An apparatus includes a mechanical switch and a solid-state switch, such as a diamond switch or antiparallel-connected thyristor pair, coupled in series between an AC source and the load, such as a substation input transformer. The control circuit may be configured to connect the AC power source to the load by closing the mechanical switch and turning on the solid-state switch thereafter. The control circuit may be configured to interrupt a connection of the AC source to the load by turning off the solid-state switch and closing the mechanical switch thereafter. Operations of the switches may be coordinated with a fuse coupled in series with the solid-state switch to address different types of fault conditions.

A device, preferably a plug-in module, for communication between a controller and a field device. The device includes contacts, wherein a first subset of the contacts is electrically conductively connected or connectable to the controller and a second subset of the contacts is electrically conductively connected or connectable to the field device. The apparatus further includes a circuit having an input electrically conductively connected to the first subset of the contacts and an output electrically conductively connected to the second subset of the contacts. The circuit includes a voltage-limiting unit adapted to limit a voltage at the output, and a current-limiting unit adapted to limit a current between the input and the output and to interrupt the current when the voltage-limiting unit responds.

A device, preferably a plug-in module, for communication between a controller and a field device. The device includes contacts, wherein a first subset of the contacts is electrically conductively connected or connectable to the controller and a second subset of the contacts is electrically conductively connected or connectable to the field device. The apparatus further includes a circuit having an input electrically conductively connected to the first subset of the contacts and an output electrically conductively connected to the second subset of the contacts. The circuit includes a voltage-limiting unit adapted to limit a voltage at the output, and a current-limiting unit adapted to limit a current between the input and the output and to interrupt the current when the voltage-limiting unit responds.

A protection circuit, comprising: a transient suppression circuit, configured to suppress a transient voltage; and a short-circuit protection circuit connected between the transient suppression circuit and a ground terminal, wherein when the transient suppression circuit is shorted out and the transient voltage is a protection voltage, the short-circuit protection circuit disconnects a loop where the transient suppression circuit is located. The short-circuit protection circuit has a turned-on state and a turned-off state; the short-circuit protection circuit is in a turned-on state when the transient suppression circuit is shorted out and the transient voltage is greater than the protection voltage; and the short-circuit protection circuit is in a turned-off state when the transient suppression circuit is shorted out and the transient voltage is a protection voltage.

(57) Abstract: A system and a method for limiting in-rush currents to a battery module (14) is provided. The system and the method include operating a power MOSFET (12) with a pulse-width-modulated, PWM gate voltage. The frequency and the duty cycle of the PWM gate voltage are iteratively selected such that the current through the battery module (12) does not exceed a current limit value (18), the battery module (14) being series connected with the MOSFET load path. In one embodiment, the frequency and the duty cycle of the PWM gate voltage are alternatively varied to gradually increase the current in the load path until a current limit value (18) is reached.

The present invention provides for an electronic isolator device for application in intrinsically safe environments having isolation and safety functionality and comprising: an isolator module (101), a safety module (100), and wherein the isolator module is arranged for removable physical/electrical connection to the safety module in at least two orientations/configurations (DO, Dl, Al, AO) relative to the safety module, wherein the electrical connection to the safety module in each of the at least two orientations/configurations serves to configure the electrical functionality of the safety module (100).

A device, preferably a plug-in module, for communication between a controller and a field device. The device includes contacts, wherein a first subset of the contacts is electrically conductively connected or connectable to the controller and a second subset of the contacts is electrically conductively connected or connectable to the field device. The apparatus further includes a circuit having an input electrically conductively connected to the first subset of the contacts and an output electrically conductively connected to the second subset of the contacts. The circuit includes a voltage-limiting unit adapted to limit a voltage at the output, and a current-limiting unit adapted to limit a current between the input and the output and to interrupt the current when the voltage-limiting unit responds.

A device, preferably a plug-in module, for communication between a controller and a field device. The device includes contacts, wherein a first subset of the contacts is electrically conductively connected or connectable to the controller and a second subset of the contacts is electrically conductively connected or connectable to the field device. The apparatus further includes a circuit having an input electrically conductively connected to the first subset of the contacts and an output electrically conductively connected to the second subset of the contacts. The circuit includes a voltage-limiting unit adapted to limit a voltage at the output, and a current-limiting unit adapted to limit a current between the input and the output and to interrupt the current when the voltage-limiting unit responds.

An electronic functional device such as an isolator arranged to offer configurable functionality for alteration of the function of the device. The device includes wireless reception means for receiving wireless configuration data for the selective configuration of the device, and can also include wireless transmission means for the wireless transmission of data identifying its configured state.

A surge protective device (SPD) circuit system for providing overvoltage protection to an electrical power circuit includes a PCB assembly, an SPD module, and an SPD monitoring system. The PCB assembly selectively mountable on the PCB includes a PCB and a remote signal (RS) PCB contact on the PCB. The SPD module includes an overvoltage clamping element and an RS spring contact including an RS contact portion. When the SPD module is mounted on the PCB and the electrical power circuit is connected to the PCB: the PCB electrically connects the SPD module to the circuit and the overvoltage clamping element provides overvoltage protection to the circuit; the RS contact portion engages the RS PCB contact; the RS spring contact is elastically deflected and persistently loads the RS contact portion against the RS PCB contact; and the RS spring contact is electrically connected to the SPD monitoring system via the RS PCB contact.