of tie circuit interrupters, at least one of said tie circuit interrupters including:
• a first terminal electrically connected to the load output of a first one of said main circuit interrupters, a second terminal electrically connected to the load output of a different second one of said main circuit interrupters, separable contacts electrically connected between said first terminal and said second terminal, said separable contacts having an open state and a closed state, a zone selective interlocking input, and a zone selective interlocking output, and (iii) a plurality of feeder circuit interrupters, each of said feeder circuit interrupters including:
• a line input electrically connected to the load output of one of said main circuit interrupters, a load output, and a zone selective interlocking output, the method comprising:
• receiving the zone selective interlocking output of said at least one of said tie circuit interrupters;
• receiving the zone selective interlocking output of one of the feeder circuit interrupters having the line input electrically connected to the load output of said first one of said main circuit interrupters;
• receiving the zone selective interlocking output of a different one of the feeder circuit interrupters having the line input electrically connected to the load output of said different second one of said main circuit interrupters;
• selectively communicating the zone selective interlocking output of the one of the feeder circuit interrupters having the line input electrically connected to the load output of said first one of said main circuit interrupters to the zone selective interlocking input of said different second one of said main circuit interrupters;
• and
• selectively communicating the zone selective interlocking output of the different one of the feeder circuit interrupters having the line input electrically connected to the load output of said different second one of said main circuit interrupters to the zone selective interlocking input of said first one of said main circuit interrupters;
• wherein, at least when said at least one of said tie circuit interrupters is in its open state, communication of the zone selective interlocking output of the one of the feeder circuit interrupters having the line input electrically connected to the load output of said first one of said main circuit interrupters to the zone selective interlocking input of said different second one of said main circuit interrupters is blocked.